Do you have any experience in begging for your life?

Seeing the muzzle of the gun, I felt strangely calm. Yes, firstly I was startled, but after that, my body relaxed. My shoulders dropped weakly while I contemplated whether I would have the time to feel the pain from the gunshot. Surely, it would be a less painful death than the one I narrowly escaped. Maybe, because my emotions were still under the influence of the earlier nightmare, I felt exhausted and numb. I didn’t want to fight nor plead for my life. It was pointless, as Xavier said. Just a waste of breath.

‘’Miss McCarner?’’ The man’s voice brought me back to reality. He motioned with the gun to the chair in front of his desk. As if in a trance, I moved my legs from the floor and sat where I was told. My gaze was still glued to the pistol. He noticed my wary state and decided to put the weapon down. However, it was close enough for him to take it wherever he wanted.

‘&