Save Her, Abigail Osborne [ebook reader for surface pro txt] 📗

Sam stepped in front of her. ‘She’s not going anywhere with you.’

‘Get out of the way! You don’t deserve her. You can’t keep her safe. She needs to be with me,’ Sophie yelled, brandishing the gun, eyes blazing with determination. Flora wanted to push Sam out of the way, concerned by the crazed look in Sophie’s eyes, they now knew what Sophie would resort to in order to keep Flora ‘safe’. She remembered the blood of the guy in Prague and couldn’t bear the same thing to happen to Sam, especially as this time Sophie had a gun.

64

The gun was heavy and Sophie’s hands were so slick with sweat that she was worried she was going to drop it. She adjusted her grip and held it with two hands. It would stop anyone noticing how much she was shaking. Sophie couldn’t believe it had come to this. She had brought the gun as a last resort. We should have been gone by now, she thought.

But Flora was looking at her in a way that chilled her to the bone. Everything was going wrong. Flora did not seem to comprehend that Sophie was the one that loved her. That Sophie had given her entire life to look after Flora.

How could she not see that they were all evil? That Sophie was the only one really interested in her happiness. They needed each other. Once we escape, I can make her understand, Sophie told herself. It’s just a lot to process. Poor Flora, she hasn’t had time to take it all in.

‘Get out of the way, Sam,’ Sophie repeated.

Alistair chuckled from behind, moving so that he was stood next to Sam. Greg moved to stand on Sam’s other side.

‘We both know you aren’t going to use that,’ said Alistair.

Movement caught her eye, she saw Sam trying to edge slowly around her, taking Flora with him.

‘No!’ cried Sophie. ‘Stop!’

‘Just let Flora go, Sophie.’ Sam stepped forward.

She tried to look around him, to see Flora behind him. She just hadn’t explained it properly. They just needed to sit down and talk this through. The thought of Flora leaving without her, going with Sam made her feel hysterical. She could not lose her. Not until she had made her see sense. ‘We are leaving together, Sam. Me and Flora. Haven’t you heard everything I’ve said? Don’t you understand?’ Anger flared and the urge to press the trigger overwhelmed her.

Sam seemed to sense she was losing control as he twisted and almost threw Flora towards the door.

It was an involuntary reflex. She hadn’t known she was going to do it. Her finger just responded to the possibility that Sam was going to run away with Flora. She had to keep Flora safe. Even if that meant saving her from herself. The bang echoed, the emptiness of the room amplifying the noise.

She had time to register the smell of gunpowder and feel the kickback of the gun twinge her wrist, before she turned to Alistair, who was standing still, open-mouthed, shock written across the deep lines in his face. He began to speak, but she didn’t give him the chance. She pressed the trigger again, ready for the kickback this time.

Alistair’s body fell backwards and hit the wall. He did not move again. Blood began to pool steadily around his neck, glistening red in the glow of the solitary lightbulb.

Greg darted towards the front door. He opened the door just as she fired at him, but the bullet missed him, lodging itself into the wall a hair’s breadth away. Greg ran into the pitch-black night. The door slammed behind him.

The sound of the gunshots had died out, leaving a deafening silence in the room.

Flora stood where Sam had crumpled to the floor, hand to her mouth, staring down at him in abject terror. Flora took off her jacket and bent down next to him, putting his head in her lap, she clumsily bunched up the jacket and pressed it to the patch of red that had spread angrily across his white shirt.

What have I done? Realisation hit Sophie like a steam train. She collapsed backwards against the wall.

65

‘Wake up, Sam!’ Flora shook him roughly. His face was deathly pale. His eyes fluttered open, but he did not seem able to focus. She cradled his head, stroking him and leaving bloody streaks down his face. Her tears fell on to his face, the pain that she might lose him was visceral. If he died, she would lie down next to him for as long as it took to die too. She couldn’t imagine a world without him in it. Flora took gulping breaths of air between her sobs. Rocking Sam gently in her arms she prayed that he would survive.

‘Talk to me, Sam. Stay with me,’ she whispered into his hair. She kissed him all over his face but he stayed silent. All she could hear was rasping breaths.

Sophie was still slumped against the wall, the black gun at her feet.

‘He needs help! Call an ambulance, Sophie!’ screamed Flora.

But Sophie did not move. She looked entranced.

Gently setting Sam down on the concrete floor, making sure not to move the makeshift bandage she’d tied around him using her jacket and his jumper. Flora ran over to Sophie, clutching at her jacket, looking for a phone. Sophie just looked at her with vacant eyes. It appeared she had shocked herself as much as Flora when she had shot Sam and Alistair. Flora found Sophie’s phone in the pocket of her jeans and wrestled it out.

At this, Sophie seemed to return to herself as before Flora could press ‘9’ for the second time she snatched it from her. ‘No. You can’t do that.’

Flora tried to wrestle the phone back, but Sophie was stronger than she looked. They grappled. Flora was crouched down and Sophie used this to her advantage and kicked her feet from underneath her. She fell backwards, hitting her head on the floor. Sitting