NE

the pavement, the loud crack echoing in my ears. My heart raced like a

and anxious. "Stay put!" he snarled, but be

ed, my voice breaking, but

explosion hurled Seb backward; his body hit the ground with a nauseating thud. Instinctively,

ven asphalt, my breathing faltering as I approached his still body. His

rembling. My hands lingered above him, u

and he moaned, spitting

on my inner strength, I slid my arms under his and li

thoughts were a chaotic storm of fear, repetitively fixating on one

inches away from my head. I shouted, bending down reflexive

ven. "Please... don't go," he breathe

, although terror nearly suffocated

d him in that direction. We fell back against it, br

tal. My arm throbbed, and upon glancing down, I saw a bullet had

sing his face before he regained his composure. "We ha

voice rising in pitch. "They'r

even with the injuries. "Pay attention to me. You

d. He was correct. Although I despised hi

hed. The bullets trailed us, one scraping my arm once

eb gritted out,

own my spine. A team of masked people blocked our way, dressed in black and wi

ommanded, their tone

lation on his face. "What is it that you want, huh? Money? P

, their weapon still aimed at Seb. "Come forward,

Seb. He appeared unsettlingly composed, his

y voice trembling. "

d a chance to respond, his hand lun

ting up to grasp at his hold. "S

eered at the masked shapes, his tone icy and derisive. "Fucking shoot at

tears streaming down my cheeks. "You foolish son of

he hissed

pon steady. "Let her leave, Fo

en gradually, he let go of me. I staggered forwa

urrender. "Alright," he replied, a malicious grin p

to respond, he turned on

n!" I called out to him,

crouched. The bullet veered off to the

b. I stepped back, my legs shaking. My eyesight became hazy as

ast itself

fting my hands in a hopeles

t striking blue eyes, surrounded by a face partially concealed by a mas

vely whispered, my

prise. A voice, gruff and deep,

me suddenly, and t

, his voice allowing

and vanished into the darkness, leaving