Forty: Alex
I look over my shoulder every couple of minutes but I am still alone. They still aren't coming. I silently curse whoever built these houses so far apart. This has to be, what feels like, the longest hike of my life. My dress is wet and sticking to my legs, making it harder to walk, than it already is. I'm freezing to death but I think the movement is helping to get my blood pumping. My feet are sliding in and out of my shoes and I'm debating whether to take them off or not. The sleet is stinging my face, with the harsh wind whipping it into me.
I've come to a hill and I'm trying desperately to pull myself up by grabbing the ice encased branches lining it. My palms are throbbing as they slide off the slippery stalks; some pieces of ice cutting small slivers into my skin. I don't think about it, I just keep moving.
Then I see it; something moving in the distance to the right of me. I drop to the ground where I am in hopes of not being seen. The tormenting rain makes everything a blur… still I strain. It's defiantly two figures. They're not coming this way though… They are coming down the other side of the hill… coming from the lodge I'm aiming for. I beg and will my eyes to make out the figures but in an instant I know I don't need to. I know that walk. I finally catch a glimpse of a silhouette. Hers! Oh thank God!
I stumble up off the ground and in my fast movement I slip and fall. I rip the shoes from my feet and tumble over the ground in my excitement and relief.
"O—" I go to yell her name but my voice is hoarse and I can't. Forget it, I don't care. My feet feel like I'm slipping and running over blades but I keep moving. My throat hurts; everything hurts. I try to yell to her again, I don't care if my vocal chords snap! She needs to see me. She needs to come and take me away from this place. I push with all my might and it works, "OLIVIA!" The cry is desperate and anxious and the two figures stop. I wave my arms and keep heading for her.
She spots me and she's yelling something I can't make out over the noise of the frozen rain. But I hear her voice. The timber and the tone make me feel invincible. I laugh inside a sigh of relief as I push my way through the brush to get to her.
"ALEX!" I can hear her voice cutting through the madness of the weather now. She's so close I'm a minute from grabbing her. But someone grabs me first.
"AHH!" I'm blindsided by Dominic! Olivia's scream escapes her as he hooks his arm around my neck and holds a pistol to my temple.
"Looks like the party can start now!" Dominic yells over the sounds of the night. Olivia freezes in place, stopping herself at her toes, almost toppling over. She pulls her gun out swiftly and aims it at Dominic's face. Robert comes up a second later. He's panicked by the situation and looks like a deer in headlights. Olivia looks at him and I see a look come a across her face that I've never seen. Elliot comes up behind her; gun drawn. Robert and I are the only unarmed people.
"You said I could have Alex and that guy," Olivia says pointing the gun to Robert then back to Dominic, "…if I gave you parole!" she yells. Robert makes a pained face.
"What!" he yells to his brother.
"Well I'm in a bit more trouble now aren't I?" Dominic laughs loudly. I feel his heaving chest against my back and I'm starting to loose any hope that this can end somewhat decently. "I'm a kidnapper!" He makes a silly face at Olivia but she stands completely still. She looks like a soldier waiting for the word to shoot.
"You were gunna give me to the police?" Robert screamed in disbelief. "I'm your fuckin' brother you asshole!" Olivia's eyes widened as the comment hit her ears.
"No I wasn't!" Dominic laughed. "I know this bitch couldn't make a deal like that! I'm not a complete idiot! Shit, really, you are so stupid." Robert cringed and gave an embarrassed look.
"This doesn't have to end ugly," Olivia yelled to him. Meanwhile, I'm so scared I think I might pass out but I can't. I need to stay together. I need to stay calm. My breathing is so heavy, it hurts so bad.
"Doesn't it?" Dominic challenges her.
"If you let her good that will look very good to a jury. We can work something out Dominic," Olivia called to him.
"My ass you can! You are in no position to make i deals /i Olivia! So stop fucking around with me!" He mocked her.
"She… can put in a good word and work with the lawyers on the case," I manage to tell him through my chattering teeth.
"I'm done playing with you broads!" He yelled.
"I SURE HOPE SO!" A voice came from up from behind us. Dominic took a step back and we all turned to see a woman there, holding a .38.
"HALLIE?" Olivia cried out in disbelief.
"JULIE?" Dominic and Robert said together.
"What the hell is going on?" Elliot asked, shaking his head.
"That's what I'd like to know!" the woman screamed at the two men. "Hallie told me all about what you boys were doing! You're breaking her fucking heart Dominic! I came out to see if it was actually true. I guess that Detective wasn't lying!" She yelled at Dominic. No one moved. Dominic's tone dropped to one of pure concern.
"You're sister is delusional! This isn't what it looks like Julie!" He tried to explain.
"I think it is! That woman," she said pointing the gun at Olivia, "told Hallie tonight that you were up here with a blonde woman. You're i new /i girl. Now… her hair is wet, but I'm pretty sure when it's not, it's blonde Dom!" she screamed at him accusingly.
"This is Robert's bitch! That Detective is a liar!" He screamed turning to Olivia. "What the fuck did you do?"
"I didn't do anything! You brought this all on yourself!" Olivia called. The three parties stood in a triangle. No one moved; afraid they'd be the first one shot.
"I did? I'm not the one accusing the wrong man of rape!" Dominic's yell became fierce. All I can do is stand here helpless, a mere few feet away from the woman who could drag me away from this.
"YOU MADE ME DO IT! I DIDN'T WANT TO HURT HER DOM!" Robert's once soft demeanor now a raging force aimed at Dominic.
"EXCUSE ME?" Julie turned her gun to Robert. " i That /I is YOURS?" She said referring to my stomach.
"It's not my fault Julie!" Robert pleaded but I could see that Julie heard nothing else.
A shot rang out. I gasped and slammed my eyes shut, only to open them a second later to find I was not the one dead. The sound boomed off the trees and through the rain… and that's when the madness became physical.
Robert dropped to the ground. Dominic's grip tightened on me as he swung around and shot at Julie in his rage. He missed and she fell, dropping her gun. I watched the gun slide over the ice film, over the snow, and down the hill. She was prepared though. She pulled a hunting knife from her boot and lunged at our feet. Dominic couldn't get at Julie with me at his chest. In that split hesitation, I hear Olivia come up behind Dominic and knock his gun from his hand. Elliot leapt past us and grabbed for it before Julie could get it. Dominic's mindless grip on my neck is suffocating me. He's trying to hit Olivia and not let me go, at the same time.
Just as I think I can't take another breath I feel his grip loosen and I drop from his arms. Olivia pushes him hard and he stumbles backwards. He's only away from me for a split second and Olivia's gun is barreling the round into his heart. Three shots pierce his skin before she stops, hearing Elliot's cries.
"OLIVIA!" He yells for her to stop and she does.
Instantly she turns to me, trips, hits the ground with her knees and grabs me frantically. She pulls me close to her and I throw my arms around her waist, clinging desperately to my savior.
"I'm so sorry! I'm so sorry for leaving you! I'm so sorry," she recites frantically over and over in my ear, rocking me forward and back. Tears are streaming down her cheeks and falling onto my face, otherwise, I couldn't even tell she was crying. Just panicking.
"I don't care! It's okay! You're here, you found me! You found me! You're here," I yell through my choked sobs. I push my face against her heaving chest and she puts her hand on my head, holding me steady. Her body is warm from her anxiety; a nice contrast to my aching, frozen skin.
I don't know what happened next because all I could think about was being safe in Olivia's arms. That's when I felt it. A piercing pain, so unimaginable, I don't believe it is happening. My scream rings out as I felt Olivia peel herself from me to push me down; throwing herself over me as a shield… but it was too late.
Elliot had been on the ground wrestling the knife from Julie when she knocked him square between the legs and squirmed away from him. The blood oozed from my stomach through my already drenched clothes onto Olivia's as I felt her swing her fist at Julie.
"AHH!" I heard her scream. No shots rang out until I heard Elliot scramble over and pull Elliot off of Olivia and I. One shot was fired… then nothing. Olivia lay silent over me as I feel my consciousness slipping away. I can hear sounds in the distance and I feel Elliot pull Olivia off of me calling both of our names. I want to answer. I want to but the sound won't come.
"OVER HERE!" Elliot stands and waves his arms. "I NEED A MEDIC!" He squats down in front of me and looks me in the eye, "You'll be okay Alex." He then turns his attention to Olivia, "Hang in there Liv," he says patting her face.
The footsteps, of the army of help, draw closer and I reach the closest hand I have to her face, up to her cheek. She opens her eyes a sliver then closes them again.