Chapter Nine- Charlie's Mistake
Claire screamed, absolutely terrified. Ethan started towards her, an evil grin on his face.
Claire turned and ran, trying to flee her former kidnapper. She could here his feet pounding on the ground behind her.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw a blurred figure running out of the trees. She heard a grunt and the sounds of bodies slamming into each other. Looking over her shoulder, Claire saw Jack pile into Ethan, knocking him to the ground.
Claire kept running until she saw Kate's face, white with fear, poking out of the bushes. Claire scampered over to her and Kate pulled her into the bushes, away from the fight and out of Ethan's view.
The two women watched, horrified, as Jack and Ethan punched, kicked and hit each other. Kate let out a scream when Ethan grabbed Jack around his neck, lifting him into the air, choking him. A split second after she screamed, two more people joined the fight.
Alex leapt forward, locked her arms around Ethan's neck from behind and yanked back, crushing the breath out of this throat. Locke pointed his gun at Ethan. Seeing the gun, Ethan released Jack, who fell to the ground. Alex let go of Ethan, helped Jack up and backed away, joining Locke's side. The doctor, panting for breath, looked around the clearing.
"Sayid? Sawyer?" he yelled, worried.
"We're over here!" called Sayid's voice "Sawyer got his foot stuck in some rocks."
A few moments later, the two emerged from the trees, Sawyer limping slightly.
Feeling that it was now safe, Claire and Kate joined the group.
Everyone except Jack and Alex were pointing their guns at Ethan. Jack had dropped his in the fight and Alex was comforting Claire, who was shaking.
Suddenly, the small group heard a crunch of leaves. They jerked their heads to their left, where they saw Charlie, holding Jack's gun, pointing it at Ethan's heart. He was advancing forward, not taking his eyes off Ethan.
"Charlie?" said Jack, his voice apprehensive "Charlie, what are you doing?"
"I'm going to kill him. He's going to pay for what he did!" Charlie said in a half-crazed voice. He pulled the trigger.
Alex reacted so quickly, there was no way that Sayid could have stopped her. He watched, as if in slow motion, as she dived at Ethan, pushing him to the ground. Instead of killing Ethan, the bullet hit Alex in her shoulder, going in deep. She cried out in pain as the bullet pierced her skin.
Sayid was at her side in a split second. He lifted Alex into his arms, praying that she wasn't badly hurt.
Claire and Kate were screaming. Charlie had dropped the gun, looking horrified. Locke and Sawyer kept their guns pointed steadily at Ethan, who was looking at Alex in surprise and wonder.
All at once, Jack was on the ground next to Sayid, telling him to hold her up while he took out the bullet. Sayid nodded, still too shocked to speak. He sifted the limp figure in his arms slightly so the wound was facing Jack. Sayid felt sick as he watched the blood flow steadily from the deep wound. He was used to blood, but this was different. This was Alex's blood; the one he loved was hurt.
Jack started to dig the bullet out with his fingernails. Alec whimpered and pressed her face against Sayid's shoulder. Sayid whispered soft, sweet things in her ear as she gritted her teeth against the pain.
When the bullet was finally free, Jack straightened up, his face grim.
"We need to get her back to camp." He said.
Sayid said nothing; he just picked up Alex and followed Jack through the trees.
Claire and Kate escorted Charlie, who was babbling "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to hit her! Is she okay? I'm so sorry!" Locke and Sawyer tied Ethan's hands behind his back and pushed him after the others, their guns digging into the captive's back.
"Why do you think she did it?" Sawyer said in a low voice to Locke.
Locke shrugged. "I don't know, but I have a feeling we're going to find out."
Author's Note: I'm almost done writing chapter ten, but I don't know when I'll be able to put it up. Well, this was quiet a chapter! Questions left unanswered: Why the heck did Alex save Ethan?