The roar of rushing water crescendoed with every hesitant step I took. The tunnel sloped downward, its damp air thick with the earthy scent of moss mingling with the metallic tang of iron. My lungs burned, my legs screamed in protest, but I couldn't afford to slow down.
Edward raised a hand, signalling us to halt at the final bend. His eyes blazed like steel, resolute and unyielding, "They're waiting." A jolt of fear lanced through my heart.
Tristan's jaw tightened into a hard line. He glanced at me, his hand squeezing mine once, a silent promise, a tether anchoring me in the storm, and then he advanced, like a warrior ready to charge through fire and fury.
As we turned the corner, the tunnel erupted into a vast cavern, illuminated faintly by silver moonlight spilling through a jagged opening where the underground river sliced through the rock. The current roared wild and unrestrained, a chaotic force echoing the turmoil within me.
As I looked closer, I saw at least six men looming like dark spectres, blocking our escape. Their guns gleamed menacingly in the dim light. Shadows danced on the water's surface, resembling predators poised to pounce on their prey.
"Donovan," one of them sneered, a cruel smile curling his lips. "This is the end of the line."
-
I could feel my blood surging like a raging river, hot, sharp, and ready to spill. In front of us stood six men, and perhaps more were lurking in the shadows, unseen yet palpably threatening. While Edward stood beside me, astonishingly calm in this situation, I could sense the weight of dread in his eyes.
Then there was Ellie, putting on a brave front as she gripped the knife I'd given her. She trembled but stood resolute, her silhouette framed by the shadows of the cavern.
"Stay behind me," I growled again, but she held her ground, unwavering.
The men advanced toward us with a wall of malice. In a split second, I made my decision, raising my gun and firing first; the bullet sliced through the air.
Chaos erupted in the tunnel. The men scrambled, desperately trying to find cover, but the gunfire continued unabated. It shattered the stillness, the echoes ricocheting off the cavern walls like thunder. The crack of shots mingled with the relentless roar of the water. One man dropped, another staggered, but they pressed forward, relentless.
Edward's shot found its mark, taking down another attacker, but it wasn't enough. The darkness closed in around us, and bullets whizzed dangerously close to Ellie's head.
"Go!" I barked, urgency clawing at my throat as I shoved her toward the river. "The current will carry you away!"
Her eyes widened in disbelief. "You want me to jump?"
"Yes!" I snapped, firing again as fury and terror coursed through me like wildfire. "Don't worry; we'll be right behind you!"
-
The river roared like a black beast, merciless and terrifying. My chest tightened at the thought of being consumed by its icy depths. Then, in a heart-stopping moment, I saw a flash of steel aimed at Tristan.
"No!" I shouted, hurling myself sideways. My knife struck the attacker with brutal force. A sharp pain shot up my arm as the blade met flesh, but the attacker collapsed, and his weapon clattered into the depths below.
Tristan's expression twisted into a mix of fury and raw fear. "Damn it, Ellie!"
"The others were closing in too quickly. We had no choice now." Edward's voice cut through the chaos, sharp and commanding. "Jump! Now!"
Tristan seized my hand, and for one breathless heartbeat, I locked onto his eyes. In that moment, all I saw was a reflection of desperation, not for himself, but for me.
Then, with a shared breath of resolve, we leapt forward into the current. The river engulfed us, its icy fingers gripping us tightly. The current tore me from the ground, swallowing the air from my lungs, a primal force of nature. My fingers clutched Tristan's, refusing to let go as the darkness of the water closed in around us like an inescapable embrace.
Somewhere above the tumult, I thought I heard shouting, and gunfire echoed faintly. But the river swept us away, faster and faster, until all that remained was the bone-chilling cold, chaos, and the iron grip of the man I vowed never to lose.