Do What It Takes to Survive

I got more and more nervous every second. When I heard Randy fumbling with the lock, my stomach nearly came out of my throat.

Gerard lifted me out of his lap while murmuring, “Relax. You’re fine. We’re fine.” Then he kissed my forehead and pulled away just in time for Randy to open the door.

I took a deep breath and stood up, trying to look bored. Good thing Randy couldn’t hear my heart beating, because I sure could feel it. I stepped out of our cell in front of Gerard.

“Wait, girl,” Randy said. He grabbed my hand, and I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from gasping. His tight grasp pressed on my broken finger. “Are you sure you want to go alone? We could-”

He was cut off, because Gerard hit him solidly in the side and knocked him down. They struggled on the ground for a few seconds before I remembered that I was supposed to get his gun. I lunged at him and pulled it out of his belt.

Meanwhile, Gerard looked to have the upper hand in the fist fight. Although his nose was bleeding, blood trickled out of the corner of Randy’s mouth.

“Give me the gun as soon as I get away from him,” Gerard ordered through heavy breathing.

“Yeah,” I squeaked as Randy landed a punch on his chin that looked very painful. At least Gerard was on top, so he could get away as soon as he punched Randy one last time.

Gerard held his hand out while he backed quickly towards me. Randy was already getting up. I shoved the gun into Gerard’s hand. He cocked it and pointed it directly at Randy’s chest. Randy froze.

“Throw Lana the keys,” Gerard commanded in a firm voice.

Randy grinned. “Do you even know how to use a gun?”

“Do you want to find out?” Gerard replied, laughing.

Randy scowled and pulled a ring of keys out of his pocket. He tossed them to me, and I caught them easily. I may not have been able to punch him or shoot a gun, but I could at least catch a ring of keys.

“Find which key goes to the cell door.” Gerard again.

I obeyed meekly and got it right on the first try. “Got it,” I said, “and I locked it like we planned.”

“Good,” Gerard replied. “Okay, Randy. In you go.” Randy didn’t move a muscle. “Want to try me?” Gerard cried, enraged. “I would love to shoot you right now! Get in there and touch the farthest wall with your nose!”

Randy grunted, but he did as he was told. As soon as he was as far from the door as possible, I slammed it shut. I tossed the keys to Gerard before I collapsed, sweating and shaking.

He tucked the keys into his pocket. “Lana, calm down. That part is over now. You did great!”

“There’s still Ron,” I moaned.

He put his hand on my shoulder and sat down next to me. After maybe a minute of silence, he said, “I should’ve just shot him.”

“No.” I shook my head. “Shooting is the last resort.”

His hands curled into fists, and his knuckles turned white. “Who cares? Did you hear what he was saying? We made a plan just in time. What if we hadn’t? What would he have done to you?”

I shivered, and my spine crawled. “I hope to God we’ll never know,” I replied, putting my face in my hands.

“Me too,” he agreed fiercely.

I looked up at him and shook my head. “Your nose is bleeding again. Do you think it’s broken this time?”

Gerard shrugged. “I don’t know. It’d be worth it though.” He held out his hand. I grabbed it, and he pulled me up, but my hand was so slippery he almost couldn’t hold on. He just smiled and went to one of the bathroom sinks to wash up.

“You don’t think Ron will come soon, will he?” I asked, an edge to my voice. What if he came and we weren’t ready?

He put his hands on my shoulders, looked me straight in the eyes, and said, “Lana, chill for a second. Take a deep breath. You need it.”

I stuck my tongue out at him, and then leaned against the wall. As he wiped his face with a paper towel, I closed my eyes and tried to concentrate on my breathing. I lost myself in my mind, trying to forget where I was.

That’s probably why I nearly jumped out of my skin when his cold lips pressed against mine. My heart sped up, and I grabbed my chest. “Gerard! You scared me half to death!”

Smirking, he answered, “Sorry. I didn’t mean to.”

How had he snuck up on me so easily? My thoughts were interrupted when I heard someone working on the lock to the door we were waiting to be opened. Gerard swiftly grabbed the gun and my arm and rushed to the room.

He raised the gun and pointed it at the door, ready. I clenched my teeth to keep from laughing when I saw how lucky we were. Ron backed into the room and closed the door behind him before turning to see his fate. He hadn’t locked the door, either.

“Put your hands up,” Gerard said in that same commanding voice that I used to hate. He had positioned me slightly behind him “just in case.” I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I had obeyed anyways.

Ron slowly raised his hands, glaring at Gerard the whole time. Then Gerard lowered the arm he was holding in front of me so I could take Ron’s gun.

As I approached, Gerard growled, “If you move even an inch, I will shoot you, I swear.”

After I had taken Ron’s gun and keys, we locked him in a bathroom using the same process we had used to lock up Randy. I was sweating again when we were done, but I didn’t break down. Gerard briefly showed me how to at least look like I could use the gun, and then we both eyed the door warily.

We didn’t know what was behind it. It was unfamiliar territory to us, but there was no other way out, so we had to take it.