Cheek to Cheek
BANG* *BANG*
Two shots rang as loud as thunder, everyone in the bar silenced and looked for the cause of the noise, the thumping bass went dead and a circle slowly opened up on the dance floor.
One man standing and one lifeless body lay in a pool of crimson, slowly increasing in diameter, no one moved; people in the crowd dared not breathe. Slowly the man looked around in a slow circle, maybe it finally dawned on him where he was and what he had done. His bleached blonde hair looked an odd shade of purple under the black lights that ran all over the ceiling of the bar. The body of a girl lay at his feet, her eyes wide with terror, her white shirt slowly changing the same hue as the floor.
I sat there at my bar table jaw agape, I wanted to drink my beer and get the cottonmouth before it made me gag, yet I still couldn't raise my bottle. You could see the crowd getting increasingly nervous as his mouth moved and inaudible words barely escaped.
Sounds of sirens could be heard now, you would figure that would bring relief to the half-dazed dance bar, yet still in a state of fear no one rejoiced. Soft weeping from some in the crowd was beginning to become more and more apparent. We were all hostages now, hostages of a man, maybe intent with one death, and then again, maybe he was just getting started.
A larger person in the front near the crowd, one of those muscle bound guys who would have loved to be a hero moved and shuffled a girl near the front behind him.
*Bang*
The man with the gun with unmoving eyes and no more sign of emotion shot him in the chest, a grunt, the sound of him falling to the floor were all that could be heard over a fanatical group who were so close to the incident.
I looked over across the table and saw my friends' eyes; he was scared, his pupils small and quivering, the group on the dance floor all sat, couched and lay on the ground now, no one wanting a repeat for a similar movement. We were further away but fairly certain that our movements were noted, palms wet with sweat, the beer in my hand felt as if it were hot enough to boil over.
Bouncers were around, most standing away from the floor, but I am sure that any training they had would help them dodge a bullet. Sounds from upstairs, heavy footsteps, ten, maybe more people moved as if they had a purpose. There were only three entrances to the downstairs of the bar; two of them were at the gunman's back.
The gunman took a step towards the body of the girl, her white shirt red, her eyes still wide. The sound of his footsteps sounded as velcro tearing apart, the blood half dry tearing away from the floor, every time his foot came down a slight gush could be heard, pins could be heard since now upstairs was deadly silent. He kneeled over and picked up her hand, it looked as if he was removing a bracelet or a ring. He stood up and held his prize up to the light, a ring, the diamond in it reflected the purplish lights from above. His next movement perplexed me, he took the ring and placed it in his mouth like a gumdrop, a quick swallow and the look of accomplishment covered his face. He raised the fun to his temple, his mouth made a few more small movements and a smile as if he had just won gold in the olympics graced his face.
*Bang*
His body hit the ground, more screams, boots scrambling down the stairs, everyone took a breath, but no one would ever be able to erase what they has just witnessed, a man with a gun and a smile cheek to cheek.
BANG* *BANG*
Two shots rang as loud as thunder, everyone in the bar silenced and looked for the cause of the noise, the thumping bass went dead and a circle slowly opened up on the dance floor.
One man standing and one lifeless body lay in a pool of crimson, slowly increasing in diameter, no one moved; people in the crowd dared not breathe. Slowly the man looked around in a slow circle, maybe it finally dawned on him where he was and what he had done. His bleached blonde hair looked an odd shade of purple under the black lights that ran all over the ceiling of the bar. The body of a girl lay at his feet, her eyes wide with terror, her white shirt slowly changing the same hue as the floor.
I sat there at my bar table jaw agape, I wanted to drink my beer and get the cottonmouth before it made me gag, yet I still couldn't raise my bottle. You could see the crowd getting increasingly nervous as his mouth moved and inaudible words barely escaped.
Sounds of sirens could be heard now, you would figure that would bring relief to the half-dazed dance bar, yet still in a state of fear no one rejoiced. Soft weeping from some in the crowd was beginning to become more and more apparent. We were all hostages now, hostages of a man, maybe intent with one death, and then again, maybe he was just getting started.
A larger person in the front near the crowd, one of those muscle bound guys who would have loved to be a hero moved and shuffled a girl near the front behind him.
*Bang*
The man with the gun with unmoving eyes and no more sign of emotion shot him in the chest, a grunt, the sound of him falling to the floor were all that could be heard over a fanatical group who were so close to the incident.
I looked over across the table and saw my friends' eyes; he was scared, his pupils small and quivering, the group on the dance floor all sat, couched and lay on the ground now, no one wanting a repeat for a similar movement. We were further away but fairly certain that our movements were noted, palms wet with sweat, the beer in my hand felt as if it were hot enough to boil over.
Bouncers were around, most standing away from the floor, but I am sure that any training they had would help them dodge a bullet. Sounds from upstairs, heavy footsteps, ten, maybe more people moved as if they had a purpose. There were only three entrances to the downstairs of the bar; two of them were at the gunman's back.
The gunman took a step towards the body of the girl, her white shirt red, her eyes still wide. The sound of his footsteps sounded as velcro tearing apart, the blood half dry tearing away from the floor, every time his foot came down a slight gush could be heard, pins could be heard since now upstairs was deadly silent. He kneeled over and picked up her hand, it looked as if he was removing a bracelet or a ring. He stood up and held his prize up to the light, a ring, the diamond in it reflected the purplish lights from above. His next movement perplexed me, he took the ring and placed it in his mouth like a gumdrop, a quick swallow and the look of accomplishment covered his face. He raised the fun to his temple, his mouth made a few more small movements and a smile as if he had just won gold in the olympics graced his face.
*Bang*
His body hit the ground, more screams, boots scrambling down the stairs, everyone took a breath, but no one would ever be able to erase what they has just witnessed, a man with a gun and a smile cheek to cheek.