JOAN’S POV
The sun was already setting when Sarah, Emily, and I made our way to the back garden with baskets of freshly washed laundry. We wanted to dry the blankets and other thick clothes outside for a while due to how heavy they were.
Emily spoke “Hey guys, I have an idea. When we’re done, we should sneak into the kitchen and grab slices of cake”
I chuckled “You pastry thief”
Emily shrugged “What can I say? The cake is for Lady Irene and it looks delicious. I bet she’d let me have a slice if I asked but stealing is so much more fun”
Sarah and I laughed.
“She’s right, though. That cake did look delicious.” Sarah said.
When we got to the line, we began to dry the clothes. I pulled out one of Sir Derrick’s white shirts, and pinned it to the line. My mind drifted to the moment we had in his office. The feeling of his lips close to mine made my breath hitch.
What would have happened if Santi hadn’t come in?
I wondered how Sir Derrick’s lips would taste against mine. I bet his lips tasted just as sweet as they looked.
We were almost done spreading the clothes when something weird happened. It started with a rustle in the trees. The sound was so faint I almost didn’t notice it.
And then a figure appeared, moving quickly towards us. I barely had time to register what was happening before the man grabbed Sarah, pulling her back against him with so much force. My heart raced in my chest when I saw the glint of metal-a gun-pressed against her temple.
“Don’t move!” the man shouted.
I froze. The basket slipped from my fingers and crashing to the ground, the clothes spilling out onto the grass. Emily did the same. Her face was as pale as a ghost. Our hands both trembled uncontrollably. We stood there, frozen to the spot, too shocked to even scream.
Sarah’s eyes were wide with terror. Oh no. This can’t be happening.
“Please,” Sarah whimpered, “please don’t hurt me.”
My mind was a mess. I tried to make sense of the situation. What the hell was happening? Who was this man? What did he want?
I swallowed hard, forcing myself to take a deep breath. I had to stay calm. I had to find a solution. The best thing was to keep him talking, keep him from doing anything rash.
“W-what do you want?” I said, taking a cautious step forward. My legs felt like they could give out at any moment, but I couldn’t let that happen. “Please, just tell us what you need. We can help you.”
His eyes, wild and bloodshot, darted between the three of us. His whole body was filled with bruises and fresh dried blood. He looked like he had been tortured badly.
“I need to get out of here,” he said. “Now. And you’re going to help me do that, or I’ll blow her head off.”
I nodded quickly. “Alright. We’ll help you. Just… please, let her go.”
For a moment, I thought he might actually listen. His grip on Sarah seemed to loosen slightly, and I was about to feel relieved. But then, with a sudden movement, he shoved Sarah away from him and lunged at me instead. I barely had time to react before his arm was around my neck, pulling me tight against his chest. The cold metal of the gun was now pressed against my own head.
“Joan!” Emily and Sarah screamed. They took steps forward, but the man waved the gun at them threateningly.
“Stay back!” he shouted. “I swear I’ll do it!”
My heart beat was so loud that it pounded in my ear. Every muscle in my body was tensed with fear. I could feel the man’s breaths against my neck. Fear gripped me so tightly I thought I might pass out any time soon.
I forced myself to speak, my voice trembling. “You don’t have to do this. I’ll take you to the gate, just like you want. No one will stop you.”
His grip on me tightened painfully, making me choke for air. .
“You’re lying. You think I’m stupid?”
“No,” I said quickly. “No, I promise. I just want to help. Please.”
He hesitated for a while.
“Alright,” he finally said “But you’re coming with me. And if anyone tries anything, you’re dead.”
I nodded “Okay. I’ll come with you.”
He began to drag me backwards, towards the garden gate. Emily and Sarah stood frozen. Their faces were pale and filled with fear. I wanted to tell them to run, to get help, but I didn’t dare. Any sudden movement might set him off.
As we neared the gate, the man’s grip on me didn’t loosen, not for a second. My breath came in shallow gasps. The world narrowed to the feel of his arm around my neck and the cold feeling of the gun against my head. I could barely think, barely breathe, but I had to stay calm. I had to.
And then, out of nowhere, Sir Derrick appeared.
He walked forward with a calm and angry demeanor. His face was hard and unreadable. There was a gun held steady in his hand.
The man holding me froze. I could feel his fear now. His hands trembled around my neck.
“Drop the gun,” the man said in a trembling voice “Drop it, or I’ll shoot her!”
Sir Derrick didn’t move, his eyes locked on the man’s. He wasn’t fazed in the slightest.
“Let her go. This doesn’t have to end badly.”
“I said drop it!” the man screamed, his hand shaking. I could feel the tension in his body,. He was close to breaking, I could tell.
Sir Derrick’s eyes met mine, just for a second, and in that moment, I saw something in his eyes- something I couldn’t quite place.
“Alright,” Sir Derrick said, lowering his gun slightly. “I’m putting it down.”
My heart pounded in my chest as I watched sir Derrick slowly crouch, as if to place the gun on the ground. The man holding me began to relax. His grip on me loosened just enough for me to take a full breath.
But then, it happened so fast I barely saw it. In a single, fast motion, Sir Derrick raised his gun and fired.
The sound of the gunshot echoed through the air. I felt the man’s body jerk then freeze against mine. His grip tightened for one last moment before going slack. The scent of blood filled the air. And then, he was gone. His body fell to the ground with a thud.
I didn’t even have time to scream. The world spun around me. The sound of the gunshot, the scent of blood, the whole situation, the fact that with a single mistake, I could have been shot instead of the man – it was all too much.
My knees wobbled and my vision darkened. The last thing I heard before everything went black was the sound of sir Derrick screaming my name.