Page 106 of Shades of Grey & Gold

I guess I never considered how cold the metal of a gun could be.

I don’t move a muscle, but my eyes flick between the man with the gun to my left and Gio on my right.

“Back inside,” the holder of the gun says to Gio, bored.

The man’s hand reaches for my elbow, and he jerks me in front of him, both of us facing Gio now.

The cold of the metal leaves my temple but the side of the barrel is immediately against my right cheek as he holds it there, pointed at Gio. I blink slowly, wanting to close my eyes, pretend I’m not here, but refusing to take my eyes off Gio.

“Or she goes.” He turns the barrel back against my temple.

My breath hitches and I think maybe a whine escapes.

None of this feels real and Gio looks calm, his posture is assured as he points his own gun towards the man behind me.

Two guns.

Pointed at me.

I don’t hear the first shot so much as I feel it.

The cold metal of the gun scratches across my cheek and air cracks beside my ear, the whole world shearing into a high, electric ring.

Gio jerks in front of me.

A hot splash hits my wrist.

The smell hits next.

I’ve been trying to name it for months; for forever.

Burnt salt, metallic like stone.

It blooms over everything, coats my tongue.

Gunpowder.

The word arrives in my mind right as my balance disappears.

I think I say Gio’s name, or maybe Cal’s.

The alley doubles; the ground tilts; strong hands close on my arms and move me like a ragdoll, like I weigh nothing, like I mean nothing.

I open my mouth but don’t hear the scream I think I let out before a rough hand covers my mouth and lifts me over a shoulder.

It’s seconds but it feels like hours.

I kick and hit and scratch. I do everything they say you should do.

And it feels like hitting a solid wall.

Every hit I land against the man’s back bounces and does nothing.

He walks slowly. All I can see is his black shirt and black jeans, and my eyes search as I crane my neck up to look towards the café doors.

Gio is on the ground, trying to get up but collapsing at every attempt.

I think I scream out for him and he reaches for something. For me? His gun?