We had given our rented gear back to the concession stand when Carli looked around, almost suspicious. It was becoming evening as the sun was tuckered out and sliding into the horizon line in the distance. I looked at her in question, and she noticed when her eyes met mine again. I noticed the slight blush on her cheeks when she noticed that I had seen her looking around. I smiled even though it made me slightly uncomfortable and tense.

     "Hey, I gotta run to the bathroom real quick." Carli smiled back at and I nodded.

       I was suspicious as I watched her head back to the park bathrooms. Most of the parents and kids were also heading home around this time. I watched as she closed the bathroom door, and then I glanced around me in curiosity. I heard the door to the bathroom squeak open. She made eye contact with me and waved awkwardly, something only she would do in any situation. She met back with me in my spot and ask if we could take a back route because she was feeling uncomfortable, almost like someone was watching us.

      I agreed, even though I didn't trust it. She decided we should walk through an alleyway to get to the hotel, stupid I know, but we wanted to stay low. However, that was the wrong choice. I heard a low chuckle come from behind a lamp post down the road. My entire body tensed at his voice.

"I should be hired as a psychic, you know?" I had heard that voice, last night to be specific. He was the biggest man that had been in my house.

"I knew you would be stupid enough to come through here." He stepped out into the small light in the alleyway. I reached for my gun that were in the hem of my jeans. He looked even more terrifying than his voice. His shoulders were nearly twice the size of mine as he stood in the middle of the road. I could see tattoos that were visible on his arms and neck. Even though I was scared I had to act quickly, because I knew he had a gun.

"What the fuck do you want?" I growled out, making me sound more intimidating than I really was at this moment. I looked like an ant standing up against a bull.

"I want your little friend here," he seethed and pointed at Carli, "dead." I heard Carli gasp and try to move behind me.

  "Don't move, you little bitch!" He bellowed, and she stopped immediately. I raised my gun and aimed right between his eyes.

"If she dies, you won't get out of here alive either. Do you understand me?" I said in the most dangerous voice I could manage.

"Oh, darling, I know." He said as he took one step closer to Carli and I.

"However, it's too late." A sinister smile lit up his face.

Then I heard the worst sound before I felt my heart shatter into pieces. The loud gunshot rang through the alleyway, while echoing over and over in my ears. My vision blurred for a moment when I looked over. I watched in slow motion as my best friend screamed and fell to the ground, the blood seeping steadily from the wound in her chest.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" I screamed at the man and pulled the trigger on my pistol.

Another shot rang through the alleyway and hit him right between the eyes. He dropped to the ground almost immediately. I turned around to Carli when I noticed that one of the kids from the skate park had somehow followed us. He looked about twelve. He was standing across the alleyway and he hurried over to me. I could see his phone and the number that he had called: 911. I dropped to my knees quickly beside Carli and he sat beside me.

"Why did you follow us? It's dangerous." I said as tears filled my eyes as I pushed on Carli's wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

"I knew this place was dangerous. I got it all on camera. That big man and his friends won't ever harm anyone else now." He trembled as he spoke to me. 

He surprised me when he got down on his knees to help me press a cloth into Carli's chest. He was a smart kid, an extremely smart kid. He may have just saved me from a life sentence, and I was just glad his life was spared. I heard sirens in the distance, but I had a feeling it was too late. Carli was loosing a lot of blood.

       I didn't keep up with the time that had passed before I saw flashing lights fill my vision because I was too worried about Carli. My best friend was dying, slowly, and I couldn't do anything about it. There was this feeling inside that told me that she wasn't going to make it, but I had to hope. She was the only person I had left, my personal savior and counselor. I felt a hand grab my shoulder before pulling me back. I couldn't comprehend what happened next as a cop took me to his car and sat me down while I watched the ambulance take Carli away.

     The police officer took me and the kid in for questioning. On the way there, I ask the kid his name. He said it was Levi. I found out that he was just like my father, which was probably the reason I took a liking to him. After our ride and 25 minute wait at the station, the police easily ruled out that me killing that man as murder, so they put me off. The video alone was the only evidence they needed. I decided to grab a taxi and went straight to the hospital, with Levi close in tow. He had called his parents and agreed to meet me at the hospital to pick him up because he wanted to see if Carli made it.

      Carli was in surgery when Levi and I got there. We were sent to the emergency waiting room where the family and friends of patients could stay for as long as needed. I noticed that it had been about an hour since Carli was brought here. I had a bad feeling beginning to bubble up in my chest.

About an hour later, I knew that the surgery was going on longer than expected. It was taking too long to get the bullet out. Right when I thought that, a doctor came out of the door on the right side of the waiting room. He had with scrubs on with a few specks of blood on him. He called Carli's name, signaling that any family or friends were to come see how the sugary went. Both Levi and I stand up and walk over.

"I'm sorry," the doctors face contorted in sadness when making eye contact with Levi and I, "I'm afraid your friend didn't make it. She had lost too much blood. We lost her once during surgery and revived her once. Right before we were done, we lost her again. We tried to start her heart again, but it was too late. I'm deeply sorry for your loss." He said to us and bowed his head and shook my hand, and then followed up by shaking Levi's hand. He walked back into the door while I stood there for just a moment.

She was dead, and I couldn't ever bring her back.

I felt a hand grab at my shirt, and I looked down to meet Levi's eyes.

"I'm sorry Miss Casey." He put his arms around me in a hug which I returned with less enthusiasm.

"Thank you, Levi. Let's make sure you get home, alright?" He nodded and pointed towards the door.

I saw a young man and woman standing there smiling at me. I walked over with Levi.

"Thank you for letting Levi stay with me for a while. I appreciate everything he did for me." I smiled at his parents and shook both of their hands. They gave me a smile and began to leave from the same door. Levi began walking out of the door with them when he turned around one last time.

"Good luck, Miss Casey. Have a good life." He smiled one last time and waved. I stood there for a moment before following them out of the door to head to my car, since I had followed the police officer to the station and then traveled to the hospital from there.

I was strong, I could live through this. I took a deep breath and started my car. I then drove to the hotel.

       Carli's stuff was everywhere as soon as I opened the hotel door. I started crying until I couldn't hardly breathe anymore. It was then that I felt nothing but hatred towards the men who killed my parents, grandparents, and now my best friend. I wouldn't let them kill me. They will pay for what they did; I know that much. My flight leaves tomorrow, and I plan on making it to France and starting anew there... without my best friend.