Chapter 14

Chapter 14 Bloodsoaked Gloves

Chapter 14

She pushed through the crowd, watching as the woman fell. Jess was her name, if her memory served right. The woman hit the stage hard on the back of her head, blood pooling on the stage. Screams and panicked people scattered, nearly knocking her off her feet. She kept her head low, dried blood smeared across her face and arms. Black gloves covered her injured hands, her clothes torn under the large jacket she wore. She tore away from the crowd and scrambled onto the stage, kneeling next to the dying woman. She pressed her gloved hands against the wound, crimson covering the sleak exterior. When the bullet was pulled out she tossed it aside, quickly trying to heal the rest of her. The woman looked at her, choking on her shaky breaths.
“You're that girl,” she coughed, more blood against her lips, “the girl. From the school.”
Alex smiled and nodded, “Yes. You're going to be okay. But he may still be here. We need to get out of here.” Jess coughed as Alex wrapped an arm around her, helping her to her feet. Jeff came on stage, supporting Jess from the other side.
“Let's get her to the van.”
“No,” Alex growled, “they'll expect that. We need to get somewhere without high buildings. The park, maybe. Where ever we go, we cannot go by a noticeable car, like your news van there.”
Jeff nodded, leading them across the street, into a chaotic mess of trees and dirt paths. Jess started coughing again, doubling over, slipping out of both Alex and Jeff's arms. She coughed up more blood, grimacing.
“What's wrong with her?” Jeff asked, incredulous. The park was nearly empty, everyone having scattered after the shot. Alex knelt down next to Jess, who looked at her with a strange confusion.
“I just,” she spat up more blood, the movement racking her body. “Exposed you. And you tried to save me. Why?”
“Try!? What does she mean, try!?”
Alex ignored him, pressing her hands against Jess again, desperately trying to pull the poison away from her heart; she could only delay it. She managed to smile under the stress, “You saved me from a mob of reporters. Figured this would make us even.”
Jess touched Alex's face, laying down on her back. “I was wrong about you. I thought you were trying to kill us. I was wrong.”
Alex shook her head, “Hang in there. I just need a little bit more time. I can do this, Jess, just keep fighting it. I can't do this alone!”
“Alone?” She coughed, then smiled, “No. you're not alone.” She moved her hand away from her face, resting it on the stressed, healing hands. “Let it be quick, Alex. Don't delay it.”
Alex stubbornly shook her head, “I won't let you-”
“It's already done. I just have one last question?” The poison seemed into the artieries in Jess' heart, quickly killing all it touched. “Who killed me?”
Alex looked at her, eyes bloodshot. “I don't know,” she whispered. “But you're not dead-”
“Jeff? I love you.”
Jeff grabbed Jess' hand, “I love you, too. I wanted to take you to dinner. I wanted to get down on my knee and marry you, Jess. You have to hang on. You have to!”
“Jeff,” Alex breathed, “she's gone.”
Jeff didn't hear her, continuing to murmur fantasies. “We were going to have children. How ever many you wanted. I've been saving up to buy you a ring. I almost had enough. I was so close.” Tears were streaming down the man's cheeks, but he wouldn't stop even as Alex touched his arm, telling him again, she was gone.
“I was going to get a diamond one. Girl's like diamonds, don't they?” he brought her limp hand to his lips and kissed it. “Don't they, Jess? Don't they?”