The Storm After The Quiet - MakeMeLoseControl
A/N: Chap 2... The plot thickens...
Disclaimer: If you know it, I don't own it.
Enjoy and thanks in advance for reading.
The storm after the quiet.
Eyes wide with shock and pain he staggered backwards. His breathing was quick and desperate as he tried to cling on to life. His legs gave out under him and he felt himself collapse to the floor. He stayed conscious long enough to hear the clatter of the gun drop to the floor and feel the blood rapidly draining from his body. Then, he gave in to the agony and let unconsciousness consume him.
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He backed away. Away from the blood and the stench of approaching death. He didn't want it to be real. But the blood, all that blood, made it so very real. It made it impossible to deny. He tried to hold back the tears that threatened to fall and tried to keep breathing evenly but his heart was racing. This couldn't be happening.
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His ears were ringing. The gun shot had been so loud. His mouth slowly fell open as the other man fell to the floor, blood pouring from his awful wound. His hands were trembling as he let the gun slip from them and fall to the ground beside the dying man. He couldn't tear his eyes away from the awful sight before him full of fear and panic, wishing to be anywhere but here.
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A fire of white hot pain tore through his chest knocking the wind right out of him. Thick warm blood began to spill from his wound. Unable to fight the dizziness that had overcome him, he collapsed to the floor onto his back. He tried to breathe but couldn't. It was as if he was drowning. Drowning on air. His chest felt as if it had an elephant sat on it and his head as if it was about to explode.
His vision was clouded but he could see above him the clear morning sky becoming shadowed with clouds. Distantly, behind the ringing of his ears, he could hear a deep voice shouting and a blurred face entered his vision. It was silhouetted against the sky behind it but he could make out the pale green eyes staring down at him.
Another jolt of agony soared through him as more pressure was applied to his chest. His vision now completely gone, he could only focus on the single voice shouting above him. It was becoming increasingly harder to breathe and knew this was it. He was going to die.
And he hated himself for being so stupid. For chasing after two strangers all worked up and with a gun. All they had done was defend a barmaid. He was the one in the wrong. He hated himself for putting himself in that position and for being careless with a dangerous weapon. Especially under the influence of alcohol. It seemed all he did recently was drink. That was what his wife had told him. That he never seemed to be sober any more and how bad an influence he was to their children.
Well, he was sober now.
In his final moments before drifting in to death he wondered about the after life. He had never been religious or spiritual. He wasn't a Good Samaritan, he rarely thought of anyone but himself. If there was a heaven, he doubted he'd get into it. If there was a heaven. He wasn't even sure if he believed in heaven.
He wanted to. Really wanted to.
He took in one final laboured breath of air. And as he released it he whispered gently;
"Do you believe in heaven?"
He didn't expect a reply but he clung on to the last inch of life he had long enough to hear a distant voice answer.
"Yes."
And that was enough.
He let go.
Drifted into eternity.
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This couldn't be real. He'd heard the shot of a gun before. Plenty times. But this time it was different. This time he wasn't in the lab test firing a weapon. This time he had actually shot someone.
Dennis fell to the floor.
Shock took over his whole body forbidding him to move of his own accord and forcing his legs to slowly back away. His only thought was to get as far as he could from the gun and the blood.
Warrick dropped to his knees.
He could hardly register what was going on. His vision was clouded with tears. He vaguely saw Warrick fall to his knees beside Dennis but it seemed so far away. It was as if he had stepped out of his body and watching from a distance.
Warrick was shouting at him but his voice sounded distant. Nick willed himself to focus and make out what his friend was saying.
Ambulance?
Of course.
Nick was about to make a move; back to the car to get a phone and call an ambulance, when Dennis' head rolled limply to the side and his almost vacant eyes pierced Nicks own freezing him once again.
Warrick continued to shout but this time Nick barely heard it at all. His eyes locked with Dennis'. They were all he could see. The shouts in the background died down as Dennis squeezed his eyes shut. He turned his head away from Nick to Warrick and opened his mouth. Although he spoke in only a whisper Nick heard him clearly as if he had spoken right into his ear.
The 5 words he said; 'Do you believe in heaven' made Nicks blood run cold.
The final words of a complete stranger.
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He watched in horror as Dennis collapsed to the ground. Blood was spurting from his chest and drenching the floor beneath him. His trembling hands released the smoking gun and let it clatter to the floor.
Suddenly, his CSI instinct kicked in. He needed to stop the bleeding before Dennis bled out. He dropped unceremoniously to the floor beside the bleeding man raising both hands above the wound ready to apply pressure. He hesitated for a moment; not wanting to touch the awful liquid, then pressed his hands down as firmly as he could.
Now what?
There was only so long he could press the gaping hole in Dennis' chest before he bled out. He needed to call an ambulance but, obviously, his hands were full.
For the first time since he had emerged from the darkness, Warrick looked at Nick. He was paler than usual and was staring at Dennis as if in a daze. His eyes were wide and blood-shot and his skin was glistening with sweat. He was visibly shaking and breathing heavily.
Nick didn't respond the first time Warrick called him. In fact, Warrick didn't even think he had heard him. So he called out louder and louder until he finally drew Nicks gaze away from Dennis. He told Nick to call an ambulance and could see Nick was about to do just that when Dennis turned and looked straight at him. Nick froze again.
Warrick continued to shout but was unable to regain Nick's attention. He was considering getting up and getting a phone himself when he heard Dennis take a long and laboured breath. He looked down at him, noticing that he was trying to say something and leaned in to hear.
When Dennis asked him if he believed in heaven he didn't know what to say. He didn't want to give the man false hope or lie to him but it was clear the question he had asked would be his final words. He knew he couldn't keep Dennis waiting. He didn't have long. So he said the first thing that came in to his mind. The truth.
Yes, he said. He did believe in heaven. But after what he had done tonight, Warrick didn't think he would ever go there.
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A/N: Ah! That was awful. I'm sorry. It'll get better honestly. I've just had the most terrible writers block and I felt I had to submit something. So that was it. I'm back in the groove now so it should get better. It might be a while 'til an update though. GCSE's and coursework and all that.
Thanks for reading!
Cyber-Kisses XX
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