Falling With Grace

Blood whooshed in my ears as he pulled a pistol from behind his back and pressed the barrel to my temple. “Who. Are. You?”

A cold sweat dripped down my brow, yet my muscles froze, taut and unforgiving.

“I’m no one. I’ve just been sleeping here for a few days.” My voice shook, and he pressed the gun harder into my temple.”Please.”

His other hand slid through my hair, and my mind slipped into my favorite deep, dark place as he pulled my head back with a forceful jerk. He smiled again, baring the silver-capped back molar, a trickle of blood seeping from my torn stitches.

Lullabies and Licorice.

Sweet melodies, a soothing stitch.

“Where are you from?” He climbed off me and pulled me to my feet.

“Chi—Chicago.”

The man tugged me toward the open door, into the hallway, then up the stone stairs.

“Look what I found.”

We entered the main room where Father Franklin lay on the floor face down, blood seeping from his head wound, while Sister Tally and another two sister nuns huddled beside her on their knees. Four men pointing their silver-handled guns at them.

“She’s innocent in all of this. Let her go,” Sister Tally said.

“No. I don’t think Iwill.”

His Spanish accent thickened as he spoke, his hand jarring my head back and forth, punctuating his words, my rib screaming.

The man threw me to the floor beside the nuns, and sprites of pain branched out.

I bit my tongue, and bursts of copper tinged my mouth.

“Where is Victor?”

“We don’t know who that—aah.”

The man questioning her swung his meaty hand across her cheek. “Do not lie to us.”

“Please. We don’t know a Victor.”

Bang.

Screams eruptedas he lowered his gun.

A crimson rain, thick with matter, splattered the floors and pews. My ears rang with a high-pitched angry bell, drowning out the flurry of voices.

I scrambled back, ducking beneath a long pew with worn-down wood trim and flattened cushioned seats.

The men shouted.

Bang.

I covered my ear with my hand and pressed my other to the floor, my knees drawn to my chest. My heart hammered against my rib cage like a wild beast trying to break free. Pulses of adrenaline surged through my veins, setting my body ablaze.

Strong hands wrapped around my hair and pulled, dragging me out from beneath the pew.

The shadows of my fragile shelter burst beneath the cinematic lights.

“What do we do with her?”