His End

         Everything happened so quickly, yet so slowly.

         It was as if the world was in slow motion.

         She was so close to him, but she felt so far away.

         The guy, the on in front of them, aimed his gun at her.

         He caught a glimpse of her in his peripheral vision.

         She was fearless, unflinching.

         The police tried to overpower him.

         But they couldn’t.

         He kept her at gunpoint.

         He stood firm.

         The gunman stared at her intensely.

         She stared back.

         They were sizing each other up.

         He dared a glance at her.

         She stood still, her light gray eyes fierce.

         He needed to tell her soon.

         He might be too late.

         He looked back at the gunman to see something.

         Something vital.

         He twitched.
         
         The gunman twitched.

         His heartbeat accelerated.

         He knew what it meant.

         The gunman was going to do it.

         He was sure of it.

         The gunman was going to shoot her.

         He only had moments to react.

         He only had moments before it was too late.

         She was in the line of fire.

         She was the target.

         He moved without hesitation.

         A gunshot sounded, followed by several more.

         He heard her gasp as his body collided with hers.

         Then, everything went blindingly bright.

         Pain exploded where his heart should have been.

         He had pushed her out of the way.

         Bringing him into the line of fire.

         Bringing him into the bullet’s way.

         Bringing him to death’s list.

         He hit the ground, hard

         He felt hot liquid spread on his torso.

         Blood.

         Lots of blood.

         He watched everything happen with glazed eyes.

         He heard a girl’s voice scream somewhere out of his line of vision.

         Everything was becoming blurry.

         Sounds became muffled.

         Images became indistinct.

         He heard footsteps everywhere.

         He could see the police gather around the gunman.

         The gunman, too, was hit.

         But not as badly as he was.

         Paramedics were coming his way.

         But they were far away, still far away.
         
         His eyelids closed.

         He felt hands, two hands, grasp him.

         Wake up! She shouted. Get up!

         It sounded far away, as if she was talking to him through a tunnel.

         She shook him roughly.

         Wake up!

         Why did you do such an idiotic thing?

         Even through the pain, he couldn’t help but laugh quietly.

         He groaned.

         It was hard to breathe.

         I-I...

         It was as if she was the only one present.

         Everything else slowed down.

         Please! Please... Don’t go! Hold on, just for a bit. The paramedics are almost here. Don’t go!

         His breathing was labored.

         She held him in her arms.

         His pulse was weakening.

         The darkness was consuming him.

         At last, he found his voice.

         I-I... I love you.

         Darkness took full control.

         His heart stopped.

         There was no more pulse.

         All she could do was stare in shock.

         Stare in shock as he said those words.

         Stare in shock as he went limp in her arms.

         Stare in shock as he was taken away by death’s grip.

         Her heart felt like it stopped as well when realization dawned on her.

         It felt like it was breaking into a million pieces.

         Tears fell down at full speed.

         N-N-No...

         No, no, no, no....

         Nooo!

         She held him close, her arms clasped tightly around his lifeless body.

         She held on to him in desperation.

         The paramedics came.

         But they were too late.

         He was gone.

         Forever.

         She didn’t want to let go of him.

         The doctors had to pull her away from him.

         She watched in grief as his body was covered in a body bag.

         She watched with tearful eyes as his body was taken away.

         She was still in shock as she was led to the ambulance.

         She wanted to deny the truth.

         She didn’t want to accept that he died saving her.

         She didn’t want to acknowledge that he was dead.

         She didn’t want to believe that he was gone...

         She didn’t want to...