Status: Completed
Close Your Eyes
Close Your Eyes...
I felt the barrel of the gun against my head, the smooth surface cold against my skin. I felt sweat beading up at the back of neck and on my forehead. I swallowed, and I felt the metal press against my temple. A single bead of liquid trickled down my skin, warmer than I was. An arm was wrapped around me from behind, pressing me into my captor. I heard the distinct click of the gun as the bullet was loaded into the firing chamber. I could almost see my captor's menacing smile and maliciously glinting eyes.
'Get down, or I shoot.' The voice was masked, giving them a deep, gravelly voice. Everyone looked at me with fear in their eyes. I could only imagine my own expression.
Surprisingly though, I felt numb. I was not scared for my life, and I didn't register if my heart was thudding more than normal pace. The only indication of my fear was the sweat. More was trickling down now, forming thin rivulets down my face and neck.
Everybody followed my captor’s orders, quickly hitting the ground. Small children started whimpering, and a baby’s cry filled the air. Another man entered my peripheral vision, taking a threatening step towards the wailing child. He must have shot the mother a look, because she soon had the child facing her chest, and she was shushing it.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. My lungs welcomed the oxygen they had previously been deprived of, giving my limbs some strength back as the vital element coursed through my bloodstream.
Bang.
The young girl fell to the floor, a bullet lodged in her skull. The tattooed hands had released her a second before the trigger had been pulled. Blood crept over the floorboards, making a puddle. I was shocked, and watched with my hands on my head as the man stepped over her body.
'Such a shame.' He said, his voice husky. From what I could see, he was tall, and had a bandanna wrapped around his mouth, his eyes peeking out over the top. He was dressed entirely in black, and a hood was up. His two henchmen loaded their guns, and I heard the sickening clicks as their own bullets fell into the firing chamber. I felt the young girl's captors eyes fall on mine, and he grabbed my arm and roughly yanked me up.
'You work here?' He asked, eyes gleaming dangerously. I nodded, my eyes watering as I tried to hold back my fear. 'The safe. Now.' He released me, and I stumbled a few steps as my trembling legs threatened to collapse on me. I could only imagine what the young girl had felt; surely it was at least twice the amount of fear I was experiencing now. I felt a pressure on my ankle and my eyes flicked down. I saw the hand of one of my colleague's, offering me support. The gesture felt nice, but a voice cut through the moment.
'Eyes up,' I did and the sound of yet another bullet being readied to fire brought me back to my senses, 'now to the safe.' I led him to his destination, my legs once again unsteady. I reached the vault and started spinning the dial, failing to enter the combination on the first try. I felt the circular barrel of the gun press into the back of my head and I paused, holding my breath so as not to move.
'Hurry up,' the voice said. The pressure was taken away for a moment, only to move to the back of my neck. 'You are not indispensable, there are many other workers here who are just as able to take your place.' I nodded stiffly,
'Y-y-yes.' I stuttered, opening the door. He slipped inside without checking on his henchmen. I slammed the door shut as I heard his footsteps retreating from the door, spinning the dial so he couldn't open it.
I heard the door shut with a bang and I squirmed a bit more on the floor. Luckily, the other men's eyes had turned towards the commotion, one signaling to the other to investigate, the other turning his gaze away from me. I managed to slide under a desk, and hit the emergency button located there. Hopefully Vic had managed to hide from the other crooks, otherwise he was going to be dead meat - literally. I prayed that the emergency services would turn up quickly, we wouldn't be able to contain the thieves much longer.
'Hey! You! Get up!' I heard one of them shout, turning the corner. No gunshot had rung through the air, so I assumed Vic was safe. I looked at the people around me, and noticed a pair of Vans walk over to me menacingly. 'What, you deaf or somethin'?' They said, pointing their gun at me. 'I said, get up.' Their voice was low, and I stood up hurriedly, my heart pounding.
'Yes?' I asked, my hands shooting into the air. My mouth was going dry incredibly fast and I swallowed, trying to generate more saliva.
'Your turn ta open the door. Seems like our partner here got stuck inside with the other guy.' I was marched off and I heard sirens in the distance. The police were going to get everyone killed. I turned the corner and heard bashing on the vault door. I looked over at the wall, and saw that a picture frame was hanging slightly askew. An exit chamber was located directly behind it, and by the picture's lopsidedness I guess that this was where Vic had gone.
'Well go on, open it.' The man said gruffly, poking me with his gun. I shuffled forward and started spinning the dial, my sweaty hands slipping off and making it hard to open. Of course my hands would be sweaty, no moisture where I actually need it. I sighed as I missed the combination, trying again, much slower this time because I wouldn't be forgiven more than once.
I put my eye to the back of the picture, looking intently through the thin weave. Kellin was standing at the vault door, and two guns were pointed at him. One of the men muttered something at him, and he turned around, shouting, 'I'm sorry!' The men looked at him with no mercy, and I gasped, turning around and burying my head in the wall behind me.
'Come on, there must be someone else who can get the job done.' My heart was hammering and I didn't dare turn around, fearing the scene that may await me. They led another one of my co-workers to the vault, ignoring the increasing sounds of sirens. A single failed attempt later and I heard her footsteps on the floor. I sucked in a breath and covered my ears, knowing it was a fruitless attempt.
'Freeze,' a different voice said, and I finally turned around. I saw Kellin's now-lifeless form on the ground, his limbs bent at awkward angles. His curly brown hair was spread around him and he was face-down. I saw the bullet dent in the vault door, and I shuddered to think of a bullet hole through Kellin. A policeman stood behind the two crooks, while the third was still bashing at the vault. 'Put down the weapons, now.' The two men dropped their guns, the one inside the vault still bashing relentlessly against the reinforced door.
Another officer came around the corner. 'They say that three workers came back here, but was only one shot.' He walked over to the female worker and ushered her away, her eyes wide.
The woman looked at the scene. 'So where's the first one, I assume?' She said, addressing the question at no one in particular.
'H-here.' I said, stepping out from behind the artwork. She appraised me with her eyes, and gestured for me to open the vault. I walked over, slipping a little in the pool of blood that had been Kellin's life source.
The policewoman told the two men to stand against the wall and she came over to the vault with me.
'Wait,' she said, turning Kellin's body over. I gagged as I saw his body, his face more so in particular. The bullet wound lay in the middle of his eyes, his once brightly sparkling blue orbs now cross-eyed and fading to a dull grey. I ran over to a pot plant and heaved, sickened by the sight. 'I'm sorry.' The woman said, coming over and rubbing my back soothingly.
'It's fine.' I said, returning to the vault and trying my hardest to ignore the disturbingly strong scent of blood emanating from under my nose. I opened the door and the third robber ran out, stopping abruptly as he saw the gun aimed at his face. He saw me in his peripheral vision and brought the gun up, quick as a flash. I could see a smile etch its way onto his face thanks to the movement it caused the bandanna.
'Good-' he breathed. I never got to hear the end of the word.
'Get down, or I shoot.' The voice was masked, giving them a deep, gravelly voice. Everyone looked at me with fear in their eyes. I could only imagine my own expression.
Surprisingly though, I felt numb. I was not scared for my life, and I didn't register if my heart was thudding more than normal pace. The only indication of my fear was the sweat. More was trickling down now, forming thin rivulets down my face and neck.
Everybody followed my captor’s orders, quickly hitting the ground. Small children started whimpering, and a baby’s cry filled the air. Another man entered my peripheral vision, taking a threatening step towards the wailing child. He must have shot the mother a look, because she soon had the child facing her chest, and she was shushing it.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. My lungs welcomed the oxygen they had previously been deprived of, giving my limbs some strength back as the vital element coursed through my bloodstream.
Bang.
The young girl fell to the floor, a bullet lodged in her skull. The tattooed hands had released her a second before the trigger had been pulled. Blood crept over the floorboards, making a puddle. I was shocked, and watched with my hands on my head as the man stepped over her body.
'Such a shame.' He said, his voice husky. From what I could see, he was tall, and had a bandanna wrapped around his mouth, his eyes peeking out over the top. He was dressed entirely in black, and a hood was up. His two henchmen loaded their guns, and I heard the sickening clicks as their own bullets fell into the firing chamber. I felt the young girl's captors eyes fall on mine, and he grabbed my arm and roughly yanked me up.
'You work here?' He asked, eyes gleaming dangerously. I nodded, my eyes watering as I tried to hold back my fear. 'The safe. Now.' He released me, and I stumbled a few steps as my trembling legs threatened to collapse on me. I could only imagine what the young girl had felt; surely it was at least twice the amount of fear I was experiencing now. I felt a pressure on my ankle and my eyes flicked down. I saw the hand of one of my colleague's, offering me support. The gesture felt nice, but a voice cut through the moment.
'Eyes up,' I did and the sound of yet another bullet being readied to fire brought me back to my senses, 'now to the safe.' I led him to his destination, my legs once again unsteady. I reached the vault and started spinning the dial, failing to enter the combination on the first try. I felt the circular barrel of the gun press into the back of my head and I paused, holding my breath so as not to move.
'Hurry up,' the voice said. The pressure was taken away for a moment, only to move to the back of my neck. 'You are not indispensable, there are many other workers here who are just as able to take your place.' I nodded stiffly,
'Y-y-yes.' I stuttered, opening the door. He slipped inside without checking on his henchmen. I slammed the door shut as I heard his footsteps retreating from the door, spinning the dial so he couldn't open it.
I heard the door shut with a bang and I squirmed a bit more on the floor. Luckily, the other men's eyes had turned towards the commotion, one signaling to the other to investigate, the other turning his gaze away from me. I managed to slide under a desk, and hit the emergency button located there. Hopefully Vic had managed to hide from the other crooks, otherwise he was going to be dead meat - literally. I prayed that the emergency services would turn up quickly, we wouldn't be able to contain the thieves much longer.
'Hey! You! Get up!' I heard one of them shout, turning the corner. No gunshot had rung through the air, so I assumed Vic was safe. I looked at the people around me, and noticed a pair of Vans walk over to me menacingly. 'What, you deaf or somethin'?' They said, pointing their gun at me. 'I said, get up.' Their voice was low, and I stood up hurriedly, my heart pounding.
'Yes?' I asked, my hands shooting into the air. My mouth was going dry incredibly fast and I swallowed, trying to generate more saliva.
'Your turn ta open the door. Seems like our partner here got stuck inside with the other guy.' I was marched off and I heard sirens in the distance. The police were going to get everyone killed. I turned the corner and heard bashing on the vault door. I looked over at the wall, and saw that a picture frame was hanging slightly askew. An exit chamber was located directly behind it, and by the picture's lopsidedness I guess that this was where Vic had gone.
'Well go on, open it.' The man said gruffly, poking me with his gun. I shuffled forward and started spinning the dial, my sweaty hands slipping off and making it hard to open. Of course my hands would be sweaty, no moisture where I actually need it. I sighed as I missed the combination, trying again, much slower this time because I wouldn't be forgiven more than once.
I put my eye to the back of the picture, looking intently through the thin weave. Kellin was standing at the vault door, and two guns were pointed at him. One of the men muttered something at him, and he turned around, shouting, 'I'm sorry!' The men looked at him with no mercy, and I gasped, turning around and burying my head in the wall behind me.
'Come on, there must be someone else who can get the job done.' My heart was hammering and I didn't dare turn around, fearing the scene that may await me. They led another one of my co-workers to the vault, ignoring the increasing sounds of sirens. A single failed attempt later and I heard her footsteps on the floor. I sucked in a breath and covered my ears, knowing it was a fruitless attempt.
'Freeze,' a different voice said, and I finally turned around. I saw Kellin's now-lifeless form on the ground, his limbs bent at awkward angles. His curly brown hair was spread around him and he was face-down. I saw the bullet dent in the vault door, and I shuddered to think of a bullet hole through Kellin. A policeman stood behind the two crooks, while the third was still bashing at the vault. 'Put down the weapons, now.' The two men dropped their guns, the one inside the vault still bashing relentlessly against the reinforced door.
Another officer came around the corner. 'They say that three workers came back here, but was only one shot.' He walked over to the female worker and ushered her away, her eyes wide.
The woman looked at the scene. 'So where's the first one, I assume?' She said, addressing the question at no one in particular.
'H-here.' I said, stepping out from behind the artwork. She appraised me with her eyes, and gestured for me to open the vault. I walked over, slipping a little in the pool of blood that had been Kellin's life source.
The policewoman told the two men to stand against the wall and she came over to the vault with me.
'Wait,' she said, turning Kellin's body over. I gagged as I saw his body, his face more so in particular. The bullet wound lay in the middle of his eyes, his once brightly sparkling blue orbs now cross-eyed and fading to a dull grey. I ran over to a pot plant and heaved, sickened by the sight. 'I'm sorry.' The woman said, coming over and rubbing my back soothingly.
'It's fine.' I said, returning to the vault and trying my hardest to ignore the disturbingly strong scent of blood emanating from under my nose. I opened the door and the third robber ran out, stopping abruptly as he saw the gun aimed at his face. He saw me in his peripheral vision and brought the gun up, quick as a flash. I could see a smile etch its way onto his face thanks to the movement it caused the bandanna.
'Good-' he breathed. I never got to hear the end of the word.
♠ ♠ ♠
One shot.Word count: 1564