A Falling World:Chapter 9 Part 2 Kidnapping

David grabbed the gun and sped out the room. A hobble at first but one that quickly turned into a sprint. He wasn’t a runner. David was an infrequent visitor at the gym and preferred to lose weight through diet rather than exercise. Beyond that he was still suffering the effects of the alcohol and could barely run straight. By the end of the second hall his lungs were already burning.

Tack. Tack. Tack. David heard the footsteps echo from the hallway behind him. There was a tune he heard as he escaped the noise. A whistle took root in his ears with a heavy cadence filled with the harsh shrieks only that sound could reach.

David turned left, then left again. The sound no longer felt like it was coming from behind him but instead ahead. He held his breath and put his weight on his toes instead of his heels and moved forward faster than he had before. His lungs burned well before he was where he needed to be but he kept himself from exhaling. He saw the man in front of him and with his lungs threatening to collapse he took one step after another until he was a leaps distance behind the man.

Exhaling he forced out “Don’t look behind you. Keep moving forward.” before taking one sharp inhale after another.  

Hastur offered a grim chuckle “And here I was thinking I was going to have to track you down all the way through the city. You really are a little predator aren’t you? Silently lurking in the dark. Waiting to strike. Well this is a game of tag and you did get the jump on me, aren’t you going to pull the trigger? I wonder how long my fall will last.”

David could see the smile as Hastur started to turn his head “I said look forward.” David moved more to his left. He saw Hastur use magic and all he could hope for was that he needed to know where he was to use it. At this distance a few feet wouldn’t make a difference but if David was wrong then being off by a few feet might mitigate the worst of it.

He should have pulled the trigger already. David knew he should have, but he couldn’t do it. At this moment he was in control of the situation and he chose not to run away. He ran in a circle, came up behind Hastur and ordered him to keep going forward. If he pulled the trigger this wouldn’t be self defense it would be premeditated murder.

The conditions where he might be justified would be in those moments where he lost control. But against someone who can bend reality David would never come out on top. Those who grant consent to kill grant consent to be killed. Those words rang in his head, but was David ready to consent to that? If pulling the trigger when he was in control couldn’t be justified and waiting until he lost control would result in death there was another opportunity - the moments in between. Was the glance that Hastur stole a moment where he was trying to find David’s location and turn the encounter in his favor?

The two of them continued forward. Hastur continued on from what he was saying before but David couldn’t hear him. Hastur would glance right then look forward when instructed and David would move to his left. Then he would glance left, then forward as David moved to his right. His ears were ringing and his head felt as though it were under pressure. All he could think about was how every chance was escaping him. Every time Hastur glanced to the side it was an opportunity to save himself but he couldn’t pull the trigger. Why can’t I pull it? I’m justified here right? What is missing?

Alcohol always managed to upset his stomach and David could feel a pressure want to release through his throat. If he wasn’t careful it would happen and would guarantee his death. His head could explode with how it was feeling as his thoughts touched on consent. Perhaps that was the answer. I selfishly created this situation that I’m now controlling. I can freely pull the trigger but there is no way for him to de-escalate apart from killing me. Maybe that’s why.

His thoughts were rampaging and forcing him to consider other lines of thought. This is a game to him. What if his game doesn’t actually start until after the trigger is pulled? Uncertainty and doubt took root inside David immediately and by the time Hastur glanced back again he was gone.

David took nest behind one of the open doors that lined the hallways. Positioned so he couldn’t be seen until someone already entered the room with the gun aimed where Hastur’s head would be. “This met the conditions” he told himself. Hastur could choose now. David could pull the trigger and know with certainty he did everything he could to avoid shooting someone and if he was wrong and the guilt took root anyway and never went away… He hoped he wouldn’t have to deal with that.

Tack. Tack. Tack. Tack. David heard the footsteps come closer. He found me. He actually found me this fast. He knew he was sensitive to pheromones. Whenever he was around someone who was stressed he could feel a pressure build around his skin. It was claustrophobic and he had to get out of their presence because of how it always impacted him. What he felt now was similar to that but also very different. His skin felt as though something was lurking behind him just out of sight.

His arms shook as the footsteps continued to grow closer until they were just outside the threshold. Then continue. David lowered the weapon and looked to get away from this presence as quickly as possible.

Hastur was having fun at first but he was starting to grow impatient. He wanted David to make some kind of move, make a friend who escaped like him, and rush back to the mansion. He convinced the others that this was the safest option when breaking into a wizards home. Finding the safe path inside their domain was a lot more likely if the hostage felt they didn’t need to take the path with traps.

The finger should have already arrived at the mansion so if that wizard had any investment on the kid he would already be somewhere on the streets. Their time was running out for how much longer they could stay in this building. Hastur continued past the threshold where he saw David perched in a position that almost fully hid his entire body. Hastur silently nestled against the wall while having his footsteps continue their natural cadence down the hall. He waited until the sound was just out of earshot then slid through the wall so he would be behind where David was resting. Hastur found no one there.

David left from the other exit and knew he saw an exit somewhere. He retraced his steps as fast as he could and found the sign. He hurried down the flights of stairs and was startled when he ran into a girl who looked frightened. She was about to scream before she noticed the gun and saw it was the same as hers. She looked horrified at Davids clothes, his mouth and his hand. Eventually she asked “You too?” and when David answered yes it was a long hesitating moment before she grabbed his hand and pulled him behind her, past the exit, and to the outside.

“We need to go!” Holly desperately said to David. She turned toward him and kept one hand covering his and placed another on his shoulder. She pleaded to him “We have to find somewhere safe! Do you know anywhere like that?”

She expected fear and panic from David. For him to be in a state of mind that needed a push in the right direction, but what she saw were hollow eyes and what she heard was a sullen voice “If you want me to lead you all into the mansion I will, but I am kindly asking that you don’t insult my intelligence. You must understand, I can tell you aren’t stressed in the slightest.” David held the gun by it’s handle gripping it between his thumb and index finger. Limply offering it to Holly “You aren’t like me. I surrender.”