I open my eyes, see the man still standing there, blood dripping from his arm where the bullet grazed him. He doesn’t even flinch, just keeps coming.
My body jolts, heart slamming against my ribs like it’s trying to break free. My ears ring, every muscle tensed up tight.
I stagger forward, raising a trembling hand. “Stop,” I murmur weakly, then louder, my voice cracking. “I said STOP!”
The other men raise their guns, but he waves them off.
“Little girl’s got guts,” he says, stepping right in front of me, eyeing me close. Under his raven mask, his eyes are a deep, dark blue.
He reaches out, grabs my chin, and squeezes.
“Let her tell everyone the Ravens are taking over the whole damn city,” he tells the other guys, but his gaze doesn’t leave mine.
“Fuck you!” I scream, the gun swinging wildly in my grip. “Get away from us!”
He chuckles, a dark, sinister sound. “Well, well, well. We’ve got a feisty one here, boys.”
I pull the trigger again, desperate, but the gun just clicks.
Empty.
The man is right in front of me now, his hand shooting out, grabbing my wrist. I cry out in pain as he twists, the gun clattering to the ground.
“I like you, little girl. You’ve got spirit.” His breath is hot against my face, reeking of cigarettes and whiskey. “But spirit won’t save you. Not from us.”
He shoves me hard, and I stumble back, falling to the ground beside Jake. The man looms over us, his eyes glittering with malice.
“The Ravens are coming for you, Caldwell. And when we do, there’ll be nothing left but blood and ashes.”
With that, he turns, motioning to his men. They melt back into the trees, their laughter echoing in the sudden silence.
I crawl to Jake, my hands shaking as I touch his face. “Jake? Jake, please…”
Jake coughs, blood splattering his lips
“Please… Someone help!”
His eyes flutter open, unfocused and clouded with pain. “Bug…” His voice is a strangled whisper, each word a struggle. “I’m… sorry…”
“No, no, don’t apologize.” Tears stream down my face, mixing with the dirt and blood. “We need to get you to a hospital.”
I try to lift him, to pull him to his feet, but he’s too heavy, and he cries out in agony at the movement. Blood oozes from multiple bullet wounds, soaking his shirt, soaking into the forest floor.
“It’s too late… for that…” he gasps, his face pale, his lips tinged with blue.
“Don’t say that!” I’m sobbing now, my heart shattering with every labored breath he takes. “You can’t leave me, Jake. I need you.”
With a trembling hand, he reaches up and touches my face. His fingers are cold, slick with blood. “I love you… so much, Clara. More than… anything.”
I slide my legs under his head, pulling him onto my lap. The ground beneath us is cold and damp, but all I can feel is the warmth of his blood seeping through my jeans.
“I love you too, Jake.” I lean into his touch, my tears falling harder. “I’ll kill them for this. I’ll kill every last one of those bastards.”
He shakes his head weakly. “No… no, you can’t… be involved… Promise me…”
“I can’t, Jake. I can’t promise that. They have to pay for what they’ve done.”
His hand falls away from my face, his strength fading. “Please… Clara…”
