The Gun
He had to get the gun. That was the only thing going through his mind.
But he wasn't the only one with this intention. Across the room from him, his companion wanted it for other reasons – not to save the whimpering girl on the floor, for more . . . selfish reasons.
Of course, the wielder of the gun knew all this, but neither would have the guts to actually take it, surely.
The girl curled up on the floor was oblivious to all the complex thoughts of the three men in front of her. Her mind was completely frozen in fear.
As though on some invisible signal, she saw two of them lunge for the gun. Each wrestled the others, trying to point it a certain way, each as determined as the others. It was an equal match, the outcome unknown.
Then, suddenly, it was decided.
Bang!