I looked up.
Carina stood a few paces away, frozen in place.
She clutched a boulder in both hands, its surface smeared dark with blood. Her arms trembled so violently the stone slipped from her fingers and hit the ground with a hollow thud.
She stared at the body—at what she’d done—with horror carved into every line of her face.
“Carina,” I rasped, dragging myself upright. My legs wobbled, barely holding me. I pressed torn fabric to my chest, the gesture useless, instinctive. “We have to go. They’ll send reinforcements. Any second.”
She didn’t move.
Shock had wrapped her tight, locked her inside herself.
I staggered to her and grabbed her wrist. My hand was slick with sweat and blood—mine and his. “Carina,” I said again, firmer this time, forcing her to look at me. “You saved my life. But if we stay, we die.”
Her eyes finally focused.
She swallowed hard. Nodded once. Small. Shaky.
We ran.
Or tried to.
It was more stumbling than running—two broken women pushing bodies that were already failing them.
The land fought us every step of the way. Loose stones skittered underfoot, forcing us to slow or risk going down hard.
Sharp ridges sliced into our soles, pain flaring with each step. Shallow gullies opened beneath us without warning, forcing careful descents that stole precious seconds.
My vision tunneled.
Black crept in from the edges, pulsing in time with my heartbeat. Blood loss made my limbs heavy, numb, like they didn’t fully belong to me anymore.
Every breath dragged fire across my chest, sparks of agony radiating through my ribs.
Sirens wailed faintly in the distance.
Still far. Still hopeless.
But a direction.
We aimed for the sound, weaving between boulders, using moonlight and instinct to navigate the maze of stone. I clung to Carina’s hand like it was the only thing anchoring me to the world.
Somehow—miraculously—we reached a narrow dirt track.
Calling it a road felt generous. It was barely more than a scar cutting through the rock, gravel crunching under our feet.
I let go of Carina’s hand, swaying as the effort caught up to me all at once. The fabric around my waist hung in tatters, soaked through with blood. Drops fell steadily, marking the road behind me like a trail.
My knees buckled.
I caught myself just in time, gasping, vision swimming.
Please, I begged silently. Let someone pass. Let this road not be forgotten.
A pale shape appeared far down the track.
Headlights.