Chapter 19: Blood

Terra was happy. It was almost one. She was on her way to Fulton's house. He said that his mom wasn't going to be there. He had planned to sit and watch some movies. Terra glided down the street with headphones on her ears. She was listening to the sultry voices that belonged to the singing group Pantera. She arrived at Fulton's house a few minutes to one. She stopped skating and hopped up the steps leading to his apartment. She knocked on the door and waited for him to answer. The door opened and there stood Charlie.

"What the hell..." Terra stood back and looked at the address. It wasn't Charlie's house. Where was she? Charlie said, "Hello. Fulton is making popcorn and he told me to let you inside. Come on. Nothing is going to happen." Terra eyed him wearily like a wolf to a man. Charlie smiled to her and stood aside so she could walk in. Terra went in unwillingly. "He's right this way," said Charlie as he led her to the kitchen.

"Fulton? Why is He here?" Terra called out to him. Fulton turned around with a big bowl of popcorn in his hands. He smiled and offered some to them. Terra declined. Still, neither one of them answered her question. Fulton walked out of the kitchen and into the living room. Charlie followed him out. Terra stood in the kitchen all alone. Her hands were behind her holding a chair. She heard the starting of a movie in the living room. Fulton yelled, "Terra! Come one. The movie's about to start." Terra sighed and walked into the living room. She looked at the screen to see what movie was on, but she couldn't tell. She turned to look at the couch. It held three people, and of course Fulton was on one end and Charlie on the other. The only spot left was in between them. Terra sighed and decided to sit on the ground between them. The floor was not comfortable. Behind her Charlie and Fulton smiled to each other.

The music to Star Wars came out of the speakers of the television. Terra smiled. She loved Star Wars. She looked up at Fulton and laughed. She had no idea what they were doing, but whatever it is was not going to work. She would not be a pawn in their game.

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Star wars ended. Terra looked tired to Charlie. She was nearly about to fall asleep. She had been fighting it throughout all three movies. At the end of the second one, she had said she couldn't take it anymore and sat on the couch in between him and Fulton. So far, their plan was working.

Terra yawned and curled up into a ball on Fulton's empty seat. "So, I take it you aren't mad at me any more?" Terra said. She was tired, but wanted to talk. Charlie laughed as he pulled a blanket off of the back of the couch and laid it on her. "No. I am not angry at you for lying to me, but I don't understand why you lied and said that you couldn't skate when you could. You were really good."

Terra sat up and leaned her back on the arm of the couch. "I don't really know why I said I couldn't. I used to skate professionally, but my partner died or several reasons. Coach kept us up practicing at all hours of the day and hardly ever had any water breaks. And when we went into competition we were so exhausted that we were really bad so that just made Coach angrier. Sam died during a performance. He ran into the side of the rink and flipped over, into the window. I quit after he died."

Charlie looked at her and finally understood why she lied to him. Suddenly he heard a crash. Terra and Charlie jumped up at once. They fled to the kitchen where they found Fulton lying on the floor in a heap. A man was standing over him with a gun pointed at Terra and a gun pointed at Fulton.

"What a touching story, love, but none of it matters anymore. See, my plans don't include these two," he motioned to Charlie and Fulton. "So, I guess I'll just have to simply do away with them."

The man pointed his gun at Charlie and was about to shoot him, when Terra jumped in front of him.

"Aww. Now, that isn't fair. I wanted to shoot him, and now I can't. You spoil everything. I guess I will just shoot him instead," He turned to Fulton and was about to shoot, when Terra called out to him.

"Wait. Let them go, and I will go with you." "No. Terra, you can't." Screamed Charlie. "I have to, or..he would shoot Fulton." She lowered her voice so a whisper that was barely audible, "Call the cops. Go. Call them." Charlie moved away with his mouth clenched tightly.

"Good. Now we can have everything we have ever wanted, my dear. A lovely home in the Caribbean where it will be legal, and a lot of money. Oh, yes. The future will be beautiful with you by my side as queen."

Terra quickly noticed how delusional he was. His mind is gone. Terra ran to down the hall to get away from him. She heard him call to her, "Oh goody. I always love it when they make me chase them. Shows how riley they can be in bed!" He ran after her. Terra darted into a bathroom and locked the door behind her. She looked around the room furiously. She heard him laughing outside the door. "That won't stop me."

He fired the gun at the door and made three holes. Terra screamed. He got his desired effect. The door opened. Terra felt weak and woosy. He stood there gaping at her. He was staring at her stomach. Blood was running out. She had been shot by a rogue bullet.