Green Desert - Chapter 4.5.3 - Séara

I had my gun on Zhudırı and was unclipping my handcuffs from my belt as he obligingly rolled over onto his stomach. He didn’t seem nearly so dangerous as everyone made him out to be. I wondered if he really was the right guy. He seemed much too peaceful to have shot a patrolman in cold blood.

A scuffle broke out behind me. A gunshot. I spun to see Bhanar and the old man wrestling over the gun. I raised my gun and shouted, “Drop the weapon,” hoping at least one of them would listen. If Mr. Kılímı let go, good. If Bhanar let go, I’d shoot Mr. Kılímı. But neither paid attention.

Mr. Kılímı yanked on the gun and the foreigner fell to his knees.
Behind me, Zhudırı shouted, “Drop the gun, Mr. Kılímı!” But the big man didn’t listen to his captor––his friend?––any more than he had listened to me.

I knew I should do something. But what? My gun covered both of them. I watched where their gun pointed. Not at me or Zhudırı. Moving towards Bhanar. Mr. Kılímı––the weak, out-of-shape old man––was winning the struggle. And yet Bhanar looked so strong.

Their gun pointed at Bhanar’s head. I aimed for Mr. Kılímı’s thigh and fired.

As the blast echoed in the gully, the big man let go of the gun and crumpled over, clutching his stomach.