The Gunshot
The crowd around him reacted with shock and bewilderment
followed closely by screams and shouting. Did you hear that? What was that?
They had obviously been frightened by some kind of sound, but he hadn’t heard
it.
As people dropped to the ground, he did the same. Not really
sure why, he fell on his face on the sidewalk. He lay flat and still as
pandemonium swirled around him. Minutes ago, everyone had been sitting in the
sidewalk café enjoying a lunch, or perhaps a drink, while soaking up the
afternoon sun. In an instant, all that changed. Now he lay on the ground
confused and tried to get an idea of what was happening.
He'd taken a late lunch and was enjoying the last chapters of
his book. He heard the gunning of a car engine and the squeal of tires as he
lay on the ground. Perhaps a car had hit a pedestrian? But why then would
all the café customers be dropping to the ground or running for cover? It was
when he tried to look around and see what the source of all the commotion was
that he first noticed he was unable to move.
Shortly after he fell to the ground, people began to rush to
his side. They were all shouting and seemed as confused as he was. He tried
asking the guy who had knelt beside him, speaking into his ear, what had
happened, but he found it impossible to speak. He was aware of a ringing in his
ears. He felt a warm sensation running down his neck. His first thought was he
must have spilled coffee on himself when he dived on the floor.
The funny thing was that he didn’t recall diving at all. And
while he didn’t seem to be hurt and felt no pain, the people that gathered
around him seemed to think he was in serious danger. He heard someone asking
him questions but couldn't respond. He slowly felt himself drifting into
something akin to a dream as his mind tried to reconnect to his body. It was then that an old saying from his days serving in
Vietnam suddenly came back to him.
“You never hear the sound of the shot that kills you.”
And for a few final moments it all became clear.
“You never hear the sound of the shot that kills you.”
And for a few final moments it all became clear.
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