Double-sided memory(一)

The shadow under the muzzle of the gun

Sweat trickled down Ouli's chin and landed on the treadmill's tracks, instantly swallowed up by the rolling black rubber. At eleven o 'clock at night, she was the only one left in the gym. The hum of the air conditioner and the soft noise of the treadmill motor interwove, creating a strange sense of tranquility. Oli loved this moment, as if the whole world had come to a standstill for her.

The music in the headphones was suddenly interrupted by a shrill metallic clanging sound. Ouli turned her head sharply and saw the door of the fire escape being pushed open roughly. A tall and thin man staggered in.

"It's closed," Oli said subconsciously, pausing the treadmill with her finger. "Members need to register at the front desk to --"

"Take out the money." The man interrupted her, his voice hoarse like sandpaper rubbing against her. His eyes shone exceptionally bright under the pale light of the gym, and his pupils dilated so much that the iris was almost invisible.

It was only then that Ouli noticed what the man was holding in his right hand - a small black pistol, with its muzzle pointed right at her chest. Her throat suddenly became dry and the rumbling of blood flowing in her ears.

"I..." "I don't have much money," she heard herself say, her voice so distant it didn't sound like hers. "The wallet is in the dressing room."

The man took a step forward, and the barrel of the gun glowed coldly under the light. Stop playing tricks. Give it to me right now.

Ouli trembled as she took out a few crumpled banknotes and a few coins from the pocket of her sweatpants. Those were the money she had prepared to take a taxi home. The man grabbed the money in one go. The coins scattered on the floor, making a crisp sound.

"Is that all?" He glared at Ouli viciously, raising the muzzle of his gun and aiming it at her face.

Ouli felt her knees go weak and she couldn't take her eyes off the dark muzzle of the gun. She had never been so acutely aware of the fragility of life - with just a tiny metal particle, everything about her would come to an end in an instant.

"Really, that's all," she heard herself say, her voice strangely calm. "You can check the changing room."

The man cursed and suddenly turned around, rushing towards the fire escape. The door closed heavily behind him, and the echo lingered in the empty gym for a long time.

Ouli stood still, her legs as if they had grown roots. It was not until thirty seconds, or perhaps a minute later, that she realized she had been breathing with her breath held. She staggered towards the front desk and dialed the police number uncontrollably with her fingers.

"Blue Whale Gym..." Someone is robbing at gunpoint... Her voice was mechanical and flat, as if she were describing someone else's experience.

After hanging up the phone, Ouli slid down to the ground, leaning against the front desk. Her mobile phone slipped from her fingers, and the screen lit up and then went off. The surveillance camera in the corner silently recorded all this. The small red light flickered regularly in the darkness, like an eye that never tires.