Page 109 of Right in Front of You

He froze.

“Molly, come this way. Doctor Burke…” but I didn’t get to finish my orders because Molly’s father rushed with the knife at his wife. By the time I realized what was happening, Doctor Burke jumped in front of Molly’s mom, right in the path of Fowler’s blade. It slid into him like a hot knife through butter.

Time stood still. I didn’t know whether to jump in to help stop the bleeding, hug Molly, because I wanted her to feel safe, call the police, or go after Fowler.

The last option was the only one that made sense. I couldn’t risk someone else getting hurt. I fired into his chest, only the barrel seemed to have shifted in the last moment, as if some force wanted to guide it elsewhere, and the bullet hit his left shoulder. Bouncing off a back wall, he fell to the ground and didn’t move again. I ran to check if he was still alive, and he was, but unconscious. Doctor Burke yelped in pain and I dropped my gun and helped Molly lay him down flat on the floor. She turned on her doctor mode while I untied Clare’s hands.

“You’re going to be fine, Doc. Molly here is a doctor. She’ll make sure you’re okay.”

Molly’s mom was sobbing. Distress shook her whole body. Realizing that we’d need a second ambulance for her, I quickly dialed 911.

“I don’t know, Molly. He twisted that blade in there pretty well.” Blood dripped out of the corner of Doctor Burke’s mouth. He wiped it with his free hand and something passed between him and Molly. From the look on their faces, it couldn’t have been a good sign.

“Just don’t move, please.” She examined the wound like a professional, concentrating as if it were just another day at the hospital.

Doctor Burke looked up at her. A warm smile spread on his face as he asked, “I couldn’t have been more proud of you, Molly.”

Doctor Burke’s eyes watered, and Clare reached to wipe them for him. He in turn grasped her hand saying, “You’ve done good, Clare. Really good.”

“We’ve done good,” she replied.

“What’s going on?” Molly asked as her mother and Doctor Burke stared at each other like a pair of old lovers, and that’s when it hit me. That’s when I realized Doctor Burke’s role in Molly’s life, but I had no time to get the words out. Something crashed into me from the side with the heaviness of a large boulder. While we were busy, Fowler had crawled toward me and shoved his full body against mine to get to Molly and Doctor Burke, pushing me right into a wall. I hit the corner with my right foot and heard a crack.

Fowler lunged toward the gun beside Doctor Burke. I grabbed his feet before he reached it, pulling him back. He twisted and threw a punch into my left ribcage. Flaming pain seared through me, as if that fire from months ago was touching my body again, and that’s when I realized that he’d actually lit a lighter, setting my clothes on fire. It spread over my clothes like liquid. Paralyzed from the shock I just lay there. It felt like a long time passed before I felt a slap on my face and saw Daisy’s face.

This isn’t your time!

When I came about, screams pierced my ears. Desperate to put out the flame, I rolled over again and again. Someone fired a shot from my gun. It echoed through the house, and all I could do was roll around on the floor, because this fire was not letting go.

“Molly!” I screamed. I didn’t want her dead. If that son of a bitch shot her, I may as well have died. The flames had burned through my jeans on the right side and I feared that it caught my skin as well. I shot out the door only to be welcomed by a downpour.

“Carter!” I heard from inside the house. I lay down on the wet grass, tumbling through it, until the light was out. The rain had saved me. As soon as the last spark died, I rushed back inside the house to take in the scene.

Mrs. Fowler stood in the kitchen doorway, holding a bucket of water, somewhat surprised that I wasn’t aflame. Doctor Burke was holding a blood-drenched cloth at his abdomen, and Molly’s knees wobbled as she held my gun in her hand, looking down at her father, or who up until now she’d thought was her father. The gun slipped out of her hand and clattered to the floor. She fell down to her knees. I hurried to her side and took her into my arms.

“No, he can’t be dead,” I heard Doctor Burke mumble.

“You’re okay now, Molly. He’ll never hurt you again.”

“I know.” She nodded. “Is he dead?”

I reached down and checked his pulse. His eyes were open, blood poured out of his mouth, and luckily, there was not a twitch in his neck that could pass for a pulse.

“He still has a pulse.”

“Molly, you need to keep him alive.” Doctor Burke could barely speak. His eyes rolled back in their sockets.

“Doctor Burke…” She scooted toward the doctor. His skin was pale and almost translucent. His torso was soaked in blood, and it really appeared as if all his veins had been drained.

“Carter, keep him alive.” He pointed with his finger to Fowler. “He’s a match for Sarah. I checked.”

“What?” At the mention of the little girl’s name something snapped inside me. The need to kill Ron Fowler vanished. I crouched on my knees and began working on his chest compressions. “I don’t think he’s going to make it.”

Don’t stop.I heard from behind me, but it didn’t seem like anyone had said it.

Blinking slowly, Doctor Burke reached for Molly’s hand. “Molly, I’m not sure if I’ll make it either.”

“You will. You have to, Doctor Burke.”

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