Page 130 of Fly's Path

Her eyes stay focused on my gun. “Could you please shoot me?”

My heart sinks. “You’re safe. No one is ever going to hurt you again. We’re going to take you someplace safe where you can get help.”

“If I’m free, please shoot me? Or hand me your gun so I can do it myself.”

“No, you don’t understand. You’re free. No one is going to hurt you.”

“KILL ME. KILL ME. Please kill me.” Her shouts are barely loud enough to travel several feet.

But they burn through my soul. What do I do? How do I help her to see she’s safe? It’s over.

Vex walks up and squats down until he’s eye level with her. “No. No one’s going to kill you. What you went through was worse than anything anyone in this world could imagine. And the next few months are going to be hard. I won’t tell you any different. But you’re not allowed to die. Not until you’re sure there’s no hope for a normal life. So what you’re going to do is get on that plane. Go to a doctor. See a million therapists. And then after that, in a year from today, if you still want to die, I’ll take you somewhere beautiful and kill you in beauty, not filth.”

“One year?”

“One year.” He nods. “You have my word. Now, do you need my friend to carry you up those stairs, or are you able to walk?”

“They burnt my feet.”

“My friend will carry you. You can trust him.”

“One year…you promise?”

Vex nods. “I promise you that in one year you will see me. And I will ask you one question: do you want to live? Your choice alone will determine your future.”

“My choice. In a year, it’ll be my choice?”

“Yes.” He sighs and stands up. “You can carry her onto the plane now.”

I don’t even know if I can walk now. My body is shaking so hard.

***

More medical staff than I’ve ever seen in one place pours out of the Willow Street medical center the second our caravan pulls up.

They start whisking women away. An older blonde woman in scrubs comes to the side of the car where I’m sitting next to the woman I carried onto the plane. I didn’t trust her with anyone else. She’s still watching. Still waiting for an opportunity to kill herself.

All it would take is one moment of distraction for her to pull my weapon and end her own life. I didn’t do all this for her to die.

“Any information I need to know?” The blonde nurse is all business.

“They burnt her feet. And she needs a three-day watch.” Well, more than three days, but hopefully the nurse or doctor, whatever she is, understands.

“Got it.” The doctor nods. “Any attempts?”

“She’s attempting right now. If I blink, she’ll do it.”

The doctor puts her hand on my arm. “You can breathe now. We’ll take care of her from here on out.”

Tears slide down my face. “I don’t know how to anymore.”

“You walk out of here and hug someone you love. You look up at the sky and know you did your best. Then you take a breath. And another one, until they come easier. If by Monday, you don’t feel like you can breathe, you come talk to me.” She slides a card out of her pocket and holds it out.

I take the card, flipping it in my fingers, hoping that I never actually have to look at the name on it.

Sisters

Sheridan