Entry #34

A Bullet With My Name
by Harshad Deshmukh


The world passes me in a rush, the people around me a general blur. I run through the long corridors of the mall, taking every turn, hoping not to run into a dead end. I can hear Amrit panting behind me, her heels making it impossible for her to keep up. Ducking behind a rack, I ask her to take them off.

The two men following us run past. I have an idea.

I tear the tag off a jacket and put it on. I tell Amrit to wear a scarf and follow a few steps behind. Strolling casually, I walk out the exit, only to be stopped by a security guard.
Perfect.

I see Amrit walk out. The guard takes me to the security officer. He is easy. I grease him to let me off. Hoping Amrit might have escaped, I walk towards a security exit.

Then she screams.

I rush back inside, only to find the two men holding some girl hostage. I feel like a fish on a hook. They point their guns at me. I run for the stairs leading down to the basement. Petitioning God, I jump, shots whizzing past me.
They follow me down, when I see Amrit. Shocked to see her there, I tell her to run, but she walks towards me.

She walks towards me, puts a gun to my heart and pulls the trigger. Falling to the ground, the last thing I see are her feet, moving heavenward on an escalator.