Welcome to Paradise Chapter Eight- Shots Fired

The gun's thunderous sound echoed through the room and rang in my ears as Derek cried out my name and began running toward me. Remie rammed into him and knocked him aside, and I mentally gave myself the 'okay' sign. I was okay; the bullet hadn't hit me. Jarba laughed at Derek's murderous face. "Relax kid," he said. "He's alive. But you hesitated. Don't do it again, or the bullet will go through his head." he put the gun back to my head and said, "Now, tell me where Trey is, or he doesn't have a prayer." Derek didn't say anything, just snarled at Jarba as he rose to his feet. He looked at me silently for a moment, as if checking to make sure that I was really okay. "Don't act as if you have all day," Jarba snapped, causing Derek to glare at him. "Tell me where the hell that bastard is, or so help me God, I'll shoot his brains out." When Derek didn't answer, he rose to his feet and kicked me in the ribs, and then did it again, and again. I cried out beneath the tape and curled at the waist. Derek looked at me and then snarled at Jarba. "Do we really need more demonstrations, wolfie?" He shrugged. "This bullet will kill him. So I hope you're ready to take the blame for his death." He put the gun back to my head. I was getting sick of having that blasted thing shoved against me all of the time. Now I remembered why I hated guns. "Tell me!" he shouted, and his hand was shaking. I was silent from where I lay on the ground, on my side, my eyes closed tightly. "I won't hesitate to kill him, wolf-boy. Tell me where the fuck he is, or I'll kill him!" I opened my eyes when he rammed the gun even further into my skull.

Derek flinched. "Okay, okay," he said. "But put the gun away, please. Please just put the gun away."

Jarba sneered at him. "No, because I will kill him if you don't fucking tell me. Tell me, monster. Tell me where that mother fucker is."

Derek growled. "Okay, you don't talk about him like that."

"Then he dies," said Jarba with a shrug, and wrapped his finger around the trigger.

"No," said Derek. "Don't hurt him...he doesn't even know anything! Please just let him go...you can take me instead."

"No dice," said Jarba with a shake of his head. He hauled me to my feet and gripped me tightly, holding me close so I couldn't escape. I couldn't escape anyway. My wrists were chained, my ankles were chained...really, what was I going to do? I couldn't even bite that bastard. "Him or nothing; tell me where the hell that bastard is hiding."

"Hiding? Who said anything about hiding?" came a new voice, and I frowned as I looked toward the doorway. Trey was standing there, face expressionless as he slowly stalked into the room. "Now put my roomate down."

"Not until you come with us," said Henta.

Derek looked at Trey. "Bout time you got here, sheesh."

"Sorry, but I WAS halfway across the school grounds, you know," murmured Trey.

"I know, I know..."

"Trey, you are to come with us," ordered Jarba.

"Says who?" asked Trey, glaring at Jarba as he took another step forward. Jarba rammed the gun into my head.

"Don't come any closer."

Trey smirked, and I stared at him. "You're not going to kill him," he said. "Or else you would have already done it. Nice performance though, I was watching."

Jarba growled. "You let your roomate get hurt so you could watch?"

"No," said Trey. "I was watching to see if you would really do what you said you would do, and you didn't. You're all talk, big guy. Sure, you wound him, but you can't kill him. You know why?"

Jarba looked ready to kill him, and it worried me. "Why?" he asked through clenched teeth. I saw Derek tense up.

"Because he's not the one you want. You knew all along that he didn't know anything; you knew he wouldn't tell you, because he really didn't know where I was. You brought tape and chains and that stupid little gun because you knew he wouldn't say anything, you knew he'd be here, and you knew we'd be out. You knew he'd be alone."

I stared in shock. How exactly did he know all of this?

"How...?" whispered Jarba.

"Oh come on Jarba," said Trey, and my eyes widened, as did Derek's. They knew each other? "Who do you think you're dealing with? I knew you were here, you idiot. Had I not been called away on a meeting, I would have been here to deal with you. But I knew you wouldn't kill him; I knew you might hurt him, but you wouldn't kill him." he looked at my apologetically. "I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner, Shadow...I didn't mean for you to get hurt..."

I nodded, somehow letting him know that it was okay.

Derek shook his head. "Wait, back up--you two know each other?"

Trey shrugged. "Five years ago this bastard put a gun to my head and said the same things he did to little Shadow here. He was after a friend of mine, and I just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. He threatened to kill me many times, but he didn't. The cops didn't believe me of course; I'm not human, why should they? So he got away. Not this time."

Jarba growled. "What makes you think I won't get away with it this time?"

"Because you won't kill him," he said. "He's human; you won't kill him. You'll go to prison for that. Injuring a human is bad enough, but you could always lie and blame it on one of your buddies," he gestured at Remie and Henta, "and get off with a warning. But you won't kill him. The reason you won't be getting away with this is because this is a fucking school, and you've been firing bullets every few minutes!" his voice became louder as he spoke. "Now you've fucking screwed up, because the police have been called by some of the other kids, and they're on their way. I don't plan on letting you leave this room until they get here. And you're fingerprints have got to be all over Shadow and that gun by now. Don't you see? You made a mistake!" he laughed. "You messed up Jarba, and now you're done."

Jarba growled and raised the gun, pulling the trigger, firing three shots. But he hadn't been aiming at me. No, it was at Trey. I watched, wide-eyed, as the bullets hit him and sent him spinning, before he collapsed to the ground in a heap. "Trey!" Derek shouted, and moved to bend down next to him, but I was kicked in the ribs and forced to cry out, stopping him in his tracks.

"Don't move wolfie," he growled. "Or I'll be forced to kill this one too."

Derek snarled at him, but didn't move, staring down at Trey with wide eyes. Crimson blood began to surround him, and I struggled deserately to break free.

"Finally killed that bastard," Jarba laughed. "And it only took three shots! It has been a good day." he gestured at the doorway. "C'mon guys. Our work here is done." he looked at me and Derek, still gripping my shoulder tightly. "And don't think about telling the cops about this. They won't care; a human didn't die. They'll think it was Trey that hurt you, and that you acted in self defence." he laughed and threw me to the side, where I hit the ground hard and slid across it. He walked to the doorway and slammed the door up, putting back in the doorframe, getting it stuck. I frowned and slowly sat up, seeing Derek as he knelt next to Trey, eyes wide and fearful.

"...Trey?" he asked quietly, and shakily reached a hand out and grabbed his shoulder. I slowly managed to crawl toward them, and sat up next to my roomate. Slowly, Derek rolled him over onto his back, and I nearly heaved at the sight. Two of the bullets had hit their mark; one was on his upper chest, near his shoulder, and one was on the side of his chest. Blood poured from the wounds, his chest rising and falling slowly. That came as a shock to me; he was still alive. "Oh...God Trey...damn it..." Derek ran his fingers through his hair, thinking of what to do. "God..." he closed his eyes tightly, swallowing thickly. "This is NOT good...damn it...Trey? Can you hear me buddy?" he opened his eyes and peered down at my roomate. "Trey? Buddy?"

Trey didn't answer, didn't move, didn't make a sound...

"Fuck...shit!" he cursed beneath his breath. He pulled the tape off of my mouth, and I let out a silent breath. "You okay?"

"Yeah...I'm fine..." I murmured. "Is...Is he...?" I trailed off.

"He's alive, but not for much longer...damn it!" he made a sound of frustration and rose to his feet, moving behind me. He unchained my wrists and then moved away, heading toward the door. "I have to call a fucking ambulance...damn it..." he leaned his head against the door for a moment. "They'd better come..."

"Why wouldn't they?" I asked quietly.

"Because we're not fucking human!" he growled and kicked the door, making it tremble and shake. "They won't come for us...and because of that..." he closed his eyes and took a breath. "He'll die..."

My eyes widened. "They have to come!"

"...I'm not so sure they will..." he growled and kicked the door off and walked out of the room, mumbling, "Watch him."

I turned my attention to Trey, who was currently gasping for breath. "Trey?" I whispered. "Can you hear me?"

"...Shadow...?" he questioned weakly, his eyes tightly closed, sweat beading his forehead.

"Yeah...Jesus...why did you taunt him like that?"

"...Because...I...knew he'd...l...leave once he...shot me..."

"But Trey..." I trailed off. "Damn it, look at you!"

"...I know..."

"So why?"

"...B...Because...you...didn't need...to get killed...or h...hurt anymore..."

I closed my eyes. Tightly. Damn it. Why did things like this just keep happening? He couldn't die; not now, not like this. "Trey..." I heard Derek cry out in frustration in the common room, and unchained my ankles, slowly rising to my feet, looking at Trey as I did so. "I'll be right back...hold on..." I turned and ran from the room, nearly crashing into Derek as I entered the common room. He was breathing heavily and his shoulders were shaking as he stood there, his back to me. "...Derek?" I asked softly, taking a timid step forward.

"That's it," he said, his voice strained. "He's going to die."

My eyes widened. "Derek-"

"He is. Because we're not human...we...we don't have feelings, we can die...they don't...they don't care..." his shoulders trembled a little more. "He's going to die..." his voice trailed off into a whisper, and then disappeared.

"But...they have to come!" I said, eyes wide and fearful. "They have to! He's dying!"

"They don't care," he whispered. "They don't care..." he shook his head slowly. "He's going to fucking die because of them!" he snarled and glared at the dorm doorway. "I'll kill them..."

"Derek...don't go after them..."

"Why not? Trey is going to DIE, Shadow...and that's if he's not dead already. Either way, he's dead. And damn it, I want my revenge."

"No...revenge is never good," I whispered slowly, though I agreed with him. I wanted revenge too, but I knew it only brought more pain. "Let me try the ambulance..."

He sighed and gestured at the phone. "They know what Trey is, Shadow...they won't help him..."

I grabbed the phone and dialed in 9-1-1, listening as it rang a few times. Finally, a tired voice said, "Hello?"

"Hello," I said. "Please, you have to get down here, to the school, to dorm 647, please-"

"I'm sorry, but we can't help those who aren't human. We don't have enought to spare."

I growled. "Damn it, I'm human! I'm hurt! Get your lazy ass over here!"

It was silent for a moment. Then, "Okay. Sending help to 647, area code 43213. Help will be there shortly."

"Hurry, damn it, I'm...I'm dying!"

"...Don't sound like it."

"I am!" I shouted, and hung up. I breathed a sigh and looked at Derek. "She said that help will be here shortly."

"How soon is 'shortly'?" he asked softly.

"Um...soon?" I asked. "I told her to hurry..."

He sighed. "Shadow...I think it's too late...help won't arrive in time..."

I frowned, closing my eyes. "Why do you say that?" I whispered.

"Because you saw him...damn it..." he pulled at his hair in frustration. "We have to keep him alive until then..."

I nodded. "Yeah."

He turned and ran back into my room. I followed quickly, and we both knelt down next to Trey. Trey was silent, still...his eyes were closed tightly. Derek frowned. "...Trey...?"

Trey didn't answer. I gulped.

Derek swallowed. "...Trey...c'mon...can you hear me buddy? Are you with me?"

"...M'here..." Trey mumbled so quietly that it was almost inaudible.

Derek breathed a sigh of relief, as did I. "Thank God..." he closed his eyes for a minute. "Hang on, okay? Help is on the way."

"...I'll try..." he whispered.

"Just hold on, and help will be here soon...and then you'll be okay..."

Trey cracked a weak smile, and then it faded away.

"You'll be okay...I promise..." said Derek.

"...You...s...should never...m...make a promise that...you...c...can't keep..." Trey whispered quietly.

"You'll be okay. And I can keep it."

"If...you...s...say so..." then he went silent.

'C'mon,' I thought. 'Please hurry...damn it, hurry!' I wasn't sure how much longer he would last. I was amazed he had lasted this long. Those who got shot in the chest usually were dead within a few minutes.

"You'll be okay," Derek whispered again, and I knew he was trying to convince himself of that as well.

If I hadn't passed out, maybe I could have gone out with them, and then Jarba and the other two wouldn't have had a bargaining chip to get Trey with. Trey wouldn't have had to get shot to set me free. This was all my fucking fault...I closed my eyes tightly. "I'm sorry..." I whispered.

"For what?" Derek asked.

"...This is my fault..."

"No...it's...not..." whispered Trey. "No one's...fault...r...really..."

I shook my head. It was my fault; I knew it was. And if he died...I'd never forgive myself.