EMBRACE YOU: Presence & Poison
Episode 32

...

Right after this jerk Rey said it, the sound of gunfire rang out making everyone panic even more. Bayus immediately grabbed me and took me into his arms, avoiding those who wanted to get out of the building immediately.

Although by now Bayu was already holding me and this man wearing full clothes was standing before me to protect me but I could still clearly hear my own heartbeat.

From the beginning until now, Rey never changed her target, she wanted me to suffer. “Listen? If you don't hurry now, I'll shoot the other two. And if you keep quiet I'll shoot four people. Keep multiplying like that.”

I didn't know where to get the courage from, but I had unknowingly let go of Bayu's embrace as hard as I could and ran into the crowd of people inside the mall, breaking through those who were running towards me.

Several times they hit my shoulder and several times I almost fell. I heard Bayu's screaming in the back, trying to catch up with me.

Seeing how the escalator that led up was empty, I could freely run fast. Glance at me

also saw the police guarding the corner of the ground floor building was busy because someone was injured.

Could that be Rey??

“ICHA!! STOP NOW!”

“Rey wants something from me!” I screeched with a trembling voice of fear, staring down where Bayu and one of his team members were chasing me in the escalator.

“NO! DON'T!” I almost cried hearing how Bayu's yelling voice half begged me. This man must have guessed what would happen.

I kept running up each escalator, as if forgetting how to breathe, forgetting that I was exhausted from running. Several times I was stopped by the mall security team who saw me running and chased by Bayu, but I quickly and nimbly avoided.

My feet had already stepped on the escalator towards the fifth floor, just then the sound of two shots echoed to frighten me. I screamed and lowered my head, thinking Rey had injured or maybe killed two other people.

The victim could be the one who is waiting for his presence at home or the one who may be a child, a father, or a mother of a family. They don't know anything about the mess here.

Just thinking about it makes my heart feel pain. I cried softly and rubbed my wet cheek with my jacket sleeve.

I'm already here, on the fifth floor. I need to find the fireplace. That red tube must be in that place

easy to reach.

“Icha stop!!” Bayu managed to pull me and stop my steps that were busy looking. I look

his face, he looks worried and annoyed at me.

“What does he want?! Tell me!” Bayu. Both of his eyes were red as if holding back tears.

I was trying to normalize my breathing from running. Reply looking at him and ignoring one

the members of the Bayu team were looking at us.

“Injection! He wants me to inject that thing again. Otherwise, he would have shot four people in this mall. He's already shot one and two earlier.”

“What? Nah! Don't do that! My team members are looking for him and stopping his madness!”

I nodded, looking at him pleading. “She already occupies a sniper here. He threatened to shoot you and your team members!”

“Omong empty! You trust him more than me, huh?!” Bayu's been so angry, I've never been

see it like this.

But however angry Bayu was, I could see from the corner of his eyes a drop of tears fell down his cheek. She was crying looking at me.

“Call doctor Stefan! Tell him to come here right now!” Bayu yelled to rule his team members.

Slightly loosened from his attention, I quickly ran in search of the red tube. “You don't trust my team? You trust him more?” Bayu still demands my answer to his question.

I found the tube was near a movie theater. I quickly checked it out and found an injection right next to the tube.

“No! I won't let that man go this way!” Bayu took the injection from me.

“Give me! He'll shoot again!”

DORR!!!

It felt like my heart was about to fall when the shot escaped a few inches beside Bayu's arm and hollowed out the wall beside him. My legs became jelly, I collapsed instantly in front of him. Crying slowly looked at him.

“Give me. Please!”

“No!”

“He will kill you! If you are not in this world how should I be?!”

“Then what about me? Aren't you thinking of me? You are not the only one who is afraid of losing! I don't want to lose you a second time!” Bayu was already shouting at me, he was crying in silence and it made me more dilemma.

But the feeling of guilt is stronger, Bayu is right, I don't think about his feelings. I just think about my own feelings. I am selfish!

“I'm sorry!” I whispered, starting to stand facing him. His eyes were still red, his nose was also red and his lips curved downwards.

Bayu looked still angry and worried looking at me. I should have trusted him and his team, I shouldn't have been afraid of Rey!

All this time Rey dared to threaten me because I just showed her my fear.

Quickly I hugged her, wrapped my hands around her neck, despite having to tiptoe but I just wanted to calm her down. Hugged it. Saying if everything's okay.

“I believe in you. You're not gonna let Rey be like this ‘ right? You'll catch him ‘kan?” My whisper made his tensed body slowly more relaxed.

Bayu hugged me back and I felt him kissing the side of my head a few times.

“How?” Bayu asked the member of his team, not letting me let go of his embrace.

“The shooter has been caught. Carlie has also secured a sniper on this floor.” I heaved a sigh of relief and increasingly tightened my embrace on her.

“It looks like earlier I really became a stupid and selfish girl.” I said while releasing our embrace. Bayu's hand patted the top of my head slowly, I just realized the shopping that had been carried was no longer there.

“The girl who foolishly ran looking for danger for fear that I would get hurt?” Sarcastic ask.

“I'm sorry.” I replied once again, truly sorry to have doubted him. I never thought from Bayu's point of view.

“Captain! Rey has escaped from the building and the police are chasing her. All the shooters are secured.”

Bayu looked up at the man of his team. “Then how are things below. Is it under control?”

“Already. Police have arrested two suspects in a bank kidnapping. It is thought they also have something to do with Rey.” I just remembered, the ground floor where the police went around in the corner of the floor was where the only private bank that was open, the bank that usually serves cash deposits and customer service. Small but always crowded.

...