Chapter 9
"Okay listen," Andrew began as he held up his hands in a non-threatening way while, there before him, Satan stood holding Monica captive as he pressed the barrel of the handgun against her head in an obvious warning to Andrew not to make another move. But what Andrew said next almost forced Monica to pull the trigger herself. He didn't need to think about it any longer. After all, he had made a promise to himself. "Take me in her place." He reasoned confidently as he suddenly shifted his gaze from the gunman's to Monica's. But the little angel wouldn't have it. Never! "No Andrew!" But she didn't get a chance to say anything more, for the gunman stopped the conversation in making. "Shut up!" He shouted sharply as he pressed the gun even more firmly against her temple as if to express his point further.
He then turned his attention back to Andrew and shook his head in obvious rejection. "Sorry Angel Boy." He replied with a hateful chuckle, though it was clear he wasn't sorry at all. "It's not you I want." He told Andrew spitefully as he nodded to the angel in his hold and then nodded across the room at Eliza, who was still struggling a great deal in Gregory's grasp, clearly determined to do something useful besides be held hostage. But it was no use. But just then the demon – for whatever reason – felt it necessary to say something in relation to Andrew's deal.
"Um, I'm sorry sir, but maybe that's not such a bad idea. After all, Andrew is…" But he wasn't given the chance to finish the statement for Satan was losing his patience with everyone in the room and patience is not an ideal thing for the devil to lose. "Shut up!" He yelled angrily at his minion as he took the gun from Monica's head momentarily just in purpose to fire a warning shot at one of the store windows, shattering it as if it were paper thin. The loud crack of the shot and the sound of shattering glass caused something of commotion to erupt in the store again. The bullet had soared through the air just inches above Andrew's head, as he had ducked and repositioned himself while the sound took Gregory so much by surprise that he released hold of Eliza and sunk to his knees, all the while covering his head with both hands as though that would protect him. Eliza screamed and dropped to the floor as well and, noting the fact that his demon had released her, the gunman in turn, let go of Monica and made a mad dash across the room in an attempt to restrain the little girl before she got away.
But Monica wasted no time in catching her daughter's attention now and she cried out for her to get away before she was caught once again. She didn't care where she went, as long as she got out of here. All Monica was thinking about now was her child's safety. "Run Eliza! Run!" She screamed as loudly as her lungs would allow and her cried didn't fall useless, for Eliza instantly glanced up and noted the gunman coming her way before turning and bolting out the main entrance. Fortunately, she was faster than her pursuer and managed to make it out onto the sidewalk and away down the street without looking back.
Now they had done it. The gunman's face crimson red with fury, he turned and held the gun erect once again in Monica's direction. She still hadn't moved from where she stood on the other side of the room and only stared back at him with something of a triumphant note in her eyes. She had cost the devil his main target and therefore angered him beyond understanding. "You're going to pay for this." He growled furiously as his gun hand trembled with rage and his index finger began to tighten on the trigger as the barrel was aimed once again, directly over the angel's heart. She stood and braced herself for the shooting pain she was sure was about to strike her chest at a fiery speed, for she knew there was no time to move now and from there on, everything seemed to happen in slow motion. The horrible agony Monica had been waiting for never came. For then something happened no one expected. Something that struck a horrified note in the angel's heart, as, just as the terrible sound of a gunshot being fired echoed throughout the store, Andrew moved at impossible speed, knowing exactly what had to be done. He no longer cared for his own safety.
"Monica move!" He cried as he bolted the small distance to where she stood and knocked her to the ground. They hit the floor together and it was pretty much impossible to tell exactly who or where the bullet had hit. But neither the gunman nor his minion stuck around to find out. For as the devil attempted to fire more shots at the angels on the ground, a hollow popping sound was the only thing emitting from the gun barrel, for he had run out of bullets. It was then that he realized he had only loaded two and, after exchanging helpless glances with Gregory, they both raced from the store as well, leaving Monica and Andrew alone in the room.
But it was then that they realized what exactly had happened, for, as they lay together on the floor, they both realized there were horrible crimson stains across both of their shirts, for they had landed together, but who had taken the bullet? But it only took mere seconds for Monica to figure it out for she seemed to be unhurt. "Andrew!"