Page 36 of Brick

"You're right. My original plan isn't going to work, thanks to this one here." Daly pushes the side of Wendy's head, and I chuckle when I hear her curse him out under her breath. Always a firecracker, that one.

"I'll go deal with Dutch on my own terms, like you suggest, Brick."

I notice Daly moving to the side of the car, and it's only then that I realize there's another exit on that side. Two of the other guys file out, leaving Daly and one of his men behind.

It's over. We did it. Wendy's here. I've got her.

I'm not paying attention. I've only got eyes for my sister right now, and she's only got eyes for me.

I hear Daly speaking from the side, "As for the girl, you want her, she's all yours."

*Bang, Bang*

The world fills with smoke, and I watch in horror as blood from the side of my little sister's head splatters like an abstract painting against the rusted steel walls.

Sixteen

Brick

We were not prepared.

I should've known something was up when Daly and his goons started filing out without so much as a threat in my direction.

I should've fucking known.

The first bang that went off filled the small train car with a high-pitched squeal and thick smoke, causing all of us to drop to a crouch for cover. The next bang was short and to the point.

That bang was a sound straight from my very own nightmares.

I stand frozen, horror gripping my heart as Luna rushes to Wendy's side. Time seems to slow as she kneels beside her sister, who is curled on her side, still tied to the chair. The sight of the bullet wound in Wendy's head is a nightmare I can’t fully comprehend. Blood trickles down her temple, pooling on the floor like a dark omen. I know, deep down, I know she isn’t going to make it.

Luna’s frantic cries pierce through the chaos, her voice raw with desperation. “Wendy! Please! Help her, Brick!” She shakes her sister gently, tears streaming down her face. The anguish in her eyes mirrors my own despair. I want to rush to them, to do something, anything, but my legs feel like lead.

Wendy mutters something, her voice barely a whisper, “I’m so sorry... I love you, Luna. It’s not your fault.” Each word is a fragile thread, weakening with each breath. Luna holds her tighter, rocking her back and forth as if she can somehow will her sister back to life. “Don’t leave me… Luna, don’t forget me…” Wendy’s voice is fading, and I can see the light dimming in her eyes.

“Hold me tighter, I’m so cold,” Wendy murmurs, and my heart shatters at the sight. Luna’s wails cut through me like a knife, a sound so full of pain and loss that I nearly collapse under its weight. I want to reach out, to tell her it’s going to be okay, but the words stick in my throat.

I feel Hook and Light at my sides, their hands steadying me as I teeter on the edge of despair. But even their support feels inadequate against the storm of emotions raging inside me. I can’t watch this. I can’t let Luna see me break, not when she needs me to be strong. Yet, every anguished cry from her lips pulls me closer to the brink.

The blood continues to trickle from Wendy’s wound, a stark reminder of the grim reality we’re facing. It seeps slowly, pooling on the floor like a dark promise of what’s to come. I feel sick, my stomach churning as I try to process the scene unfolding before me.

“Luna, please...” I finally manage to say, my voice cracking under the weight of my own helplessness. “We need to?—”

But I can’t finish. Luna’s cries drown out everything. “I’m here, Wendy! I’m right here!” she screams, clutching her sister as if she could hold onto her life. The desperation in her voice is haunting, echoing in the empty space around us.

Wendy’s breaths grow shallower, her body growing cold in Luna’s arms. I want to scream, to rage against the world for this injustice, but all I can do is watch. I feel the tears welling up, blurring my vision as I take in the scene, the two sisters, bound by love yet separated by this cruel fate.

“Don’t leave me!” Luna cries again, her voice raw with grief, and it cuts through me like a jagged blade. I can’t bear it. I can’t bear to see the light leave Wendy’s eyes, to watch Luna’s heart break right in front of me.

And then, with a final shuddering breath, Wendy’s eyes flutter closed. The silence that follows is deafening. Luna’s wails fill the void, each cry a raw, visceral expression of the pain that echoes in my own heart.

I want to move forward and hold Luna, but I can't move. It's only then I realize that I've fallen to my knees.

I failed her.

The one other woman in my life who put all her trust in me, and I failed her.

Almost as quickly as it filled the room, the smoke evaporates, leaving this gruesome image in front of us.

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