We didn’t mean to end up here, but here we are. Hanging by our feet in a mobster’s basement.

I sighed and looked over at my fellow captive, who happened to be my best friend. It was time for our hourly sit up, where we could get the blood rushing to our heads to drain back into our body. It had to have been our 9th time, but knowing it would be bad if we didn’t, we forced our shaking arms to pull ourselves right side up, and just stay there for a little while, enjoying the breath of fresh air.

We didn’t do much talking upside down, but when we were right side up we talked constantly, if anything, it would distract us from how much our arms wanted to drop, and let us drop with them.

We talked about everything, our childhoods, our hopes, our fears, what we wished for the future. Anything we could think of.

After 15 minutes, we lowered ourselves back down, contenting ourselves to another hour of blood rushing to our heads and bring alone with our thoughts.

Just then, for the first time since being hung up like hunted deer, the brute came down to the basement. When he opened the door, I could tell we weren’t leaving any time soon.

He cut my best friend down, leaving us wondering what he was going to do. He left me strung up, and took her to the center of the room. All I could do was watch, which is why I saw the glint of the gun before she did. I barely had time to yell out before the bullet collided with her chest and she crumpled to the floor.

The murderer left, his job being done, not caring how much I screamed and scrambled at my restraints. I just couldn’t get down. My last memory I ever got to make with my best friend was one of her staring up at me looking at her upside down as a silent tear trickled down her blood spattered cheek and she took her last breath.