I Love You

         “John,” She shrieked as she clutched at the arm Mary clenched around her throat, “Help me!”
         “Don’t move,” Mary snarled, glaring at me through Becca’s curls, “Don’t you dare move, you cheating bastard!” The gun in her hand trembled as she pressed it harder against Becca’s temple.
         I sat back down on my living room couch, hands near my head, “Mary, please, let her go. She has nothing to do with this.” Trembling. Trembling all over. How was my mind so calm? “I met her after we broke up two years ago, when you started shooting up.”
         Mary sneered at me, tears running down her face, “Lies! Stop lying! I was here yesterday – with you!”
         “No, Mary,” I continued, forcing myself to breathe, “You’re confused again. Becca and I are married. We have a baby.”
         “Whore,” Mary spat, confusion and anger and pain swimming in her eyes. He face was contorted with rage as tears streamed down her face, “I’ll kill you both.” She cocked the gun.
         “Mary, no!” I jerked to my feet, panic gripping my heart, “This is just between you and me – leave Becca out of it.”
         Mary stared at me, tears streaming down her face. Becca was whimpering softly, her eyes silently begging me to save her. Mary’s smiled sweetly at me, “You know what? You are right.” She released her choke grip on Becca, who fell to her knees. She whipped the gun straight, leveled it at my chest and fired twice.
         I was jerked back at the force of the blows, falling to my knees. Somewhere far away, I could hear Becca screaming. I looked down, staring at the holes in my shirt and the crimson stains growing around them. I looked back up at Mary.
         She was smiling sweetly, “I love you.”



Word Count: 299 words