Bang bang bang!!

If silence had a scent it would smell like copper. That’s what I smelled when I saw Ezekiel fall to the floor in front of me. When the masked assassin dropped the gun and ran away. When after the deafening noise of the gunshots, there was just silence.

The coppery smell enveloped me with a tang of blood. My stomach flipping when I realize it’s Ezekiel’s.

“Oh my God! E. You’re gonna be ok. Oh God…” I say almost to myself.

He’d been shot several times in the chest, blood oozing from his wounds. He laid on the road gasping for air.

I press my hands to his chest trying to stanch the bleeding but it was no use. His white shirt turning red under the dim moonlight. He slowly moved his right hand over his sternum and pressed into the gunshot wounds. He yelled at the pain and I felt wet streaks on tears running down my face.

I fumbled for my phone, trying to dial 911 with bloody fingerprints showing on my screen.

I don’t exactly remember what happened next. I can see bystanders gawking at E and I. Talking to each other and pointing. Some crying. Others yelling at me. But that’s the funny part, I couldn’t hear what they were saying. Couldn’t hear when the ambulance sped towards my way. Couldn’t hear the paramedics talking to me, asking what happened. Just the bitter smell of copper. Silence.

All I could focus on was Ezekiel’s ever so slow breaths. How they were turning labored and slower. How his eyes were turning blanker by the minute.

“Grace… listen..” E croaks.

I turn my head, watching tears fall down his face.

“I love you.” He whispers.

I cover my mouth with one hand and despite the ragged mess his chest was, I gently laid my head on it. I was distantly aware of the paramedics getting a stretcher ready, but everything seemd to be going in slow motion. The world slowing down for this last moment the love of my life can share with me.

“I love you more E.” I cried.

He put a bloody hand on my head and sighed contentedly. And then he didn’t take another breath. I didn’t get up. I didn’t want to know the truth. That when I look into his warm brown eyes all I will see are blank ones staring up at me. I feel gentle arms start picking me up and that’s when everything comes crashing back to reality.

“No.” Murmured.

Sounds that were one soft and familiar we’re now blaring and deafening. The scent of copper now vanished from the air replaced with blood and gas.

“Miss, can you hear me?” A feminine voice calls from above me.

I glance up to see one of the paramedics in a navy uniform, her hair in a low bun snuggled in the nape of her neck.

“You need to get off so we can help him.” She reports to me.

I shake my head, “He’s dead.”

I see shock cross her face before she pushes me out of the way to look at Ezekiel. More paramedics rush to him and everything in me feels numb. I almost laugh at what’s going on but a distant voice in my head said this wasn’t the time or place to do that.

A male paramedic grabs me by the shoulders and looks at me, “You need to take slower breaths everything is going to be okay. You’re going into shock. Come with me.”

The last thing I see is them pulling Ezekiel onto a stretcher and putting a white sheet over him.

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Thank you so much for reading my short story! I would love your feedback to improve my writing, so if you can, please leave a comment below :) again thank you! <3