in front of it and look over at the far wall where the vent is. Slowly, I walk over to it and drop down to my knees next to it then lower myself until I can hear what they’re saying.
I shouldn’t listen. I know better than to listen, but once I start, I can’t pull myself away.
Eighteen
“We are going to make you a gunslinger,” Shepherd says.
“I already am. I shot that guy right in the leg.”
“That was pure dumb luck. You had your eyes closed and everything. He was two feet away and you were swinging that thing around blindly. And after you shoot someone, you have to keep from looking like you’re going to vomit. That does not help your situation.”
I feel extremely suspicious about that. “If I acted like I was going to throw up on you, would you not back away?”
He looks thoughtful. “True… hmm… maybe I’ve been doing it wrong all these years.”
I grin as I turn to look at the cans he has set up. If he honestly thinks I’m going to hit anywhere near them, he’s lost his mind. “Don’t you have a bigger target? Like elephant-sized, maybe?”
“Nope. If I get you a big target, you’ll be sloppy. You want your shots precise.”
“Even if you were to miraculously make me the world’s best marksman, I can’t shoot anyone. I mean… I just… I don’t think I could.” The idea of blood and guts and… another dead body. So many dead bodies.
“You already did. So we’re going to show you how to make sure it counts this time.”
It doesn’t matter how convinced he is about this, I’m not convinced in the slightest. “I thought you didn’t have bullets to spare.”
“I didn’t until I went to Walmart.”
“So… you went into Walmart and bought,” I glance down at the bag he’s holding, “ten pounds of bullets, some pudding, and dog food?”
“I sure did,” he says. “And here’s a gun for you. It was Danielle’s, but she’s clearly a bitch, so it’s yours now.”
“For some reason, I kind of wish you’d let her keep it.”
“What do you want your gunslinger name to be? The only way for you to fully embrace what you are about to become is by accepting your new name. What about just the Premature Ejaculator after how you shot that man in the leg in your panic?”
I turn around and start running. I don’t know where I’m running to but I’m positive it has to be better than here. Then Bear comes tearing after me, and I realize that this is the moment he’s been waiting for. He’s wanted me to run so he can maim me.
“Shepherd! Shepherd! Get your fucking dog!” I cry.
“He’s just playing!” Shepherd seems overly amused that I’m going to die.
“He’s going to kill me,” I yell as I waste a precious moment to look back at the dog racing after me, mouth open, ready to murder. “Shepherd, save me! If this fucking dog bites me, I get to punch you!”
“Why punch me?” he shouts after me as he straightens his cans up like that is more important.
“Shepherd, fuck the cans. Shoot the dog.”
The dog closes the distance, hooking my leg with his paw as his mouth grabs my ankle. I immediately fall, crashing onto my face as I try to kick him off.
“Get the fuck off! Get off! Get it off!” I say as I wallow around. That’s the moment I realize that the pain isn’t coming. I look down as Bear pops my shoe off and takes off running and prancing around the yard with it. He’s so gleeful as he drops it before pouncing on it and taking off again.
Shepherd rushes over to me and drops to his knees before grabbing me in his arms. “Oh my god, Killian. Are you okay? Did you survive that brutal mauling?”
Bear tosses the shoe up into the air and leaps up before catching it. I look over at Shepherd who is now stroking my hair down into my eyes.
“There, there. We’ll just… I think we need to put you down,” he says as he grabs me in a headlock. “Go toward the light!”
I kick off the ground, pummeling him into the dirt where I sit on him and smack his cheek lightly. “You’re not cute or funny,” I say as I knock leaves into his hair before giving him another playful smack as he laughs. He hooks my arm and leg and spins me over so I’m underneath him and