The survivor

One Hundred

The seconds felt like hours.

Striker burst forward, cleared the glare of the headlights and took quick aim the moment the two girls and the gunman came into view. Raine was grounded, on her knees, sobbing but out of the line of fire.

Courtney was not.

She was held tight by the madman, pulled close, a human shield. There was little room — definitely not enough room for a shot. And yet Striker knew he had no choice. If he didn’t act now, Shen Sun would kill her. He squeezed the trigger, heard the blast shake the entire area around them…

And then heard Courtney’s agonised scream.

She collapsed onto the wet concrete of the sidewalk, then rolled off the kerb into the lane. Even in the poor light, the dark, glistening splatter that covered her belly was obvious. And Striker realised it hadn’t been him who had fired the shot.

Shen Sun stepped forward. Into the light. Raised his pistol.

Striker saw the motion out of the corner of his eye. He darted left, took aim again, and heard three shots blast off. He felt bone-breaking pain as his chest and ribs cracked from the impacts. The force sent him reeling. He landed hard on his back, in the middle of the road, fighting to breathe, but still managing to pull the trigger in rapid fire.

Bang-bang-bang-BANG! The shots rang out, too many to count.

And then there was more screaming. The girls were screaming.

Striker rolled left, propped himself up on one arm, and scanned the sidewalk. He spotted Shen Sun, hobbling like an old, crippled man across the sidewalk. Towards Raine. His left arm hung limply and his right leg didn’t work right.

Striker raised his gun and drew down on the man. But he couldn’t get the shot off — not without hitting Raine. The girl screamed out in terror as Shen Sun grabbed her from behind, hoisted her to her feet, and pulled her into him.

‘Please!’ she screamed. ‘PLEASE!’

Shen Sun ignored her. He reared up to the bridge railing, wrapped his arms around her, and then found Striker with his eyes.

‘History is circle, Gwailo. Past is also future.’

There was no time left. Striker kept his aim tight, the sights lined up on the centre of Shen Sun’s face, and he pulled the trigger. All he heard was the god awful click-click-click of an empty chamber.

Shen Sun smiled. Smiled as if all the pain and rage and fear had left him and he had found peace. For a moment, he looked calm, serene … harmonious. Then he threw his body backwards.

In one quick, horrible moment, Shen Sun and Raine slipped over the railing and were swallowed up by the greyness beyond. Nothing was left behind in their wake, except a young girl’s cry that would forever be embedded in Jacob Striker’s mind.