Chapter
15
The criminal snapped the phone shut, and
looked around at the hostages, who faces betrayed one universal expression:
pure and total fear.
“Let’s
see who’s lucky number comes up.” He scattered five pieces of paper over the
floor in front of him, and stirred them around with his hand.
Brian
and A.J. sat together with Lila between them. Neither said a word, but both
were preparing for the worst. A.J. risked a glance over at Brian. His face
looked tight, and he busied himself by examining Lila’s bullet wound yet again.
Anything to distract him from what was about to happen. Anything.
Images
of Howie, Nick, and Kevin flooded through A.J.’s mind
as he wondered if he would ever see them again. He wondered if that brief
moment on the phone with Howie had been the last he’d ever see of hear from
him. The thought was too much to bear, even though it was he who would be the
dead one. He couldn’t imagine how the three outside felt. He looked back to the
scene in front of him, and knew that if he ever got out of this he would never
again be able to watch a lottery draw on TV. Right now, the lucky winner would
get to leave this place in a coffin.
They
had all been given their “numbers” a short time ago. A.J. was 4, Brian was 2
and Lila was 5. He shuddered. I did not want to die this way, he thought. Not
in here, like this, on my knees.
In
a moment that seemed to last for an eternity, their captor reached down and
picked up a piece of folded paper, and began to unfold it.
“No!”
Kevin howled as the phone went dead. “No! They can’t do this!” His body began
to tremble so badly, that Howie wasn’t sure if he was going to remain on his
feet. He started to react, but Nick beat him to it. He leapt forward and ran to
him.
“Kevin!”
Nick yelled. Kevin stepped forward; looking as if he were going to bolt, but
Nick caught him by the arm and whirled him around.
“Kevin
it’s going to be all right.” He wrapped his arms around the older man in a hug,
but in a move that took him by surprise, Kevin shoved him backwards with all of
his might. He hit the ground with a loud thud, and sat there for a moment,
stunned. Was this really Kevin standing in front of him? He raised his head up
to him in fear. Tears came to his eyes, and threatened to spill over. Howie
looked horrified, and knelt beside him, placing an arm around his shoulders.
Kevin
stared down at Nick, shocked at what he had just done. His eyes softened, and
regret and sorrow washed over him when he saw the hurt in his friend’s eyes. He
crouched down beside him.
“I’m
sorry Nicky,” he said quietly. “I didn’t mean to do that. I’m sorry.”
The
words were barley out of his mouth before a loud crack shattered the silence.
Everyone jumped, and Howie felt as if a huge bucket of ice water had been
thrown in his face. Kevin felt as if he had been kicked in the stomach. He
couldn’t breath.
A
terrible sound erupted from Nick, some sort of shriek that almost didn’t sound
human. He clenched his fists, and held his arms and hands in front of his face,
as if he were trying to shield himself from reality. He continued to scream.
Kevin
finally managed to get some air into his chest. “Oh, God no,” he choked out.
Hot tears squirted from his eyes and covered his cheeks. The three friends
huddled together, their arms surrounding each other like a protective covering
that would keep them from learning the truth. They didn’t want to know the
truth.
From
farther away, another scream pierced the early morning. Marie stood there,
wringing her hands as Ellie tried to comfort her. Ellie herself was red-eyed
and puffy, and the only thing that kept her together was the thought that it
might not have been Lila.
As
this was happening, Becca and Julie arrived on the scene. Ellie had called them
earlier, and although it had taken three phone calls to get one of them to
answer the phone, Julie had finally responded. She promised they would both be
there immediately. Becca walked quickly towards the commotion, but Marie’s
scream made her halt. She stared dumbly at what was in front of her. It took a
minute to fully register. Lila. Lila was in there. Lila, her best friend.
Julie
broke into a run when she saw Ellie, and Becca followed in a daze. It took
several minutes to get Marie to quiet. When she did, she sat down on the
concrete, a bleak expression possessing her features. Ellie sat down behind
her, her arms surrounding Marie in a hug. She looked up to see Becca staring in
shock at everything. She quietly explained what had just happened. Becca never
said a word, she simply stared straight ahead, looking at nothing.
Howie’s
phone rang in Lt. Daniels’ hand moments later. Kevin, Nick, and Howie still sat
together on the concrete, grief-stricken. He answered it with a trembling hand.
“Now
you’re up to $60,000.”
***
