No More Running by Jayton Young Read Free Book Online Page B

and then headed over to my apartment, but when we got there, we all went in to talk to Mrs. Chambers first.  She agreed to stay with Garret and went to pack herself a few things to take to his house.  She waited out in his SUV while he walked us up to my place. 
    When we got there, the door was again unlocked.
    “Didn’t I see you lock it as we left?”  Garret asked, already knowing the answer, I think.
    All I could do was nod.  My heart has hammering in my chest, and I could barely breathe.
    “Back up.”  Garret told us.  When we did, he opened the door slowly before swearing.  “Stay back!”  He yelled going into the apartment.
    Clair grabbed me, pulling me to stand behind her.  As she did, I heard a loud gunshot and felt a searing pain in my left shoulder before I blacked out.
     
    Chapter 6
     
     
    I became aware slowly, first hearing a beeping sound, and then hearing voices talking softly.  I moved my head toward the voices, but the movement sent shards of pain through my left shoulder.  I must have made a sound at that, because I heard a familiar voice asking me if I was alright.  When I opened my eyes, I had to blink rapidly before they finally adjusted to the light.
    The first person I saw was Garret.  He was on my right side holding my hand, and amazingly, my first thought was how nice and right it felt.  I smiled at him before my mind flashed to what had happened.  I remembered Garret telling us to stay back and being pulled out of the way, and then nothing.
    “What happened?”  I croaked out.  My throat was dry and scratchy.
    Garret poured me a cup of water to sip on as he spoke.  I noticed Claire and Stefan in the background, but my focus was on Garret.  “Someone broke into your apartment last night.  When I opened the door, everything was thrown all over the place.  The furniture was shredded.  When I told y’all to stay back, Claire pulled you behind her, trying to protect you, but someone shot you.”  I took several sips from the cup he was holding for me.
    “Are you all alright?”  I asked looking around.  “Did anyone else get hurt?”
    “No, honey.  It was only you.”  Claire answered.  I could see her eyes all red and puffy from where she’d been crying.  If there is one thing I knew about Claire, it was that she never cried.  She said she would never show any weakness; it would only give someone else the upper hand, so for her to have been crying was humbling to me.  I knew she liked me as a friend, but I really didn’t realize how much she cared.
    “I’m okay, Claire.”  I told her. She came over to me, sat on the edge of the bed, and bent over to hug me as much as she could with my injury and the bandages.
    “We were worried for you, Di.  You were shot in your left shoulder.  The bullet missed anything vital, but you lost so much blood.”  She said as she sat back up.
    “How long have I been out?”
    “Not even twenty four hours.”  Stefan spoke up.  “You’re a tough cookie, short stuff.”  He said, with a smile, but I could see the worry in his eyes.  I had some really good friends, and I hadn’t even realized it.  I had almost left them. 
    Then I remembered that I was supposed to have called Doc last night.  “Can I use your phone?” I asked Garret.  “I need to call Doc.  He’ll be so worried since I didn’t call when I said I would.  I never miss a call.”
    “Don’t worry, Dina.”  He said.  “He called my phone last night when he couldn’t get you at home, and I told him what happened.  He said he’s on his way down here and will be here either tonight or in the morning.  He made me promise that I would stay with you until he got here.  He was almost panicked from the sound of it.”
    “What, is he driving down?”  I wondered.
    “That’s what it sounded like.”
    The doctor came in a few minutes later and checked me over.  He said everything was looking good and I would be able to go home the