Savage

There I was, strutting down the strip in Las Vegas in early July like new money. Which is what I was carrying. My check from Earthbound and Hiltonview Country Club, the only places I could get hired at because of my pink hair. Apparently, it's not professional looking. As if I give a fuck. I was blasting Diana by One Direction in my headphones as I made my way to the bank to make my weekly deposit of a hundred big ones in my savings account.

I walked into the bank, thankful for the cold air coursing through the place, compared to the hot, sticky air outside. Today was a high of 89 degrees. Also known as, ridiculously hot. I walked up to a teller and showed him my driver's license, I.D, and bank card. I pulled out my money.

"Hey, so, I'd like to put this into my savings account." I said. I leaned back against the counter as the guy tittered away on his computer, typing super fast like the nerd I assume he is. As soon as his fingers curled around the crisp twenties-- what? The country club tips well-- The door burst open and a man wearing a ski mask came in. Uh-oh. Never a good sign. He pulled out an Uzi SMG and started screaming.

"Get on the floor and give me all your money!" He yelled, pointing the gun around the room. Immediately the bank went into an uproar, absolute chaos for the small amount of people it held. Women screamed, pushing their babies behind them and finding the nearest corner to cower in. I lowered slowly to the ground, moving away from the counter. Fear coursed through my veins but I wasn't letting it show. I was confused as to who this man was.

He couldn't be a normal, crazy civilian, coming in here with an Uzi and not a handgun. He knew what he was doing... maybe.

"I said, give me all your money!" He barked at the teller. And I do mean barked. His voice was deep and loud.

"I-I-I don't handle the money, really. Just what's in the register. I haven't touched the vault." Nerd Teller stuttered, obviously scared for his life. A little girl cried in the comfort of her mom's arms. I got up to go over there. Instantly, the gunman moved the gun from the teller to me.

"What do you think you're doing? Sit the fuck down!"

"I'm just going over to the little girl." I said, slowly, with my hands in the air. I walked backward, cautiously.

"Fine. Hurry up and sit your ass down, then." He said. Do you know how terrifying it is to have a gun pointed at you? Not as bad as I thought. I mean, as I stared into the nose of the Uzi, lowering myself once again to the ground when I was close to the girl, I totally saw his hand shake. I can't believe I ever thought he was a pro. He's nothing but one of those poor pussies. He wouldn't shoot a fly.

"Are you okay?" I whispered to the girl as she cried. Her mom gave me a sad smile and visibly relaxed once the man went back to pestering Nerd Teller for more money after he'd cleared the register.

"I d-don't know." She cried, her tears gathering in the crack between her lips.

"Don't worry. You'll be safe." I whispered. I looked at the man again, making sure he couldn't see me and handed her my phone. "Press the emergency button." I said, softly, my eyes still on the gunman. My heart beat erratically but I refused to panic.

"But what if they ask the emergency?" I could tell by her red eyes that she was scared.

"Just do it, Lacey. It'll be fine." Her mom said.

"It isn't a call. It signals them that where I am, I'm in danger and I need help. My dad's a cop." Even though my father was a professional narc, this worked in my favor sometimes.

"Okay." Her shaky fingers hovered over the button for a second but she finally closed her eyes and slammed her thumb down on it.

I was about to tell her how good she'd been when I heard a gunshot. I, then, noticed that Nerd Teller had a hole where his heart should be and the gunman was climbing over the bank counter. Why they would leave a newbie like Nerd Teller alone here was beyond me. For some reason, I felt the urge to defend the nerdy kid, who shouldn't have died. I stood up fast, making the five other people locked inside gasp.

He didn't even get to the vault before he saw me step toward him. This time, he didn't bother talking. He fired at me right away but his aim was off and he'd only managed to graze my arm. The sting of my exposed arm made me crumple to the floor and the only man in here, a businessman, I presume, in a fancy suit slid a hand gun my way. The gesture wasn't unnoticed by the gunman. He raised his firearm again but I beat him to it.

I fired the gun once, twice, three times into his chest and when he finally thumped to the floor, I got up to examine his body. At first he twitched but then, his eyes glazed over and he stopped moving.

What the hell did I just do?

It's a lot scarier shooting someone than having a gun pointed at you. Everything went a little fuzzy. I just stood there, looking at his body. A man I had taken away from his wife and kids... But the truth of it all made me feel only a tiny bit better. I had no other choice.

The next thing I knew, the screaming people were being led out and the cops were there. But I didn't see my dad.

Another man in black snuck up behind me. He grabbed my face and turned me to look at him. I still clutched the gun in my shaky fingers. He pried it away from me and smiled.

"You'll do." He said.

I never go the chance to ask what I'd do for because he put a rag around my face. My eyes went wide when I inhaled the sickly sweet smell and I struggled against him. But it was no use.

Everything went black.

Notes