Chapter 8 - The Blank Cartridge
The gun clicked completely and utterly empty.
No deadly bullet exited the cold silver barrel to pierce my chest.
Grace dropped the heavy weapon onto the hardwood floor as her hands began to shake.
She collapsed weakly to her knees and began sobbing completely uncontrollably.
I rushed forward instantly and caught her before her knees hit the hard floor.
I wrapped my arms tightly and protectively around her fragile, exhausted body.
She buried her face deep in my wet jacket and cried in absolute, overwhelming relief.
She whispered brokenly that they had sworn to her the gun was fully loaded.
My mother had cruelly threatened to throw our newborn baby off the roof if Grace did not shoot the first person through the door.
Grace had desperately tried to sacrifice me in order to save our innocent son.
I kissed her warm forehead and told her fiercely that she did the absolute right thing.
I asked her urgently and quietly where my mother was holding our helpless child.
Grace pointed a violently shaking finger toward the ornate plaster ceiling.
She said my mother was taking the baby to the rooftop helipad at this very moment.
I helped Grace carefully and gently back onto her bare feet.
We ran quickly out of the bedroom and sprinted toward the hidden service stairs.
The deafening, rhythmic sound of heavy helicopter blades began cutting loudly through the mountain storm.
We rushed desperately and breathlessly up the narrow, winding spiral staircase.
We reached the heavy steel security door leading directly to the exposed roof.
I grabbed the metal handle and pulled fiercely, but it was electronically sealed shut.
A sudden red warning light flashed brightly on the digital control panel beside the door.
Thick, toxic black smoke began pouring rapidly from the ventilation grates in the ceiling.
My mother had maliciously activated the estate's emergency fire lockdown protocol.
We were completely and utterly trapped in the small, unventilated stairwell.
The breathable oxygen was quickly being replaced by deadly, suffocating chemical fumes.
I slammed my bloody fists furiously against the unbreakable solid steel door.
The harsh smoke began to burn our eyes and throats severely with every breath.
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Grace started coughing violently and slowly sliding down the cold brick wall.
Our limited time to survive was running out incredibly fast.
