My knife quivered in my grip as I pushed forward, adrenaline coursing through my veins. Tristan was locked in a brutal struggle with a man sprawled on the forest floor, their snarls drowned out by the chaotic echoes of gunfire that surrounded us. I was ready to scream, to freeze in place, to bolt in any direction, anything but facing the onslaught unfolding before me.
Then I heard the crack of a twig snapping behind me.
I spun around, heart racing as another man hurtled from the shadows, his weapon aimed directly at me. Our eyes locked in a moment of pure terror, and my instinct kicked in with a fierce urgency.
I lunged forward towards that man.
The blade bit into his side with a shocking intensity, my desperation fuelling the thrust. I could hear his sharp intake of breath, surprise flooding his features as the warmth splattered across my hands, sticky and metallic. I yanked the knife free, and he collapsed at my feet, lifeless.
For a heartbeat, the world froze. The gunfire faded into a deafening silence, replaced only by the ragged rhythm of my own breath, and a rush of horror slammed into me as I stared down at the body. What have I done?
The man lay motionless, still.
My stomach twisted violently as a wave of nausea crashed over me. I stumbled backward, my hand shaking so fiercely that the knife teetered dangerously in my grip.
"Ellie!"
Tristan's voice sliced through the fog of my shock. He pushed the man he'd been wrestling off him and rushed to my side, his eyes frantic as they scanned for injuries.
"I..., I had to," I stammered, my voice trembling. "That man was going to, he...,"
He seized my wrist, steadying the knife that I still clutched like a lifeline. His gaze pierced mine, fierce and unwavering.
"You did what you had to," he declared, his voice a steady anchor in the storm. "You saved yourself and, most importantly, you've saved me, Ellie."
Tears threatened to spill over, but I fought to keep them at bay. The forest pulsated with danger, shadows lurking in every corner. Yet the weight of my actions pressed down on me, heavier than the looming threat.
Crimson stains marked my hands, a chilling reminder that this was only the beginning.
-
I saw it, the terror flashing in her eyes, the way her entire body trembled with adrenaline. She had crossed a line tonight, one that offered no return. It infuriated me that she'd been pushed to this brink. Angered me that my world had dragged her down this dark path.
But damn, I felt an exhilarating surge of pride. I thought Ellie might crumble, but she proved once again that she is more than worthy of standing beside me. The fact that she even considered fighting back speaks to me and I couldn't be prouder to have her by my side.
I brushed her hair out of her face, quick and fierce. "Ellie, please don't dwell on it now, you'll shatter if you do. We need to keep moving to survive, and that's all that matters."
Her lips quivered, but she nodded, gripping my words like a lifeline in a storm.
Suddenly, Charlie burst back into view, firing shots into the shadows of the trees. "Less talking, more running! We've got to bail before reinforcements close in!"
I pulled Ellie close, her hand sticky with blood, clasped tightly in mine. She didn't flinch as I gripped it harder.
This is good because I do not plan on letting go. Not ever.