ELIJAH
Suddenly, a burning sensation tore through my chest.
My whole body went numb as I squeezed my eyes shut against the pain, a groan ripping out of me.
He pointed the gun at me again — and this time, I could see it. The hunger for blood in his eyes. He wanted to finish me off.
He let go of my sister, gripped me by my shirt, and slammed me into the wall.
"WHAT DID YOU SAY, YOU SON OF A BITCH?"
Then he punched me.
And I let him. I let him get all of his anger out.
I didn't blame him.
If I was him, I'd do the same thing
I coughed through the pain, through every punch that landed on me. I felt him being lifted off me, heard my sister screaming something. I couldn't make it out. My ears were ringing. The room spun.
A pair of hands cupped my cheeks. "Eli, are you okay?"
But I couldn't respond. It was as if I was floating in and out of consciousness.
"Talk... to me, dammit. Why... aren't you saying anything?" That's all I could make out.
When she slapped me, I slowly began to regain some sort of consciousness. But it wasn't enough.
"WHAT THE HELL DID YOU DO?!" I heard Vicky yell.
My vision was blurred, but I could make out Zeke being held down by a group of my men, guns pointed at his head.
"Sandra, call... a doctor! Hurry up!" Vicky screamed.
"Can't you tell that he was lying, you bastard? He did it to protect me. FROM YOU."
"I don't give a fuck," Zeke snarled. "I acted upon what I heard and I don't fucking regret it. You both deserve to die."
Then I heard a loud slap. It echoed in my ears, louder than it actually was.
"L-let him go," I muttered.
My sister bent down to my level. "Let him go so he can finish me off."
"Are you crazy? Do you hear yourself right now?"
"I deserve it, sis. I don't think I could live without her. If it wasn't for me, she probably wouldn't have run away. Don't you see? I'm to blame. I'm the reason she got on that plane. Don't you see it, Vicks? I would rather die than never see her again."
"Elijah," her voice became more of an echo. "Elijah?"
"Elijah... Elijah, don't leave me. Please. ELIJAHHH."
And then everything went black.