Behind the Lens (Behind the Lives) (50 page)

29

Kara

The guard dumped Kara into a
chair. “Stay put this time,” he growled. The man was a huge monster with veins protruding
from his muscular arms. He walked over to the wall and leaned against it,
glaring at Kara. Two more guards were standing by Craven and Saul, staring at
her and Beth through the floor to ceiling window, like they were animals in a
zoo. Beth placed a hand over her mouth, stifling her sobbing. She was sitting
across the table from Kara, trembling uncontrollably, her emotions stripped
bare like her body. Kara was just as scared, no, fucking terrified, but she
wasn’t going to show it, and if this was the end for her, she would face the
gun like her father had—strong and proud.

“Wipe
your tears away,” Kara said. “It’ll do you no good.”

“I
can’t help it, I’m scared.”

“I
am too, but I refuse to cry in front of them. They may take my life, but not my
soul.” Her eyes moved back to the window, where guests were arriving on the
other side, a row of chairs set out for them. And Craven was welcoming them with
his creepy smile, shaking hands like the good businessman he was, because the
game was just money in the bank for him; Beth and herself nothing more than
products, a commodity to be used then disposed off once done with.

Kara’s
lip twitched in anger. “They disgust me,
he
disgusts me.” She looked
back at Beth. “And right now, you disgust me. You deserve to die for being a
weak, snivelling baby.”

“I
have a right to be scared! I could die tonight!”

“I
could too, but you don’t see me crying, now do you?” Ignoring Beth’s reply,
Kara looked back at the window, searching for Dante as people began taking
their seats, knowing he was meant to watch. Her heart kicked up a notch,
hammering faster as the audience started getting excited, some calling out
Dante’s name, but instead of looking at the door that they had entered through,
they were staring past her. Kara turned to the other viewing window as a naked
Dante was pushed up against the glass by Ant, the terrified expression on his
face making Kara jump to her feet, screaming at Ant to let him go.

Ant
slipped an arm around Dante’s waist, his hand reaching down to take a hold of
Dante’s cock, his smile telling her he would do as he pleased.

The
guard grabbed Kara’s arm. “Sit back down,” he growled.

She
wrenched free and stormed towards the window, Dante’s agonised features making
her lose the control she’d fought so hard for. She started banging on the
glass, screaming even louder at Ant. The guard placed a gun to Kara’s head,
causing her to freeze, Dante now the one banging on the window, but with his
head. Ant grabbed his hair, and forced it back.

Craven’s
voice came over the loudspeaker: “Return to your seat, Kara, or you’ll be shot
and Dante put in your place.”

The
crowd behind Craven yelled and booed, many of them getting to their feet, their
angry expressions fixed on Craven.

Craven
turned to face them, saying something that Kara couldn’t hear, obviously having
turned off the microphone. The crowd quietened down, then Craven turned back,
his voice once again coming through the loudspeaker, although it was pointless,
because the man he was speaking to was standing right next to him. “Take the
gun into the room, Saul.”

Saul
moved towards the door as the guard directed Kara back to her chair. His torso
was still bare, his scars getting quite a few stares from the audience. He
entered the room, his eyes everywhere but on them.

“Saul,
please help us,” Beth pleaded, her voice sounding whiny, her tears making it
worse.

Saul
stopped, like he didn’t want to take one more step.

“Hurry
up, Saul,” Craven said.

Saul
rushed to the table, placed the gun down, then retreated out of the room as
fast as he could, shutting the door behind him. He took up his position next to
Craven again, his shoulders now rounded, not his usual confident self.

“Continue
to play on Saul’s sympathy,” Kara whispered to Beth. “He seems to have a thing
for you.”

Beth
turned to him. “Please, Saul, don’t hurt me again.”

Saul’s
face dropped, like she’d punched him where it hurt. Beth continued to plead, while
Kara refocused on Dante, who was leaning his head against the glass window,
rocking it from side to side, his eyes clamped shut. Beth let out a racking
sob, capturing Kara’s attention again. The woman’s eyes were no longer on Saul,
but locked on Dante, her features anguished.

Static
noise filled the room, Craven’s voice following: “I think we should have our
star start the game. Dante, which one of these lovely ladies should pull the
trigger first?”

Dante
opened his eyes and yelled out, “None!”

Ant
shouted over him, “Kara!”

Kara
sucked in a breath, but before she could talk herself out of it, she picked up
the gun and placed it to her temple. Beth’s eyes widened, the slight shake of
her head telling Kara not to do it, which caused her to hesitate. Kara looked
over at Saul, who was staring at her, the man obviously not going to help, if
anything, he was probably hoping that she kissed the bullet instead of Beth,
but maybe he would care more if Beth was facing the barrel.

Kara
turned the gun on Beth. The woman shouted out in surprise, pushing herself
backwards, the chair toppling over with the movement, sending Beth crashing to
the floor. With the gun still pointed at Beth, Kara pushed to her feet.

Dante
cried out, “No, Kara. NO!!”

Craven’s
voice followed: “If you shoot your competitor, you know who will be replacing
her.”

Kara
looked back at Dante, his tortured features causing her stomach to coil. She
then turned the gun on herself, mouthing, “I love you,” before pulling the
trigger. Her body shook like it had been hit, but the lack of gunfire told her
she’d been given a reprieve, although she couldn’t rejoice, because Dante was
now openly sobbing. She wished it was relief over her being spared, but his
eyes were focused on Beth, the agony on his face making Kara wonder whether
he’d wanted the bullet buried deep in her skull so that Beth would be safe. And
if he did, she would still pull that trigger again for him.

Her
gaze returned to Beth, wondering whether the blubbering woman would also take a
bullet for Dante. She placed the gun on the table and slid it across to Beth.
“I don’t wish you luck,” she said.

Beth
looked up at her then at Dante, who was yelling at Beth not to take it.
Craven’s voice followed, reminding her of who would replace her in the game.
Beth reached out a shaky hand, brushing the gun’s handle as though it was
fragile, but in the weapon’s presence only their lives were. She gripped the
handle and started to lift it. Her arm shook, like the gun was incredibly
heavy, then she placed it against her head, practically hyperventilating.

“Take
a deep breath and let it out,” Kara said, leaning over the table. “Then take
one more and make it good, because it may be your last.”

Beth
spoke, her voice sounding far too young. “I don’t wanna die.”

“I’d
rather you did than Dante, so pull that trigger.”

Beth’s
hand shook harder. “I can’t.”

“Then
you don’t deserve the man wailing for you, because I’d pull it in an instant if
it meant he’d survive—which I have
.
And if you don’t, what will he think
when he’s brought in here and made to hold a gun to his own head all because of
you? I know what will be running through his mind, other than terror.
Betrayal.
He will think that you don’t love him, that he made a mistake with you, and
that he should’ve chosen me, the one who pulled the trigger.”

Beth
closed her eyes, her inhale again shaky, then she pulled the trigger, her body
jerking in expectation. Relief crossed her features. She opened her eyes, a
look of hate and triumph drying her tears as she placed the gun on the table
and slid it across to Kara.

Kara
stole another look at Dante. He had his eyes closed again while Ant spoke into
his ear, the man stroking Dante’s neck with the back of his fingers as though
he was trying to soothe him, but Kara knew better, Dante’s pained expression
far too telling.

Ant’s
eyes flicked to her, as though he’d sensed her watching. He stopped talking to
Dante and gave Kara a wicked smile, then licked up Dante’s neck, making Dante’s
eyes shoot open. Dante bucked against him, which only got him rammed into the
window harder.

“Kara!”
Craven’s voice came over the microphone. “Take the gun.”

She
turned to Craven and pointed two fingers at him, cocking them up as though
she’d shot a bullet at him. He laughed, giving her a clap, the audience of sick
bastards and bitches following suit. Kara then picked up the real gun and
placed it to her own head. “Who do you think Dante loves more? You or me?” she
asked Beth, ignoring the sweat trickling down the back of her neck.

Beth’s
eyes moved from the gun to Kara’s face. “I don’t know.”

“I
think he loves you more, but if I had time I might change his mind.” She looked
over at Dante, wanting to see his beautiful face once more—her devilish angel.
She moved the gun to her breast, placing it over her heart—the treacherous
thing the cause of all her troubles. She pulled the trigger, exhaling in relief
as her heart continued to beat.

She
returned her gaze to Beth, who had her eyes screwed shut like Dante, the
muscles in her neck so taut that it looked like a scream was trapped within her
throat. “Open your eyes, Beth; it’s your turn to get a taste of death, although
I’d prefer that you’d consume it, but only God decides that.”

Beth
opened her eyes. “God has no part in this game, only the Devil.”

“And
he’s watching you right now.” Kara extended the gun towards Beth. “Have you
said your Hail Marys?” She glanced at the rosary on her arm, then barrelled
ahead before Beth could reply. “I have, but prayers won’t save us,
draga,
they
will only calm your mind, give you a sense that you may be going to a better
place, which I won’t, because I’ve lived a wicked life and there’s no priest
here to absolve my sins, no one to read me my last rights, only the Devil to
open his arms to me. But if I die today,” she raised her voice, “my
sistra
will come for you, Craven, and she’ll kill everyone you hold dear, while making
you watch, then before she cuts out your black heart she will say a prayer,
then send you back to your father: the Devil.”

Craven
laughed, his voice crackling over the sound system. “Then let’s hope Beth bites
the bullet.”

Beth
let out a wracking sob, making Kara feel sorry for her for the first time,
which she didn’t understand, because she wanted Beth out of the way so she had
free access to Dante. But would she get it even if Beth died? She wondered
whether Dante would break over the woman’s death, like her mother had done over
her father. After her father’s murder, her mother’s mind deteriorated, her
happiness dying with her husband, leaving her an emotionless shell who got up
and went to bed automatically, the in-between not important to her. Kara didn’t
want that for Dante, the man so full of emotion, his passion something she
craved, loved, needed.

Kara
watched intently as Beth lifted the gun and—

“What
are you doing?!” Kara screamed as Beth pointed the barrel at Dante.

“Let
Dante go!” Beth hollered.

Kara’s
eyes shot to the struggle going on behind the glass. Dante had slipped free of
Ant, who was now advancing on him, Dante looking helpless with his arms tied
behind his back.

“Shoot
Ant!” Kara yelled at Beth.

Beth
pulled the trigger, but nothing fired, both of them screaming in fury,
capturing Ant’s attention. At that moment, Dante bowled into him, taking Ant
down. The guard from their room shouted. Kara turned, finding him pointing his
gun at Beth. Kara sprang at him, knocking him down, his head making a cracking
sound as it connected with the floor. The man dropped his gun, which went off,
a bullet hitting the wall by Craven. Kara scrambled over the unconscious guard
and grabbed the gun.

Beth
yelled, “Stop! No, Stop! I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Don’t!!!”

Kara
looked up. Ant was holding Dante against the wall with a hand on his throat,
but it was the gun held to Dante’s head that made Kara scream. She jumped up
and aimed the guard’s gun at Ant, yelling, “Let him go!”

Ant
turned his angry gaze on her. “Shoot and see what happens to Dante!”

Kara’s
hand shook, then she raised both her hands, pointing the gun at the ceiling.
“Let him go!”

Ant
let go of Dante’s neck, but kept the gun to his head. “You stupid women were
warned what would happen to Dante if you didn’t play by the rules.”

“We’re
still willing to continue, just don’t take our actions out on Dante.”

“Do
you think I would put him in the game?”

“
Da
,
but this isn’t his fault, it’s mine and Beth’s. We should take the bullets.”