Page 63 of Everest

I watch Mr. Jonny and Catcher share a look.

“Go.” Mr. Jonny jerks his chin and then goes to where Catcher is posted.

Catcher grits his teeth and then moves.

I go to argue when he grabs hold of my arm. “Catcher,” I hiss.

“Go with Catcher, sweetheart,” Mr. Jonny urges. “I can take care of myself.”

“Let’s move.” Catcher doesn’t give me time to say anything else before he’s practically dragging me across the floor. “Keep low and stay behind me.”

I take one last look at Jonny over my shoulder as I follow Catcher to the back of the store toward the emergency exit. He gives me a reassuring nod. In front of me, Catcher pauses. He and Mr. Jonny share one last look. Mr. Jonny nods and cocks his gun. Moments later, the air fills with the sound of gunfire once again.

When Catcher and I reach the rear exit, he pushes the door open a smidge and peeks out. Sensing we are clear, he reminds me, “Stay close,” then we make a run for it. Parked about thirtyfeet from us is a pick-up truck. Just as we reach the driver’s side door, a bullet pierces the window, followed by another blast. Catcher’s body jerks and slams into the side of the truck. Without hesitation, he returns fire, killing the guy. I scream and cover my head when a bullet whizzes past. That’s when I notice two more guys rounding the corner of the building.

“Get in the fuckin’ truck,now!” Catcher bellows.

I shove open the door and dive into the truck. As Catcher tosses me the keys, I notice blood soaking through his shirt over his shoulder. “Oh my God, Catcher. You’ve been shot.”

Catcher continues to return fire, and the two men duck behind the dumpster. Just as he goes to climb into the truck behind me, three more shots ring out. Catcher grunts as his body slumps against the truck’s driver’s seat before slumping to the ground. I watch in horror as blood pours from a hole in his chest.

For as long as I live, I will never forget the gurgling sound currently coming from his mouth.

“Catcher.” I choke on a sob.

Go,he mouths, his eyes wide and trained on my face.

Tears stream down my face at the thought of leaving him behind, but I have to get help. So, as much as it pains me, I slam the truck door and shove the keys into the ignition. Eyes blurry with tears, I put the truck in gear and step on the gas. The truck's back tires kick up dust and gravel as I peel out of the parking lot. I look in the rear-view mirror and catch sight of a car pulling up beside where Catcher’s body lies unmoving on the ground, as two men jump into the back seat and give chase. I swipe away my tears with the back of my hand and focus on the road in front of me. But just as I’m about to turn left out of the parking lot, a white van cuts me off, forcing me to slam on my brakes. The van stops in front of me while the car boxes me in from behind. The two men in the car jump out. One approaches the passenger sidewhile the other approaches the driver's side. I engage the locks, hoping to keep them out.

“Fuck, London,think.”

The man at my door bangs on the window. “Give it up, bitch,” he sneers.

Refusing to it give up, I put the truck in reverse and slam my foot on the pedal, ramming into the car behind me. I repeat this maneuver again when I shift into drive and ram the van blocking me. The asshole standing in front of the truck is forced to jump out of the way to avoid being crushed. Too bad I missed.

“You crazy fucking bitch,” he spits.

Just as I'm about to shift the truck into reverse, the guy I almost hit puts his fist through my window, shattering it. I climb over the center console, but I’m not quick enough. The door is wrenched open, and a hand clamps down around my ankle, pulling me back. Twisting to my back, I bend my other knee, and with all the force I can muster, I kick the motherfucker square in the nose, and he roars with pain as blood seeps from his nose. When he loses his grip on my ankle, I crawl over to the passenger seat, open the door, and jump out of the truck. The second that both feet hit the pavement, I take off. I don’t get ten feet before I’m tackled from behind, and the guy on top of me knocks the air from my lungs and shoves my face into the gravel.

“Tase the cunt, Rico,” I hear another guy say.

The next thing I know, it’s lights out.

“Hey,” someone whispers. “Hey, are you okay?” the voice says again. I blink my eyes open and, through blurred vision, try to locate the source.

“She’s waking up.” Beside me, I hear shuffling. I try to move, but my body feels stiff. “Where am I?” I ask, confused. My vision clears, and a young woman no older than nineteen or twenty appears.

“We don’t know where we’re at. None of us saw where we were brought. We just woke up in this room together.”

I sit up and lean against the wall, ignoring how badly my body aches. Then, I get a good look at my surroundings. My heart drops when I realize what the girls mean by ‘us.’ There are seven other women in here besides me, and none of us knows where here is. “How long have you all been here?”

“I’ve been here two days. My name is Anna.”

“I’m London.”

Anna points to a blonde-haired girl. “That’s Sara. Then you have Olivia, Karmen, Brianna, Dee, and Marcy. Olivia and Dee have been here the longest. Five days.”

“And none of you know where we are?” I ask.

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