FAÇADE, 16
I follow the trigger with my index finger, and Ray stops guiding me.
Blood must lace Emily’s throat, the way she screams.
I drop the gun, and it fires into the woods. “I can’t do it,” I concede. Something comes over me – some force of animosity and bewilderment I cannot quite comprehend – and I begin to swing at Ray.
Emily rushes to her feet and steps between us, pushing us apart with her arms out in a cross. After a deep breath, she looks at Ray, and they both laugh.
“What the hell?” I ask.
They collect themselves. “God that was scary,” Emily says to him.
Ray turns to me and says, “I was worried about you, man.”
“Tell me what the hell is going on, Ray,” I say.
Ray and Emily walk away, holding hands. He calls back, “I think you’re figuring it all out.” They leave me alone in the backyard underneath the clout of rain. As much as I want to shoot him, I want to laugh, and I can feel a grin slice across my face.
Until they stop.
Gunfire rumbles like thunder so immediate and loud I knew the lightning struck near.
Blood must lace Emily’s throat, the way she screams.
I drop the gun, and it fires into the woods. “I can’t do it,” I concede. Something comes over me – some force of animosity and bewilderment I cannot quite comprehend – and I begin to swing at Ray.
Emily rushes to her feet and steps between us, pushing us apart with her arms out in a cross. After a deep breath, she looks at Ray, and they both laugh.
“What the hell?” I ask.
They collect themselves. “God that was scary,” Emily says to him.
Ray turns to me and says, “I was worried about you, man.”
“Tell me what the hell is going on, Ray,” I say.
Ray and Emily walk away, holding hands. He calls back, “I think you’re figuring it all out.” They leave me alone in the backyard underneath the clout of rain. As much as I want to shoot him, I want to laugh, and I can feel a grin slice across my face.
Until they stop.
Gunfire rumbles like thunder so immediate and loud I knew the lightning struck near.
