06-04-2014, 09:52 AM
The door jamb dug into Connor’s back as he pressed against it and watched the door. They would come through any moment- they or their bullets. Only peripherally was he aware of the commotion behind him, the scrambling and sounds of crying and whining children, Jensen’s voice giving commands. It all only barely passed through the fog of fear and adrenaline that clouded his mind. They’re coming. 5 or 6 guys. Semi-autos. He looked down at the gun he had in his hand. He didn’t know how many rounds he had left. He knew it wasn’t like the movies, where he could spray the door and men coming through it indiscriminately. So there he was, trapped. He looked down the now empty hallway. An image of himself turning and running for the door, bullets suddenly striking him from the back before he made it played in his mind. He breathed heavily. This was bad.
He heard more shooting on the other side of the door and screams. He had no idea what it meant, but it finally forced his frozen limbs to movement. Carefully, he backed his way along the corridor, pressing himself against the door-insets, always watching the door carefully. He risked a glance back to the exit door. Still a ways away. Damn! Suddenly the door in front burst open and a man stumbled out, curiously turned around and facing the other way. But that lasted less than a second. He turned and saw Connor and brought his weapon up firing. Connor zagged across the corridor, trying to get to the exit. Bullets ricocheted around him and his heart was in his throat. He slammed into the exit door and nearly fell as he run down the stairs to the first landing. Just then he heard the sound of the door above opening and more bullets were flying. He was already heading down the next flight, but the pings of ringing metal and thuds of wall and concrete being hit echoed in the stairwell.
The last flight and then the exit beckoned. Suddenly the exit door was being peppered with bullets and Connor threw himself back to below the flight of stairs. The man was coming and his exit was blocked! He pulled open the door onto the first floor corridor and saw people in flight, running this way and that, all streaming for the exits. It was chaos and the man was coming. One room door was open and Connor hurled himself into it.
He looked around. There wasn’t much to protect him. The windows were dark, but he could see the bars. No way out that way. The sound in the hallway died down and soon he only heard the thud of his heart. He stood against the side wall, where he could see if the door opened and maybe get a shot off first. His heart thundering in his ears, he stood there, anxiously poised, ears straining for the slightest sound. He waited. And he waited. Gradually, the tension started to build. He didn’t like feeling trapped. There were a lot of guys out there and here he was, stuck in this room. Finally, trying to calm down, he crept to the door and listened. Nothing. He put his hand on the handle. Am I really going back out there? After a moment, he turned it slowly, hoping it didn’t make any noise. He pulled the door open just a crack and looked out. He could see only a small sliver of corridor but there was no one there. That just means they could be in my massive blind spot, seeing this door open and waiting for me to come out.
He widened the sliver. Still nothing. He lowered himself to the ground, gun at the ready. If they were there, they’d shoot high and maybe he’d have a chance. He carefully let his gun and head peak out, finger on trigger. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the hall was empty. Looked like everyone had fled. He stood up and moved quietly and carefully anyway. There was another exit just ahead, one that let out in the center of the building instead of the east and west ends. It was the closest and he just wanted out, wanted to make sure Jensen and the kids were ok. And maybe, just maybe he’d be able to get home to Ayden. He heart twisted at the thought of her. He could lose her tonight. Could’ve lost her with his stupid need to jump into things. But he thought of those kids. What had they lost? It tore at him, this need. It always seemed to make sense at the time. But Ayden…
He opened the exit carefully and the rush of freezing winter air hit him in the face. It was dark. He hadn’t realized he was covered in sweat until the cold wind froze it. It was quiet here, though pops and shots and screams sounded in the distance. Carefully, he worked his way forward, listening intently, hearing only the crunch of his boots on the snow covered ground. He got maybe 20 feet from the building when something made him turn around- and there a man stood, gun raising, about to fire.
This is it, he thought. This is how I die. Time slowed to a stop as everything became clear, bracing for the impact of bullets into his chest. He saw his son in his mind. Hayden. Did I do all right, bud? Did you see your dad? And then Ayden’s face. I’m sorry. I'm sorry. I wanted to be with you…
A bullet slammed into him throwing him forward onto the ground. His back screamed in pain and then his chest. He felt the blood pouring out the holes in his body, burning, taste of blood in his mouth. He couldn’t breathe. His lungs wouldn’t fill. I can't breathe!! His mind was in panic. Gradually, his senses began to close off. Sounds, smells, sight…it all faded away….
Edited by Connor Kent, Jun 4 2014, 11:29 AM.
He heard more shooting on the other side of the door and screams. He had no idea what it meant, but it finally forced his frozen limbs to movement. Carefully, he backed his way along the corridor, pressing himself against the door-insets, always watching the door carefully. He risked a glance back to the exit door. Still a ways away. Damn! Suddenly the door in front burst open and a man stumbled out, curiously turned around and facing the other way. But that lasted less than a second. He turned and saw Connor and brought his weapon up firing. Connor zagged across the corridor, trying to get to the exit. Bullets ricocheted around him and his heart was in his throat. He slammed into the exit door and nearly fell as he run down the stairs to the first landing. Just then he heard the sound of the door above opening and more bullets were flying. He was already heading down the next flight, but the pings of ringing metal and thuds of wall and concrete being hit echoed in the stairwell.
The last flight and then the exit beckoned. Suddenly the exit door was being peppered with bullets and Connor threw himself back to below the flight of stairs. The man was coming and his exit was blocked! He pulled open the door onto the first floor corridor and saw people in flight, running this way and that, all streaming for the exits. It was chaos and the man was coming. One room door was open and Connor hurled himself into it.
He looked around. There wasn’t much to protect him. The windows were dark, but he could see the bars. No way out that way. The sound in the hallway died down and soon he only heard the thud of his heart. He stood against the side wall, where he could see if the door opened and maybe get a shot off first. His heart thundering in his ears, he stood there, anxiously poised, ears straining for the slightest sound. He waited. And he waited. Gradually, the tension started to build. He didn’t like feeling trapped. There were a lot of guys out there and here he was, stuck in this room. Finally, trying to calm down, he crept to the door and listened. Nothing. He put his hand on the handle. Am I really going back out there? After a moment, he turned it slowly, hoping it didn’t make any noise. He pulled the door open just a crack and looked out. He could see only a small sliver of corridor but there was no one there. That just means they could be in my massive blind spot, seeing this door open and waiting for me to come out.
He widened the sliver. Still nothing. He lowered himself to the ground, gun at the ready. If they were there, they’d shoot high and maybe he’d have a chance. He carefully let his gun and head peak out, finger on trigger. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the hall was empty. Looked like everyone had fled. He stood up and moved quietly and carefully anyway. There was another exit just ahead, one that let out in the center of the building instead of the east and west ends. It was the closest and he just wanted out, wanted to make sure Jensen and the kids were ok. And maybe, just maybe he’d be able to get home to Ayden. He heart twisted at the thought of her. He could lose her tonight. Could’ve lost her with his stupid need to jump into things. But he thought of those kids. What had they lost? It tore at him, this need. It always seemed to make sense at the time. But Ayden…
He opened the exit carefully and the rush of freezing winter air hit him in the face. It was dark. He hadn’t realized he was covered in sweat until the cold wind froze it. It was quiet here, though pops and shots and screams sounded in the distance. Carefully, he worked his way forward, listening intently, hearing only the crunch of his boots on the snow covered ground. He got maybe 20 feet from the building when something made him turn around- and there a man stood, gun raising, about to fire.
This is it, he thought. This is how I die. Time slowed to a stop as everything became clear, bracing for the impact of bullets into his chest. He saw his son in his mind. Hayden. Did I do all right, bud? Did you see your dad? And then Ayden’s face. I’m sorry. I'm sorry. I wanted to be with you…
A bullet slammed into him throwing him forward onto the ground. His back screamed in pain and then his chest. He felt the blood pouring out the holes in his body, burning, taste of blood in his mouth. He couldn’t breathe. His lungs wouldn’t fill. I can't breathe!! His mind was in panic. Gradually, his senses began to close off. Sounds, smells, sight…it all faded away….
Edited by Connor Kent, Jun 4 2014, 11:29 AM.