Runaway ✔

056 • Dana

"Try first the barrel that's closest. You use a light model, hold it with one hand." He gave her the smallest gun. 

"I know how to shoot," Dana muttered. "I've shot someone in the head before, ya remember? Having a girlfriend that knew how to use a gun turned Maddox on."

All she knew however were the basics. He'd never taken her to a shooting range. The only reason she'd been able to shoot Casper in the head, was because he'd been so close. 

"But I've never shot at anything that was more than a meter away."

Happy nodded slowly. That she knew the basics, clearly satisfied him. "Then shoot. We'll see how it goes."

Dana folded her right hand around the weapon and flicked the safety off. She took a deep breath. The last time I held a gun... She swallowed. She looked at Happy in doubt. She tried to find calmness in his eyes, as she did with Juice when she needed it, but his glance was hard. Her hand started to sweat and she tried to find a better grip. 

"Don't keep your thumb at the back of the gun. You'll crush it. Keep your index finger at it in a right angle."

She took a deep breath and did as Happy told her. She realized she didn't know much more than unlocking the weapon, aiming it and pulling the trigger. 

"What the hell did he taught you? Not a damn thing," Happy sniffed. "Widen your stance first, your feet have to be in the same line as your hips. Hook your left hand behind your belt or in your pocked, so that you keep your balance. Now, aim for the middle of the barrel."

Dana moved one feet a little more forward, hooked her left thumb in her pocket and reached out with her arm. 

"Keep your arm straight. Rotate your upper body at the same way. Breath in, not too deep, and shoot before you exhale."

She turned her upper body a little more to the left, looked through the rear sight until she was focused on the front sight. Those were things she did remember from Maddox's lessons. 

"Don't hold so tight. 's Just a little one, the recoil ain't that bad."

She tried to relax her hand a little more, but here fingers started to shake. She thought of Casper again. Her throat squeezed and she gasped for air. 

"Pull yourself together." Happy stood next to her, his arms crossed. 

"I... I can't stop thinking about him."

"I don't give a fuck. Concentrate."

His harsh tone made her cower and she lowered the gun. "Maybe I'll do better if Juice..."

"Don't even think about it," he cut her off. "It's my responsibility to teach you how to shoot. Should have done that ten fucking years ago. Come on, shoulders back. Push your memories of that asshole away and focus." His voice sounded a little gentler. "After a few times it will be easier."

Dana nodded without looking at him, raised her arm and stared at the barrel.

"Look at the front sight, not at your target."

Her glance shoved down a little, to the vertical protrusion at the front of the loop. Again she laid her finger on the trigger, took a deep breath, focused on the front sight again and pulled the trigger. 

A loud bang sounded, and a second later another one when she hit the barrel. With wide eyes she stared forward, her breathing had sped up. For a moment she was back at the cemetery. She felt the blood spat on her cheeks, felt the raging fear that Danny had blown up Opie's head. Her knees were shaking and she lowered the gun. 

Vaguely she realized she had to pull the safety on before she would shoot herself in the foot, then she dropped down on the ground. With her fingers she raked through her hair. "I'm not like you, Hap. I can't just forget all the shit that happened."

"You have to."

"But how!" she snarled. "What the fuck dude, just one day has passed since I thought someone blew up Opie's head! You can't expect me to just forget about that!"

"It wasn't Opie's head. And the only reason he's still alive is because he did know how to protect himself and others."

"I can learn that too," she grumbled. "Just not right after a trauma!"

"Shit like that should be a motivation."

Dana wiped away a few tears. "This ain't working.  You can't force me."

"Like hell I can. You're not leaving before we're done. And don't think your toy boy will dare to make me change my mind."

Dana bent her head and stared at the ground. This was her brother, the one she'd grown up with. But he felt like a total stranger. It was clear he could only do things his way and that wasn't working. 

But she had no choice. He was right. Happy could silence Juice, could silence everyone, with just one look. She stood up again, in silence, and with a grim face she unlocked the gun. 

A satisfied smile played around Happy's lips, one that only fueled her anger. She used it to focus, to keep control of her muscles and to get the bullets where she wanted them.