Page 8 of No Mistakes
I exhale sharply, rubbing the back of my neck. “You think I don’t know that?” I say quietly. His eyes never leave mine, but his lips curve slightly in the ghost of a smile. “Then let’s go. She won’t wait forever.” The voice on his phone says. The words hit me like a goddamn freight train, and for a second, I almost freeze before the fire inside me ignites again. I stand taller, nodding my head once. “Let’s go,” I say, heading for the door with him right behind me.
CHAPTER 4
EVA
The airinside the shooting range is heavy with the smell of metal and gunpowder. The muffled sound of gunfire rings in the distance behind the locked doors next to the check-in desk.
Mandy walks beside me, quieter than usual, but that doesn’t surprise me after the intense conversation in the car on the way here. Her eyes keep flicking over to me, checking to see if I might snap at any moment. She doesn’t say anything, but I can feel the tension in her gaze. She knows I’m not okay, but I’m tired of pretending I am.
“Welcome to Diego Range, how may I serve you today?” Carlos asks, beaming at us. I look behind him at the examples of firearms displayed across the wall.
“We’re just here for a bit of practice, and a refresher, please,” Mandy states, pulling out our IDs and gun licenses. My eyes flicker between my ID, now spread on the counter next to hers. How the fuck did she get mine? As if she can read my thoughts, she shrugs her shoulders, giving me a small smile. “Got to be prepared, haven’t I?” She says, before putting her focus back on Carlos, who is pulling paperwork out from a cabinet behind him.
“So I’m just going to need you to sign this waiver, just confirming everything over damages and that you understandthe risks when firing a weapon,” Carlos states while pointing to the papers. “We also have a selection of weapons you are welcome to rent, if you haven’t brought your own. Is there any that you would like to try today?”
I look towards Mandy, silently asking if she also brought any of our firearms with her. “We would like to rent two, please. We will go for...” She takes a moment to review the selection behind him, but I step in, seeing the one I want. “I’ll take the Walther PPK.380 ACP, please.”
He wastes no time getting the firearm from the enclosed case and placing it on the counter, along with a pair of ear protection and safety glasses. I give him a small nod before picking them up and leaving without a word. I don’t wait for Mandy to decide what she wants, but I feel her gaze on me as I walk away, like she’s waiting for me to break down, to tell her everything that’s going on inside my head. But I’m not ready for that. Not yet.
Opening the doors, the sound intensifies as bullets fly through the air towards their targets. I pick a firing lane towards the end, and place the gun on the surface in front of me, making sure the muzzle is facing down the lane.
It’s been a while since we’ve had target practice, but at this point, it’s like muscle memory with the things we were taught.
I hear the faint buzz of conversations around me as other shooters take their positions, but I tune them out, taking deep breaths, centring myself while I place the safety gear on.
Seeing the target fly to the back of the room sets my adrenaline off. A feeling I didn’t know I missed.
I pick the handgun up from the table, taking a moment to feel its weight in my hand. Feeding me with the power that disappeared. The control I lost.
I load the gun, raising it slowly as I focus on the target ahead of me, picturing Axel’s face.
Closing one eye, I look down the sights and stare at the centre of the bullseye, and for the first time in a while, the tightness in my chest eases. This moment is mine. The only thing that matters right now is this shot.
With a deep breath, I pull the trigger. The sound of the shot echoes through the range, sharp and satisfying. The tension in my shoulders eases slightly as I take another shot.
I’m not thinking about what has happened. Not thinking about the lies. Not thinking of all the pain he caused. For now, all I have to do is aim and shoot.
The sound of gunfire fills the space around me with each shot I take, and I can’t help but smile. It’s been years since I last visited a firing range, but it’s almost as if I never left. The way I take each shot, the weight of the Walther PPK in my hands, the way I exhale between each pull of the trigger. It’s as if the world slows down for that split second it takes for me to let the bullet fly.
I run my fingers along the sleek metal, tracing the ridges of the slide. It’s compact, lighter than some of the others I’ve used before, but it still carries that unmistakable weight of power.
Taking another breath, I place the gun down slowly, letting the adrenaline inside of me settle. My fingers hover over the screen beside me, pressing the buttons to bring the target forward. I watch as the paper flies towards me, rustling as it moves. Peeling it away from its holder, I examine the tight cluster of bullet holes. Almost all of them are dead centre.
I should feel satisfied. I should feel that rush of pride, the one I used to get after a perfect shot. But instead, my throat tightens. The more I stare at the bullseye, something inside of me shifts, and for a split second, I’m back in the hospital waiting room.
My hands grip the edge of the plastic chair so tightly that my hands go numb amongst the dried blood on my fingers. The air is thick with antiseptic and something heavier, something suffocating. The room is silent while I watch everyone outside the door, running around, checking on patients. It’s as if my world has stopped while theirs keeps spinning.
Mandy sits beside me, her leg bouncing anxiously while we wait. Neither of us speaks, worried that the moment we do, everything that just happened will become too real to understand. The door opens slowly, revealing Carter as he appears in the doorway like a ghost, covered in blood that isn’t his own.
His usual smile and cheeky one-liners are gone, replaced by something I’ve only seen once. Something hollow. It’s the same look my grandparents had when they told me the news of my parents' passing from the car accident.
His gaze lingers on me for a second before landing on Mandy, and my heart stops. I feel her body stiffen beside me before Carter jerks his head towards the hallway, silently telling her to follow him.
She glances at me, hesitating before brushing her fingers against mine for a brief second before walking towards him. I don’t hear what he says, but I see the way Mandy’s face drains of colour, how her lips part slightly like she’s trying to form words but can’t. Her shoulders rise with a sharp inhale, her hands trembling as she presses them against her face. I stand abruptly, my chair pushing against the tile, but neither of them looks at me as I approach the door. The pounding sound of my heart fills my ears.
Opening the door, Mandy finally turns. Her eyes are red, her lips trembling. She’s trying to be strong for me, but Isee it, the heartbreak, the devastation cracking through her expression.
I take a small step closer, my voice cracking as I try to speak. “Mandy…” but she doesn’t respond. She closes her eyes for a second, like she can’t even bring herself to say it.
