University Roommates (Restart)

Ashton:

“I imagine it has something to do with Mark,” I said. The vehicle hit an bump and t sent us rolling painfully. With I groan I scooted us so my back was leaning against the doors and my feet were braced against the wheel well.

Emily:
"Do you have any idea where they're taking us?" I asked. My eyes were starting to adjust to the dark and I patted the floor around us for anything to use as a weapon. I knew they had guns and we probably didnt have a chance. But we had to at least try.

Ashton:

“I would assume we are going to my home town. Three hours’ drive from here. There’s nothing we can do until we arrive. You should sleep if you can.” I touched her cheek tenderly in case she was bruised. “I’m sorry I got you into this,” I whispered.

Emily:
"I dont want to close my eyes." I told him. I needed to be awake and alert. No matter what I did, I couldn't let thm tie my hands again. There was nothing quite like feeling so totally powerless while someone hurts you. 

"You didn't get me into anything, Ash. Even though it was totally stupid and idiotic," I paused to give him a look that I knew he probably dark. "You left because you were trying to protect me. It just didnt work," I shrugged. The movement was painful and hoped broken ribs were the extent of my internal injuries.

Ashton:

I held my tongue. Arguing with her now would do no good but the fact was that I had gotten her into this. She wouldn’t be hurt at all if she never had been with me. “If you don’t sleep, at least rest. You might need it later.” I sighed. I wanted out of the truck but at the same time I knew nothing good would come from them opening the doors. I would do my best to get Emily free, but there wasn’t much hope for anything else. This was it.

Emily:
I was pretty sure I was reading his silence correctly. He would blame himself no matter what I said. I pressed a kiss to his shoulder. My lip was split and it hurt, but I did it anyway. I couldn't kiss him for real because at the end of the day, he still broke up with me. And I would have to respect that.

But there was one thing I felt guilty about too. "I'm really sorry I called you," I told him, softly. "I was... scared and I knew you would come and that was really...selfish," I finished.

Ashton:

I held her more closely. “If you hadn’t called they likely would have killed you. I wouldn’t be able to live with myself if that happened. I barely can as is. Don’t apologize for that. You did nothing wrong Emily. Nothing at all. You only paid for my own mistakes.”

Emily:
I shook my head but didnt argue with him. It would do no good now. I felt the truck turn and my body jostled painfully. It felt like the truck was slowing down and I wasnt sure if it was a rest stop or if they were coming to get us again. I immediately started shaking, no matter how hard I tried to still my body.

Ashton:

I held her closer. “Emily listen to me. If you get a chance, I want you to run. Okay? Don’t wait for me. Just get away. Get help. I’ll do my best to find you, but I need you to get away from here. Do you understand?” I asked her urgently. It felt the truck was on slower roads now taking several turns. Perhaps we were nearing the destination.

Ashton:

I held her closer. “Emily listen to me. If you get a chance, I want you to run. Okay? Don’t wait for me. Just get away. Get help. I’ll do my best to find you, but I need you to get away from here. Do you understand?” I asked her urgently. It felt the truck was on slower roads now taking several turns. Perhaps we were nearing the destination.

Emily:
I shook my head. "Ash, I don't want to leave you here, they'll kill you," I whispered, my voice breaking. I think even if I tried to yell, I couldn't. Not to mention, he said I couldn't ask him to leave if I was in danger. Well I'm extending that rule to him. 

If felt like we were about to stop and my trembling was not under control yet. "They still think we're tied up, we can use that to our advantage," I said, trying to think.

Ashton:

I groaned. “Emily, I just need you to get out of the way, okay? I will do my best to come with you but you will only distract me if you try to stay. Please, please just promise me you’ll try to get away? Please, Emily,” I said, putting my forehead to hers.

Emily:
With his face so close to mine, I couldn't fight him. I closed my eyes and pretended for a second that we were at the apartment, goofing off. It was short lived because the trumk jerked to a stop.

I nodded at him quickly. "Okay, Ash," I whispered softly.

Ashton:

“Emily, I love you.  No matter what happens, just know that,” I said.  Before she could say anything I heard the men getting out of the truck.  I let her go, stood up, then helped her to her feet.  “Get ready,” I murmured.  The doors opened.  I was thankful for the darkness, it took my eyes less time to adjust to the little amount of light.  

Justin held the gun pointed at us, but he hadn’t expected us to be standing and ready.  I kicked his hand and knocked the gun free.  Next I kicked hard at his face, crunching his nose in.  Erine, always the slow one, stood momentarily in shock.  “Go!” I shouted at Emily.

Emily:
I was frozen for only a moment before I forced my sore body to move. I jumped out of the truck and seeing my two options was a stretch of land covered in trees and bushes, or a concrete building, I started for the cover of the trees. I took one look over my shoulder and stopped. Not two feet from me was the gun that Ash has just kicked out of the mans hands. I fell to my knees and grabbed it before getting up and running again. It was dark and I didnt run too far into the trees before I stopped and hid behind a stump, clutching the gun to my chest. I could still hear what was going on and I waited for Ash to follow me, hoping he was good enough with his hands to get away.

Ashton:

Justin stumbled back clutching his face. "Get the fucking girl!" He spat. Ernie took off after the command. I jumped down. The motion sent a jolt of pain to my ribs but I swallowed it. I had to get Ernie before he got to Emily. The moment I was on the ground Justin tackled me, bloody face and all. My back hit the truck. The next moment he had a knife in his hand and lashed out at me. I blocked and took a gash to my forearm. Again I had to push beyond the pain. It was instinct at this point. Even unarmed, I was more skilled than he was. I managed to get the knife away from him and without thinking, I thrust it into his side. That stopped him. "Emily!" I shouted, moving away from Justing as he dropped to his knees.

Emily:
I heard the order to follow me and my heart leapt into my throat. I tried not to move or even breathe. I held the gun tighter to my chest and squeezed my eyes shut. I was covered in mud and blood and nothing felt real anymore. I inhaled to scream when I heard Ash shout my name and suddenly I heard running footsteps.
Something hit me, hard and I was pushed into the sticks and leaves. I felt my elbows get sliced from the sharp rocks and I let out a scream before a body was over mine, hitting and punching any part he could reach. It took several long seconds before I remembered the gun in my hand and before I could second guess it, I pulled the trigger. 

The noise of the gun was so startling that I thought for a moment I had gone deaf from it. The stark contrast of the silence I now heard was disorienting. It seemed like everything went in slow motion and for a horrifying moment, I thought I might have missed. But then a spot of blood on his chest bloomed into a huge gaping hole and his body slumped against mine. 

The only thing I could hear was my own heartbeat and my own panicked breathing as I struggled to push him off me. He was too heavy and my arms felt like lead. I felt like I was suffocating under him.

Ashton:

My heart died in my chest when I heard the gunshot. If she was dead, that was it for me. I wouldn't be able to go on after that. I shouted her name again and ran in the direction of the shot. I found the bodies. My mind didn't make sense of what I saw but I pulled Ernie off of her. Dead weight.

I gathered her into my arms. My eyes stung. I held her too tightly but I couldn't restrain myself. She was alive. Shellshocked, but alive. I was shaking around her.

Emily:
I couldn't really feel anything except his arms around me. It was like I was in so much pain that my body went numb. I recognized that him being here, meant he was safe and it meant he had won against the other guy. I could rationally understand that for the time being, there was no threat. But I couldn't force my hand to release the gun. 

Ash's arms were wrapped around me so tightly that if I could feel any more pain, it might have actually hurt. But I was grateful, because I felt as if his arms were holding me together and if he let go, I was gonna fall apart. 

My free hand fisted the front of his shirt and pulled him closer.

Ashton:

After a moment of holding her I regained my composure. Now wasn’t the time to break down. We needed to get somewhere safe. I tried to stop my limbs from shaking and slowly moved to take the gun from her hand.
“Emily, I’m sorry, I’m so sorry, but we can’t stay here. We need to go,” I told her.

Emily:
I shook my head and pushed away from him. My hands were shaking and that was reason enough to hand over the gun, but I couldnt put it down. "I-I-I can hold it," I told him. I used the tree to push myself off the ground and stood. I didnt know which direction safety was. I didnt even know how far we were from home or even from a police station. "Ash, do you know where we are?" I asked, trying to look anywhere but down. I would have to think about what I did to that man later, but now wasnt the time.

Ashton:

I stood and watched her for a moment before I looked around. I did know where we were and where we could go for momentary safety. Someplace we could clean up. Figure out what to do. Getting her safe was my top priority even if it brought consequences to me.

"Yes. But Emily give me the gun first." I stepped up to her and wrapped my hand around the nozzle of the gun without touching her. She had pushed me away the first time I tried to take it.

Emily:
I didnt yank the gun away but I didnt let it go either. "Ash, I can hold it," I told him again, more firmly. I knew I should let it go. It made perfect sense for him to hold it. But I couldnt let it go.

Ashton:

“No Em,” I wrapped my other hand around her wrist. “Let go.” I squeezed and tugged the gun away from her, making sure to point it away from my body just in case she accidentally fired it.

Emily:
His tight grip of my already sore wrist was enough to get my to release my grip. I gave it up without a fight this time, mostly because I didn't have a choice. My now empty hand was shaking badly enough to draw my eyes to it and when I did, my stomach rolled. It was covered in blood and I couldn't tell if it was mine or his or a mixture of both.

"I want to go home," I mumbled, my voice sounded thin and child-like.