CHAPTER 25: THE SOUND OF HER HEARTBEAT

Chapter 25: The Sound of Her Heartbeat

Theo opened his eyes to the sound of growling...

After the poison spread in his body, this night felt colder to him, and the smell of smoke filled the air.

He blinked hard until the world stopped spinning. Then he realised something quivering behind him, he knew it was Danielle, clutching his gun with trembling hands.

Her eyes were wide, wet, she was terrified.

To Theo, such situations were his normal life, but Danielle was protected all the time, so a bad place like this should’ve felt like a nightmare to her.

"Theo," she managed to whisper even through her breaking voice. "They’re here, somewhere..."

Theo forced himself to sit up. His eyes were still hurting, but he could make out the shapes of men moving between the trees.

Even to his watery double vision, Theo figured it out that there were flashlights like fireflies in the dark.

"Listen to me," Theo said softly, crawling back closer to her. "Aim higher. Your hand is shaking too much."

Danielle’s lips could barely move. "I can’t."

"Yes, you can." He placed his hand over hers, strongly and practiced. "Breathe in when you lift the gun, breathe out when you shoot."

Danielle nodded, her chest was rising and falling quicker than usual, or maybe it was the poison’s effect...or the fact that she rudely kissed Theo.

Theo, on the other hand, helped her lift the gun again. His hand stayed over hers, keeping it straight. Their fingers pressed against the cold metal together.

When the first person stepped out from behind a tree, Theo whispered into her ear, "Now, bunny."

The shot could’ve been heard through the whole forest.

"Ah!" Danielle gasped when she saw the man fall to the ground-she shot him!

The dogs went wild.

"Run," Theo said, pulling her up.

They stumbled through the woods, their feet slipped on wet leaves. Danielle kept looking back, but Theo didn’t.

He just gripped her wrist and pulled her forward. His own breathing was heavy, every inhale felt so sharp with pain. The poison was still very evidently there, hurting him from inside.

"You’re bleeding from your mouth."

"Keep running."

Danielle could barely see, but she followed his voice. Then, suddenly, one small beam of light caught them.

Theo turned, raised his gun, and fired again. The bullet hit a flashlight, shattering the glass. Darkness returned, and so they kept running.

"Please, Danielle! I don’t have much strength left. You’ll have to fight for your life! No one can take it from you, even yourself! Do you hear me?"

"Th-Theo! It’s not the time to-"

"Say you heard me! Confirm, Danielle! Even if I die here, you’ll fight for your life!"

Danielle didn’t even notice when her runny nose mixed with water from her eyes. "Ye-yes, Theo!" Her eyes were stinging.

It felt like Danielle’s chest was quietly sinking in on itself, making every breath feel a little smaller.

Danielle tripped over a root and fell. Theo turned back for her, pulling her up even though his hands were too light.

"I can’t," she cried. "I can’t run anymore."

"You can! Because I’m not leaving you while I’m alive! You promised, Bunny!"

Her throat gulped, and vibrated. She didn’t know if it was fear or tiredness, but her belly hurt from it.

"Please, Dani!"

Her pushing was all the answer Theo needed...

They ran again until the ground sloped downward.

Finally, they reached an old bridge made of wood that looked half broken and covered with moss.

Theo stopped to catch his breath, and for a second, his knees gave out. He leaned against the railing, clutching his side.

Danielle grabbed his arm. "Theo, stop, you’re going to fall."

He looked at her, so full of his own exhaustion. "If we stop, they’ll catch us, and they will kill you...I...I can’t allow it...."

Before Danielle could answer, some light flashed again.

Both heard men shout from behind. Theo turned and aimed his gun, but his arm dropped. His power was fading fast.

"Give me the gun," Danielle ordered.

He looked at her with a furrowed brow, but handed it over. She took it with barely moving hands, turned, and fired.

The shot hit a tree, but it was enough to make the men duck for cover.

Theo pulled her back behind a rock. "You did good," he sounded rough.

Danielle looked at him, filled her eyes with even more tears. "You taught me ... .you have to teach me many more things, so don’t die also!"

Then Theo looked past her and saw another movement again.

"They found us," he hushed quietly.

Danielle’s hands tightened around the gun. "Then we fight."

Theo smiled. "No. You hide. You run if I tell you to."

"I’m not leaving you!"

He lifted a hand to her face, brushed dirt from her cheek. "You will."

Before she could argue, flashlights hit them again. Theo pushed her down behind the rock and stood up, firing the last bullets he had.

His body swayed with each shot. Danielle covered her ears as the sound made her flinch every time.

Then, the gun clicked empty. It was all over again...

Theo tried to reload, but his fingers slipped. A voice shouted from behind the trees.

Two men stepped out with their guns raised. Danielle grabbed Theo’s arm, pulling him back, but it was too late.

They were surrounded.

One of them kicked the gun away. Another pointed a light at Danielle, who was crying silently but refusing to look away.

Theo stepped in front of her, blocking the light. "Don’t touch her," he said in a cold tone.

The man laughed. "You’re in no place to make orders, soldier."

Theo only looked back at Danielle once. She understood what it meant. He was done fighting.

The man behind him raised his gun and hit Theo on the back of the head with it.

"Theo!!!" Danielle screamed as Theo fell to his knees. She tried to reach for him, but someone grabbed her arms and knocked her out.

"Well, well...and how did we end up here, my little brother?"

"Ethan..."