Page 36 of Fight or Flight
After I splash some water on my face in the bathroom sink, I grab a plastic bag and throw essentials like a toothbrush and deodorant into it before walking back to the living room to take a look around.
I sigh in relief when I find Christy back in the apartment, sitting on the sofa while she munches on the pizza leftovers that Nora left in the kitchen, her eyes glued to the screen playing some kind of cooking show.
“Shit, Chris. I’m so glad you’re here. Listen, I think I need to go away for a while... or maybe forever, I don’t know. I- uh, shit, I fucked up. I know you probably don’t approve, but I think I need to go to the police... Are you even listening to me?” I slap her arm when she doesn’t acknowledge me and then watch a cruel smile grow on her face.
“Don’t bother, Claire.” Her eyes finally meet mine, and I don’t like the look on her face.
“Don’t bother what?”
“Don’t bother rambling on about it. They’re already on the way,” she informs me with satisfaction.
“Who’s on the way?” A shiver causes me to stumble over the question.
“The right owners of that little brat you brought,” she informs me, to my horror and laughs.
“What did you do, Christy?”
“Saw a window of opportunity and used it to my advantage, obviously,” she answers coldly, looking more sober and put together than I ever saw her this year. “They will surely pay me a pretty penny for helping them out. Maybe even give me back my job at the club, who knows?”
I stand to my feet and stare at her in shock before snapping my head toward the door when the screech of tires from outside reaches us.
“Oh, I know that look on your face. Little Claire is once again starting something that she can’t fucking finish. You think you’re so special, so cute, so fucking virginal. Look at me, I’m Miss Pristine. I’m so different and cool, yet I don’t possess an ounce of backbone in my body to ever fight for what I deem worthy of my love and attention. All I can do is run, run, run...”
I tune out the mocking voice of the person that I considered almost family for years and do just as she says. Run.
Turning on my heel, I drop the bag with the toiletries and speed toward my bedroom, where I find Nora still sitting where I left her, staring blankly at the wall.
“We need to go right now!” I bark at her, making her flinch. I don’t have time to feel bad about it, though; the sounds of a fist pounding on the door making me almost frantic. I grab Nora’s arm and the gun and open the window. I push her through it first and then climb after her, stopping short when I come face to face with Nico.
“Claire, baby... what are you doing?” He grabs Nora’s shoulder and holds her in place when she tries to run. I hear Sergio’s voice coming from the inside of the apartment, asking where I am, and I see Nico open his mouth to call for him.
“Please, Nico, I didn’t mean to stir anything. I just got scared... You don’t have to do this. You know I always liked you...”
He shakes his head with a grimace, “I’m sorry, Claire, but I can’t...”
“Then I’m sorry too,” I cut him off before I lift the gun and pull the trigger, aiming for his foot, the one that is further away from screeching Nora.
I never used a gun before, so the force of the blast took me by surprise, making my aim a bit off, and I ended up shooting him in his thigh.
“You fucking bitch!” He roars and falls to the ground.
“Are you okay? Did I hit you?” I rush to Nora and check her body, aware that we’ll be having more company in the next second.
She shakes her head no, so with a strength I didn’t know I possessed, I lift her up and run as fast as I can. I hear a male shouting in the distance before the wheezing sound of bullets flying around me makes me stumble a bit. Determined to get us out of here and still operating on the unknown fuel I snorted; mixed with a shot of pure adrenaline, I sprint even faster.
When I see a bus pulling to a stop in my proximity, I switch directions and jump on board just as the driver starts closing the doors. I make Nora hide under the seat and bend my own head so we’re not visible to whoever might be looking for us on the street.
I don’t let myself relax, though. I know this is only the beginning.