Page 223 of The Perfect Spiral
Kyle is behind her with Knox, both laughing, and Eric is with Acebehind them.
My mom notices my tears, but they don’t see the psychotic man standing behind me with a gun to my head.
“Alex? What’s wrong, sweetie?” I cry harder and Kyle notices. They keep walking until my mom sees him standing there with the gun to my head.
“Oh my god! No, no, no! Please!” She wails, dropping the bag from her grip. Kyle and Knox rush forward to see what’s wrong and they see him standing there.
“Holy shit! Alex, come here,” Kyle runs his shaking hands through his hair, motioning me to come over to him. Knox stands there wide-eyed, staring at the gun he’s gripping in his hand.
I feel the tremors taking over my body and my breathing becomes rapid. I can feel the pulse around my entire body as I come to realize, this is it. Everything is in slow motion.
“Don’t move a muscle, sweetheart,” he murmurs, his voice a chilling whisper against my ear. He’s close, so close that I can feel the heat of him against my back, his proximity confirmed by the low timbre of his voice.
The sound of his footsteps grows louder, each step echoing in my ears until I feel the cold, hollow metal of a gun pressing against the back of my head. I draw in a sharp breath, the chill of the metal seeping into my skin.
He’s going to pull the trigger.
My mother’s sobs echo from the doorway, a heartbreaking soundtrack to this nightmare. Ace is on the phone, his voice frantic. Is he calling the police? I can’t be sure.
I close my eyes, tears slipping down my cheeks as I listen to the rapid footsteps retreating up the stairs, fleeing from the danger.
“Let me see! Out of the wa—Fuck,” Cole’s voice cuts through the tension, authoritative and commanding. I open my eyes to see him pushing through the frozen tableau of bodies in the hallway. “Put the gun down,” he grits out.
But I know he won’t listen.
Knox steps forward, placing himself closer to the danger. “Put down the fucking gun,” he growls, his eyes a cool, icy blue. He looks ready to kill.
“Awww, your boyfriend can’t help you, sweetheart. Don’t even try, Knox. Cole, so good to see you, my boy. How are my grandkids doing?” He taunts, pressing the gun harder against the back of my head.
Knox mutters something under his breath, but I can’t make out the words.
“Turn around, sweetheart. Turn around and face your family.” I obey, turning slowly to face the terrified faces of my family.
Not again. I don’t want them to witness this again. Because this time, he’ll succeed. I know he will. I don’t want them to watch me die. I’m not ready to die. Please, Pop, help me out.
The cold metal presses against my temple, and I can’t hold back the tears any longer. I sob quietly, struggling to form words.
“M-mom, I-I need you to l-listen to me....” I take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “I need you to get yourself and everyone out of here. He will do it. And when he does, I don’t want any of you seeing it. Please,” I beg through my sobs, but she’s not listening.
She continues to cry, repeating ‘My baby’ over and over, while I shake uncontrollably. I look at Cole, pleading with him to leave.This is what he wants—an audience.
“They can watch. They might enjoy it as much as I’m going to...”
I can almost see the smirk on his goddamn face, and in a burst of anger, I blurt out, “Pull it.” Cole’s eyes widen in shock, and he shakes his head vehemently.
“Alex!” he exclaims, his voice filled with disbelief. I stop crying and turn to face the man I’ve been terrified of my entire life. I meet his heartless, ice-cold blue-grey eyes, devoid of any emotion.
His face is covered in a scruffy beard, as if he hasn’t shaved in a while. I hear the distant wail of sirens, the crunch of boots on the wooden deck outside.
“Do it,” I dare him. He smirks, a cruel, one-sided smirk that’s so evil, you’d believe me if I told you it’s what made my mom fall for him in the first place.
He tuts at me, shaking his head slowly. His evil grin grows, spreading across his unkempt face.
“DO IT!” I scream at him, my gaze locked with his. His eyes reflect nothing but amusement. I hear Kyle whisper my name, but I don’t look at him.
I slam my head against the barrel of the gun and scream, “DO IT! You don’t think I haven’t thought about doing it myself, huh? You son of a bitch. Pull the fucking trigger!”
I stare down the barrel of the gun, looking death in the eyes. I see my family step back, waiting for the moment he pulls the trigger. “I love you,” I whisper, thinking these might be my last words.
