Stand By Me Darling
Chapter 83: End For Her?

Chapter 83: End For Her?

As she walked out to the roof, the brightness of the sun made Talia’s eyes squint as she suddenly got exposed to the natural lighting. Heavy wind blew on her face and the air was fresh compared to the suffocating dusty air she was breathing some moments ago.

The wind still carried the shouts and cries from the road below making an odd feeling in her heart. This is not the first time something of this scale happened all because someone wanted her dead.

’There goes how many lives...all because of me...’

Talia sighed and she heard loud engine noises coming from her left and knew it should be the cops arriving to control the riot on the streets. She looked to her right and it seemed like the man following her had disappeared.

She naturally walked to her left, waving her hands , knowing she’d be rescued by the cops. She knew the mercenaries won’t be making a big mess involving the law officials of another country and would back off now.

It’s going to be a mess explaining everything to the cops and she knew she couldn’t handle it alone. There are obviously signs of bullets firing and she’s the only one on the top of the building. She’d definitely be taken to the police station and she’d have to be there until she gets a lawyer for her.

Her flowy skirt was flipping in the wind hard and she held the skirt with both of her hands. The building she is standing is the shortest of all the other buildings and yet it was so windy on the top of this building.

As she clasped her skirt tightly looking around to see if she is actually out of danger, she noticed she was still holding Rebecca’s firearm in her hand.

She walked closer to the railings, gripping the gun in her hand hard. Even she was surprised she is still holding the gun in her hand. Bumy the force she was holding on to that gun, it had almost stuck to her palm.

A dry smile formed in her lips as she let out a dejected snort. She had no one to hold on to and depend on and so she had held on to the only thing she had, that tool that she no longer could even use, unconsciously.

’And now I have to explain this firearm in my hand!’

She realised the patrol helicopters were focused solely on the rioters below and no one is noticing her. Or maybe they thought she is not in immediate danger.

"Please, help! There is a guy with a gun, shooting at me!"

She shouted but she knew no matter how hard she screamed, they won’t hear it over the loud engine noises of the helicopter.

Standing in the top of that she felt all alone. Like she was in the deep ocean, struggling to stay afloat, alone, with sharks all around circling her. There were boats in the distance, but no one could see her. Everyone showed her their back.

And that made her think, If only Cyrus was here, she wouldn’t have to worry about anything else, other than her own breathing. He’d have taken care of everything else... She didn’t know how he did everything, but never once did he disappoint her. There was no one else she’d trust in situations like this other than...

Ah, right! There is also Fred. There were only a very few times she was in danger when Cyrus wasn’t with her and at those times, it was Fred who protected her.

Of course when she was five, he protected her and

When they were in high school, there was once they got attacked. Cyrus asked her to hide in a spot and at that time Fred was with her too and the bad guys found them and she remembered Fred pushing her behind him instinctively and covered her.

His back was broad and with his tall frame, he looked like a big bear standing in front of her. She felt like he’d cover her from all dangers but there was a part of her that didn’t want him to do that for her.

It was weird for her. There were many times Cyrus did the same thing for her and she never felt odd. But when Fred did it... She wasn’t so sure she liked it. She was impressed by his urge to protect her, but she still wasn’t entirely happy about it either.

Those attackers used the Sinclair family name even though they didn’t know Fred. She didn’t doubt Fred back then. She knew some opportunists used the feud between the two families to mislead for their own purposes. She knew the Sinclair family might have encountered such people who use the Brunton family name to go against them.

That day, she used her personal weapon and both of them escaped unscathed. Fred carried her when she couldn’t run anymore and in the end both of them were safe.

And now...

She didn’t know where Fred was. He might not even know that she is fighting to survive right now. But... He did urge her not to go out. So did he know about this attack?

The happenings of the precious day came to her mind and she smiled unknowingly. Even in this desperate situation, the thoughts about him made her smile and her heart raced.

She clasped her chest and looked to her right. She was standing in the other side of the building and there was a lot of distance between the two buildings, but she could make out a man standing with a rifle pointed at her from the floor above her level.

’So that man still didn’t give up? Who wants to kill me this badly?’

She looked around that open roof and the stairs were a great distance from her. There was nowhere to hide and the staircase room was the only building there and she was actually far from there.

And even if she runs there to hide, the walls are already destroyed partially and how could it protect her.?

She looked to her left and saw a couple of helicopters hovering over the rioters and it seemed like they won’t be coming for her anytime soon.

She walked closer to the shooter in a zigzag manner knowing it would be a bit hard to shoot a moving target. She looked at the gun in her hand and pointed at at him.

*Whoosh*

One bullet passed right through her jacket sleeves but thankfully it didn’t hit her.

She knew if she focus properly, she could actually kill that man, but her finger over the trigger went numb and her hands shook tremendously.

In the end, she could not even hold her hand pointing at the man and her hand dropped to her side. Her feet refused to move and she froze on the spot, right in the middle. She was now close enough to somehow see the face of the man with the rifle. And he with a smirk put his finger on the trigger and focused on her.

Ha!

Talia laughed in her heart. She felt like both her feet were nailed to the floor and she couldn’t even move an inch. She knew she’s going to die, right then.

’The one who lives by the sword will die by it... ’

Someone once told her. She didn’t love by the sword, but she did take a man’s life with a weapon. It is not weird for her to die the same way, right?

She smiled and tears formed in her eyes as she could feel her end. She did try to move but she couldn’t. She closed her eyes, giving up.

’ Fred... I’m sorry. Grandpa... I’m sorry... ’

The images of the people in her life popped one by one in her mind. She had mocked the idea that the people dying will see their entire life flash before them moments before they die.

It seems to be true!

Her mother, her father... She saw everyone’s face. Everyone were smiling and loving towards her.

’At least there will be people crying at my funeral.,right?’

She thought.

’Cyrus... I’m coming’

She said in her heart.

’Fred...’

Thinking about him made her tears flow uncontrollably. She really didn’t want to leave. She wanted to spend more time with him. Even if she has to return to Esteria...

The beautiful place came to her mind. She wanted to be there. She loved that place... Her homeland.

Even if the people throw stones at her and curse her.... She just wished to be there...

She wanted to live happily there... She wanted to get married to Fred there... She wanted to have kids, grandkids...

’Wait! ’

She thought suddenly. A loud engine noise approached her to her front.

’Why am I still alive? Or did I die already? What is that noise? ’

She opened her eyes.

The first thing she saw was a man resembling Fred standing by the window looking at her and she couldn’t make out his expressions since her eyes were filled with tears.

She wiped her face in the sleeves and smiled widely.

It is Fred!

Did he take down those guys trying to hurt me?

Her heart filled with happiness, like a cold wave of water on a hot summer day.

"Fred!" she shouted looking at him but she knew he cannot hear her.

She could see the approaching helicopter from behind the building Fred currently was in. The helicopter had the Rosandale flag painted on it.

’Fred got help from Rosandale? Why?’

She was confused a bit and turned her eyes at Fred once more and was shocked to see him pointing a gun at her.

Instinctively she looked to her back. There might be someone behind her and that’s why Fred is pointing the gun at her.

But there was none behind her... Not even a bird.

"What?"

She waved at him. She knew she looked like a mess with her dirty clothes and messy hair. She didn’t want him to see her like this, like a mess but she wanted to get to him as soon as she can.

She wanted to hug him and cry. There was a lump of bitterness in her throat and she gulped.

She almost wanted to jump to this next building where he was.

’But why isn’t he moving a bit?’

"Fred!" she waved her hand but her skirt flapped hard as the helicopter landed on the top of Olympus building she is in and so she held her skirt down and bent a little.

*Bang*