Part 33
Movin' day December 12th, 2007 – Wednesday – 6:00 pm
Michael just dropped me off in front of the building where Angel and I are living. He's going to pick me up later again.
I climb up the stairs with a guilty feeling, 'cause I´m goin' to leave Angel and she'll have to find another roomate again. I already called her on Monday and told her that I´m moving out – she wasn´t too happy about it as you can imagine.
When I enter the living room she is already there, doing some homework. "Hey," I greet her quielty.
She writes something on a paper for a few seconds longer before she looks up at me. "Hey," she replies, and I'm glad to see a soft smile on her lips.
I take my jacket off and walk over to join her on the couch. "I think I owe you an explanation," I start.
Angel shakes her head. "No, you don't, girl. I know you have a lot of goin' on in your life and I kinda expected that you wouldn't stay long. To be honest, I was sure he would've asked you sooner to stay with him, Maria."
"You were?" I ask, surprised.
"Uh-huh. The way he looks at you and treats you... I don´t know," she shrugs, "I just knew it."
"We've had some trouble with Billy lately," I admit. "Big trouble! And it's too dangerous to live here. For you and me. I don't want you to get hurt because I'm stayin' here."
Angel looks at me thoughtfully. "Something bad must have happened, huh?"
I nod. "Yeah. Billy kidnapped Liz, um, Max's girlfriend, and I got her outta there..."
"And now Billy knows that you're staying with Michael," Angel completes the sentence.
"Yeah, something like that and then he went after me and Liz with a gun."
"Oh," is all she says.
"We're gonna leave New York as soon as possible."
"Where're you gonna go?" she wants to know.
"We're not exactly sure about that one. But chances are good that it will be Atlanta. Michael might get a job down there."
"I know we haven't spent much time together, but I´m gonna miss you," Angel says.
I nod, "Yeah, I´m gonna miss you, too," I admit sadly. "I wish we didn't have to leave, but it´s the only possibility right now."
"You're gonna call me now and then, right?"
"Of course I will. Oh, and I´m gonna pay for the rent until you find someone new, okay?"
Angel shakes her head. "Oh no, that's not necessary. You know, a few days after you moved in another person called who was interested in livin' here. I called him when you told me you were movin' out the other day and he was here this morning and decided to move in."
"Really? Wow, that's cool!"
"Uh-huh, and he's kinda cute, you know?"
"Okay, tell me every small detail."
Angel helped me to get my few things together and packed them into some cartons. I still can´t believe that I have to move out again so quickly, but Michael is right here. It would be too dangerous to stay here with her. I could never forgive myself if she got hurt because of me and my pathetic life.
A soft knock on the door announces Michael´s arrival and I walk over to open the door. "Hey, we´re almost done," I greet him and stand up on my tiptoes to give him a quick kiss.
"Okay, the car is parked in front if the building; we should hurry 'cause I'm not allowed to leave it there." He walks through the door. "Hey, Angel."
"Hey, Michael!"
He grans the biggest carton and starts to go downstairs again. "Okay, I´d better help him," I say and take one as well.
"I´m getting your things in the bathroom together," Angel says.
I walk down the stairs and Michael helps me to put my stuff into his trunk. "Let me carry all the heavy things, you don´t have to do that," he says when we walk upstairs again to get more of my stuff.
"But you said we need to hurry, so I´m gonna help you as good as I can."
We enter the flat again and look around in the living room for more stuff. "I´m gonna see how far Angel got in the bathroom," I tell him, while he decides which things to carry next.
"Hey, you need any help in here?" I ask the other girl. She's kneeling on the floor and looking through the cabinet with the towels. "I´m just checking which of these are yours."
"Okay." I walk over to the shower to get my shampoo and shower gel out of it.
"Freeze, Guerin," I hear someone say out in the living room.
"Who is out...?" I turn to Angel and choke on the last words when realization hits me hard. My eyes widen with horror - I know that voice! I would be able to identify it among thousands.
"Oh, my god." I rush to the other girl´s side, putting my hand over her mouth before she can say anything. "It´s Billy in the living room," I whisper in panic.
Angel looks at me, shocked. "Be quiet, okay?" She nods and I pull my hand away from her. We both sit on the floor without a single sound or even a breath while straining to hear something.
"Where is she?" Billy growls.
"None of your damn business," Michael answers.
"None of my... none of my business?" Billy screams at him and I can hear something break. A vase or something. "I'm gonna kill you, you little bastard and then I´m gonna kill her."
Suddenly there's another sound, which gets my attention. My blood freezes at the sound. It was the 'click' a gun would make when you release the safety catch. I know I have to do something. And I have to do it quickly.
"Okay," I whisper into Angel's ear. "I´m gonna go outside."
She shakes her head wildly. "No, we should call the police."
"You got a phone here?"
Angel shakes her head. "No, damn it, it's in my room.
I sigh. "And mine is in my jacket next to the door. Damn it. Okay, listen! He knows that I´m here anyway," I explain with a shaking voice. "He will kill him," I say, and tears are welling up my eyes, "I can´t let that happen. I´m gonna close the bathroom door behind me and you're gonna quietly lock it from inside, do you hear me?"
Angel just nods quietly, her face showing all her fear. "I don´t think he knows that anyone else is here, but just in case. He won´t come through this door, it´s massive." I take her head between my hands. "Don't come out whatever happens, okay? Not as long as he is here. Promise me that."
"Okay," the other girl replies, scared.
"Okay." I hug her for a second and then get up on my feet. I can't think of another situation before now where I felt as much fear as I feel right now. But I know I have to be strong right now. For Angel and for Michael.
"You're not gonna intimidate me with a gun, loser." I hear Michael say. I wish he wouldn't be so brave right now. He's only pushing Billy.
I step out of the bathroom and close the door behind me. A soft sound lets me know that Angel locked the door and I´m sure that Billy hasn´t heard it, because he hasn´t realized I'm here yet. I have to get him away from Michael, that´s all that matters to me. "I´m here, Billy," I call from the other end of the room.
Both men glance at me quickly, but Billy still focuses on Michael, who is standing only a few feet away from him. Damn it.
"Maria, what the hell you think you´re doin`?" Michael screams at me.
Billy chuckles. "Looks like she can´t really let go of me, huh? Maybe you're not as good in bed as I am?"
"Shut the fuck up." Michael takes a step towards him and Billy aims the gun up at Michael's head. "One more step and you're dead, Guerin." He starts to move in my direction, still holding the gun up to him. "Come over here, bitch."
I walk over to him slowly and try to keep my panic under control. I don´t want to go anywhere with him, but if it's gonna save Michael, I´m gonna do it. He grabs my wrist painfully. "We're goin' to my car now," Billy orders. "Tell him to stay here."
I bite my lip and look at Michael desperately. He has his fists clenched at his sides and it seems like he´s just about to run towards Billy.
"Tell him," Billy repeats, louder now and yanks my arm harshly.
"Do what he's asking for," I say to Michael quietly – I don't want him to, but I also hope he´s gonna go through with it. "Let me get my jacket." Maybe I can call for help later with the cell.
Billy drops my arm and looks at me angrily. "I don't give a damn if you´re gonna freeze to death."
Michael seems to notice Billy´s lessening focus on him in that second, 'cause suddenly he storms toward us and drags Billy to the ground with him. He places a hard punch on his arm, so that Billy drops the gun. I react quickly and run over to the other side to grab the gun.
Suddenly I can hear Michael scream up in pain and I turn around quickly to see what had happened. Blood is quickly seeping through in two places on his white tee shirt. "What…?" I glance over to Billy and recognize the knife in his hand.
"You bastard!" I shout at him. In the corner of my eyes I can see Michael holding his hand over the wounds, but the blood is still running out between his fingers. Billy gets to his feet again and starts to walk in my direction.
"Don´t move or I swear I´m gonna kill you."
Billy just chuckles and continues to come towards me. I´ve never used a gun before. I don´t want to, but what other chance do I have? He seems to be sure I won´t shoot at him and Michael needs help as soon as possible. I glance at him on the ground again. He´s panting from the pain and every effort he makes to get up fails.
Okay, I tell myself, you can do this. You HAVE to do this. I raise the gun up and aim at Billy's chest. It seems like everything around me happens in slow motion. I can´t hear anything as I close my eyes and pull the trigger.
The anticipated sound of a fired doesn't come and I rip my eyes open to see Billy still standing in front of me, grinning. In panic, I pull the trigger again, but nothing...
"Not loaded," Billy chants.
"What?" I glance on the gun and in the next moment Billy drags me to the ground brutally. He settles over my stomach, his knees pinning my arms to the ground. He picks up the gun from the ground and fumbles around in his jacket. My heart starts to pound as I watch him finally loading the gun.
"That was the last time you ever betray me! You´re a fuckin' wore – and you know what I do with them?" He forces me to look in Michael's direction. He´s lying on the ground, his face turned to us, but he seems far away with his thoughts. I know he´s about to lose conciousness.
"No, Michael," I reach out, but I´m too far away to touch him.
"I would love to watch him bleed to death, you know, just to make sure he will be really dead this time, but I think we gotta go. Nobody will find him here soon enough anyway."
He stands up again and drags me with him. "Downstairs now," he orders and levels the weapon at me. I glance at Michael and it seems like he doesn´t even know what's going on around him anymore.
"No!" I manage to get rid of Billy and stumble in Michael's direction, dropping to my knees in front of him. "Don´t leave me alone," I whisper, caressing his cheek. He glances up at me weakly. His lips move slowly, but no sound is escaping his throat.
"Okay, that´s enough," I hear Billy say behind me and turn to look at him just at the moment when he lunges out and hits my head with the barrel of the gun.
I tumble backwards and black out on the floor next to Michael.
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