My first attempt at a multi chapter story for Army Wives. It will be centered on Jackie, since she is my favorite character. Kelli Williams is made of awesome! This is a short chapter to get us going, and to make sure this fandom wants me here…
Jackie was in the produce aisle at the PX when she heard the rapid gunfire and sudden screams. She couldn't tell exactly where the shots came from, but she knew that was what she heard. She had been trained early on in life to handle firearms. Her father had been a General in the Army and he had made sure she was very familiar with the weapons in their house. He had insisted on it for safety reasons.
Several people were yelling and running. She saw a young mother with two children standing, frozen in fear, beside her shopping cart. She had a son that looked to be three or four years old and a daughter that was about 18 months. Jackie immediately thought of herself shopping in the PX with Patrick and Sophie when they were that age.
She knew she needed to get them out of there and the only way to go was the back loading dock entrance which was on the other side of the produce section from where they were at. She quickly ran to the woman, grabbed her arms and shook her to get her attention. The woman made eye contact with her.
"Get your son and follow me." Jackie picked up the young girl from the seat in the cart, grabbed the diaper bag and ran toward the back door. The woman picked up her son and followed Jackie. Right as they entered the back storage area, Jackie heard the shots getting closer. She saw several people leave through the loading dock doors. She went to lead the woman across the open storage area when the doors they had come through from the produce section were thrown open.
Jackie saw the gunman and dragged the woman and her children behind a shelf. She noticed a small broom closet and shoved the three of them inside. She dropped the diaper bag and handed the woman her daughter. The closet was too small for all of them to fit.
"Stay in here. Don't come out. No matter what happens. Ok?" Jackie tried to close the door but the woman blocked her.
"What about you?" She asked in a panicked voice.
"I'll be fine! Just stay here!" Jackie closed the door quietly and pushed a large mop bucket that was on wheels in front of it. She then crouched down behind the shelf.
She could see the shooter through the shelves. He was walking toward the back door. When he got there, he closed the doors tightly and locked them. He then stacked crates and boxes in front of them. He turned to walk back toward the store. Jackie hoped she would be able to stay hidden until he was gone and then get the woman and her kids out. Right as the shooter reached the doors that led back in to the store, the young girl she had hidden squealed loudly. The shooter immediately turned around and looked in their direction. He paused for a few seconds and then when he heard nothing he went to leave again.
Right then Jackie's cell phone she had tucked into her jacket pocket started ringing. She grabbed at it frantically, trying to mute the sound. But it was too late. When she looked up from her phone, the shooter had his automatic rifle pointed directly at her. "Well, look what we have here."
TBC
The first 3 chapters are done. Wanted to get a feel for whether or not people would like this before I wrote any more…
