She looked over her shoulder with a careful side eye. The girls were huddled close together, their arms were brushing up against each other’s.

“Hush Lucy!” Whispered Vivica. Her voice commanded a careful authority. “You can’t speak too loud.”

“I know, Vivi. But this just pisses me off so much!”

“And that’s exactly why we need to do it sooner than later.” Vivica spoke with a sharpness to her words. She was restless in her chair. The prick of dagger like claws crept down her spine.

Uncomfortable, Lucy pulled on her long blond hair. She never seemed to quite over come her president anxiousness. She always felt as though she was betting on a second place horse in a prestigious race. She felt like every time she got close to the finish line another horse was on her tail, ready to over take her.

“Vivi,” she spoke quietly. Her whispers were almost lost to the wind.

“It needs to be tonight.” She paused, waiting for her words to catch up to her heart.

“It has to be tonight. I can’t go on like this any longer.” Vivica placed her hand softly on Lucy’s shoulder. Lucy tried to let her guard down to feel the comfort of her best friend.

“I know Lucy.— I know. You have nothing to worry about. It’s all been taken care of.”

“The rope and masks?”

“Yes.”

“The tranq?”

“Yes.”

“What about,” Lucy’s voice grew soft. Her eyes flittered around the room before finally looking Vivica in the eyes, “you know—“ Vivica looked at her intently. Lucy’s pupils grew small with fear. Fear they might not pull it off. Fear he would find out about their plan. Fear he would spoil it all. Fear she might— might get hurt again.

The terrifying images replayed before her eyes on a constant loop. The red stained horrors had burned a permanent place in her mind, deep in a dark, dangerous corner where the air was cold and still and the flickering of the hunted bulb had the power to cause seizures.

Lucy’s voice shattered the silence as she whispered her hearts last hope.—

“What about the gun?”