A Man and A Gun

Click.

A pull back of a trigger.

There is shouting, it seems distant, but it’s near by.

He rests down on his knees, his hands behind his head. He is contemplating why he has stop off instead of going directly to home, she is waiting for him. There has to be some reason he wanted to come to this convenience store instead of just going straight home. He looks outside, the sun is still in the sky; the sky is a bright blue no clouds.

It’s odd. He has never seen Barbados; it must be nice. He has always wanted to go some place tropic, some place away from the city.

He looks down, that’s why, he is thirsty, wants something to drink on the drive home. It seems silly now. His home is only a few minutes down the road. He could have waited. There is more shouting and he looks up, but only for a second. He doesn’t want attention brought upon him, doesn’t want to make eye contact. The oddity of the situation makes him laugh. If this is some divine joke it isn’t funny just cruel. She’ll be waiting for him now, wanting to see him, but will he see her again?

Time passes, a few minute seem like hours.

He hears someone telling him not to move. Fool! He isn’t going to move, not when there’s a gun to his side. He closes his eyes, feeling hands search his person. Then he’s left alone.

A shot is fired; it rings loud and clear in his mind.

His heart is beating faster with each passing second then abruptly it stops, leaving him breathless like the wind has been knocked out of him. He opens his eyes. Everything is silent; a crimson tide is all he can see, crawling on the floor. There is a ding of a bell; the gunman is leaving the store. The tide keeps coming, spreading out over the white linoleum. Then in the distance he hears sirens. He looks down at his body, he is unharmed; only the man beside him is injured, lying unconscious face down. He closes his eyes again, letting out a breath. Thank God. He is going to see her again; he has to see her again. He laughs, not yet; he is not going just yet this is not his time.