Chapter 49

“How does it feel? Knowing you’re about to lose the thing you love most.”

John was already halfway across the meadow when Will and Amy pushed through the gate. He had a tight grip on the back of Sophie’s neck, forcing her to keep moving forward, and snatched glances behind to see if he was being followed. When he saw that Will and Amy had finally started to give chase, he waved the gun in their direction and yelled. “Easy. Easy. That’s quite close enough, Billy-boy.”

“Let her go!” Will screamed.

“I will. When I’m done with her!”

Will could hear Sophie sobbing. “She must be terrified.”

“I don’t blame her,” said Amy. “He’s a big man. Very strong. I’ll bet he’s hurting her neck.”

Ahead of them, John and Sophie had reached the path along the cliff’s edge and headed west towards the lookout point where Will and Amy had watched the sunset a few nights earlier. Will stepped up his pace, fighting hard not to break into a run and spook John, who was still waving the gun around. Amy kept up with him and they quickly reached the path. John and Sophie were already at the lookout point and faced down the path towards the approaching couple.

“He’s damn close to the edge,” Will whispered.

“That’s enough,” John said when they were ten yards away. He still held Sophie by the neck. “You don’t need to be any closer to see this.”

“See what?”

“You’ve taken what’s mine, Billy-boy. Ruined my life. Now I’m going to ruin yours.” He jerked Sophie towards the cliff. She screamed and Will and Amy shouted out but John had already jerked her back. “How does it feel? Knowing you’re about to lose the thing you love most and can’t do anything about it?”

Sophie whimpered.

“What about you, girly? Ready to meet your maker? Made peace with the world?”

Amy stepped forward. “John, don’t do this. Let her go. Please.”

“Come home with me.”

She shook her head. “You know I can’t.”

“You have to! I’m nothing without you. Nothing!”

“You should have thought of that before every time you smacked her,” said Will. Amy shot him a look that said he wasn’t helping.

“You shut up!” John waved the gun at Will but his hand wasn’t steady. “This is all your fault. We were fine until you showed up. And now you’ve taken her from me, but she’s mine, do you understand. Mine! I won, not you.” He kept the gun on Will but looked towards Amy. His voice took on a pleading tone. “He abandoned you. Where was he when you needed help the most, huh? Who picked you up and put you back on the right track? Who saved you, Amy? Who’s you’re shining knight, huh?” The hand holding the gun swung in the air, away from Will then back again. “You’re mine, Amy. We belong together. We always have.”

She shook her head and said softly, “Not anymore.”

John’s gun hand swung away from Will again, but closer to Sophie. Suddenly, she reached out to grab it and the element of surprise allowed her to pull it closer. She sank her teeth into his forearm, causing him to scream. The gun went off, aimed harmlessly at the ground before John dropped it. He let go of Sophie and grabbed his arm. She hadn’t drawn blood but had left a mark.