Page 140 of Ethan's Sky

“Violet! You’re okay. It’s me. It’s Sky!” It takes a minute for her eyes to come into focus and her brain to come back online before she recognizes me.

“Skyler?” Her voice is soft and shaky.

“Come on, let’s get you up.” She lets me help her stand, but she has a firm grip on her stomach.

“I-I- need the restroom. I don’t feel well.”

“Okay. Just let me find the?—"

Jake comes to a screeching halt, slamming into my back. “What the fuck, Skyler? You’re supposed to stay with me!” he roars. Declan makes his way through, scowling at both of us.

“I heard her scream! She was on the floor being trampled on by all these people!” I swing my arms around. “What did you think I would do? Let her get run over?” I slam my hand in his chest, not hard enough to hurt, but hard enough to get his attention on me—only me.

Jake’s eyes snap to mine. He’s still scowling, but when I flick my eyes to a terrified, shaking like a leaf, Violet next to me, he gets my point.

Calmly, or as calmly as he can muster, Jake softens his voice and asks, “Are you all right Vi? Are you hurt anywhere?”

Violet swallows hard. Her face has lost all color, her eyes glassy and full of fear. “I’d like to use the restroom. Can we go to the restroom, please.” Her voice is small and frail. Not the same as it was before. Violet’s always been soft spoken, especially around men, but she had been doing better being around Ethan and the guys at the gym. Not now. Now she seems like she’s seen a ghost, and it’s rocked her to her core.

“All right.” The guys make a wall in front of us, pushing people out of our way. It’s rude as hell, but I don’t’ really are while my friend seems so vulnerable.

We get to the lady’s bathroom and of course, there’s a line a mile long. I shove through the line, dragging Violet behind me to the tune of grumbling and curses behind me. But I’m too focused on Violet to pay them any attention.

When we get to the front of the line, I’m shoving Violet into the next open stall before the woman who was originally next can do anything. It’s when she turns around to face me that I notice the blood pooling at the side of her dress.

“Violet! What the hell happened?”

Her face is even paler now. A light sheen of sweat covers her skin. Her hands are shaking and covered in blood.

“Don’t move! I’m going to get the guys! Stay there! Lock the door!”

I shove back through the crowd shouting as loud as I can for Jake and Declan. It’s Declan who reaches me first, both his large hands gripping my shoulders.

“What is it? What’s wrong?”

“It’s Violet. She’s in the stall. She’s bleeding. Her side…the dress is covered in blood.”

Declan doesn’t hesitate; he shouts over my head for Jake to call 9-1-1 and shoves his way into the restroom. Jake stands next to me, calling what I assume is Hawk on the phone.

“Get me security and an ambulance, fucking now! Violet’s been hurt. We need to get them out of here.” I can’t hear the other side of the conversation, but based on Jake’s responses, it sounds like everyone is on their way.

We see the paramedics coming around the corner. Jake starts waving for them to come this way. I step back making room.

At the same time a voice comes over the house speakers and announces, “We’re sorry about the scare folks. Technical difficulty in the booth! Nothing to be afraid of here. We can assure you everything is fine. You are all safe and can return to your seats in an orderly fashion and we will continue the nights events as planned. Thank you!” And the hallway becomes a mass of bodies. People turning back to return to the tunnels from which they came, making the flow of traffic damn near impossible to get through.

After a few minutes I realize I can no longer see Jake.

“Jake! Jake!” I shout over the crowd. A cold piece of metal digs into my back as a large arm grabs me around my waist. The smell of alcohol and body odor assault my nostrils.

“If you scream or draw attention to us, I’ll kill you right here. Do fucking hear me, bitch?”

I don’t recognize the voice, but I heed it’s demands. There’s not enough room with the mass of people for me to fight him off, but if I can get him into open space, I know I have a chance.

“Head to the emergency exit and don’t stop until we get outside.”

“Skyler! Sky where the fuck are you?” I hear Jake’s voice, but don’t call out for fear the unstable asshole with a gun could decide to open fire on all these people.

Said asshole shoves my back, making me bump into people as we fight to get to the exit.

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