Mike moves off me and I sit up on the pavement.

He’s saying something, but I don’t hear him above the ringing going on in my ears. I press my ears with my hands willing the noise to subside; within a few moments, it does. Dread pools in my stomach as I sit unable to move, my muscles locked rigid. I force myself to look to my left and Peter’s on the floor not moving. Blood is pouring out of his body.

“Sir, are you hurt?” Mike screams against the wail of police sirens now echoing in the background. He has a gun drawn out and looks from side to side. He turns to me when I fail to respond and shakes my shoulder hard, bringing me out of my daze.

I put my hands out and stand. I blink several times, forcing my mind to process what has just transpired. “Fine, I’m fine. But Peter...”

Mike speaks into the phone while I go to Peter.

I kneel on the ground beside him and squeeze his cold hand. “Peter, talk to me.”

When there’s no response, I try again. “Peter, come on.”

He winces and opens his eyes. “What happened? My arm burns like the bloody devil.”

He tries to sit up, but I push him down. “Wait, stay where you are.”

“Mike,” I shout, “he’s injured. Call for an ambulance.”

“It’s on the way,” he yells.

Mike is bent over the old gent I was talking to only seconds before. He puts his finger on the man’s throat, checking for a pulse and shakes his head at me.

“Stay here, Peter,” I order and rush towards the old man.

There’s blood all around the old gent, no he’d told me his name, Timothy Rivers. His name is Timothy Rivers and he was alive just a moment ago. And now there’s so much blood. It’s still seeping out from the multiple bullet wounds on his chest. I look into Rivers’ face and his eyes are open as if staring into nothing, all the life drained from them. The bag from Annette & Co. is discarded on the side, now covered in blood.

My hands rush to my head as I suddenly find it hard to breathe. I force myself to inhale deeply and exhale. I do that several times until I am more in control of myself. I rub a shaking hand down my face and look around the once pristine pavement that is now covered with red.

Mike removes his overcoat and covers Rivers’ face and body with it, while a few people start pouring towards us. Mike immediately stands in front of me, the gun drawn to his side as ambulances and police cars surround us.

Aaliya