Chapter 12: Give up

I quietly poke my head out from behind the door, trying my hardest to ignore the blood pooling around my shoulder. There are men running all over the place, desperately looking for the unconscious witch in the basement. I can feel Kelly trembling immensely behind me, I know for a fact that she's scared. Considering the fact that they're all holding guns with looks that promises murder, I would be scared too.

But sadly for them, there's only one thing that can scare me.

Once the men found no sign of their boss they began to search the other rooms, clearing the courtyard. Turning around, I am met with Kelly's trembling figure.

"Kelly, I know you're scared. But you have to do this, you have to run out of here." Her eyes swarm with fear as she shakes her head violently.

"N-no! Aren't you coming?"

"I'll be right behind you, I promise. I just need to make sure you get out of here first." She still has a look of uncertainty and I know for a fact that the courtyard would soon be swarming with men once again. "Kelly, look at me." She obliged. "You want to see Louis again, don't you?" She nods. "Then run, run for freedom. Run for Louis." This seemed to have given her more than enough motivation because she nods energetically.

"Okay, I'll do it."

"And remember, do not stop. No matter what, keep running until you see a Jeep with the plate Number R7B6, okay?" She nods once again. Taking one more look at the distance between where we stand and the gate, I say: "in three.... Two... One! Run!"

I didn't even see her pass by me before she's already halfway through the courtyard. I follow her actions immediately. My feet slamming repeatedly against the green grass as I push myself forward as fast as I can.

But just like that, an agonizing scream escapes my lips as a bullet tears the skin on my back, sending me crashing forward. The pain is excruciating, it feels like the bullet is spreading fire throughout my body. But I can't stay here, I have to keep moving. I stumble to my feet, even though I am not as fast as before, I am still moving.

Until another bullet struck my back once again. This time, no sound leaves my lips as I toppled to the floor. I am now facing the midnight black sky as my blood pools around me, soaking up the grass.

I can hear the distant approaching footsteps, but I made no attempt to move. The world spirals before my eyes as black dots taint my vision. Everything hurts, I can't do it....

Get up! Don't you dare give up, Roxanna Ferrer. Think about your family, do you really want to leave them in a world as dangerous as this one? Do you not want to avenge your parents! Get up!

That was all I needed to know before I am standing on my own two feet. I swayed in every direction as I try to navigate with my poor vision.

I catch sight of the man that had shot me, fear flashes across his features as he desperately reaches into his pocket. But before he could reload his gun, I take out mine and pull the trigger. His lifeless body drops to the floor within the blink of an eye.

I am able to get through the gate just as the sound of yelling men fill the air. I sigh in relief when I catch sight of the Jeep with Kelly sitting inside. Throwing the door open, I hop in and immediately start the car, stepping on the gas with much force as we zoomed past the Aaron mansion.

"Oh my God! You're bleeding." I do not answer Kelly, simply because I don't have the physical capacity to do so. It's nearly impossible to focus on the road as my eyes are begging to shut. The car swerves occasionally as I am unable to drive in a straight line.

"Um, I think we have company." My eyes lazily shift to the rearview mirror, and sure enough there is a van following us.

"Kelly, take my gun." My voice is weak, my grip on the steering weakening as well.

"B-But I can't kill them!"

"You're not going to kill them." I'd never ask a child to do such a thing, no matter our situation. "You're just going to shoot their tyres so that they can't follow us." She shakes her head violently as she starts mumbling to herself. "Kelly, please...." I can feel myself slipping away quickly, I'm not sure how long I can hold on.

With much uncertainty in her eyes, She takes out my gun and opens the window. I make sure to keep the car as steady as I can, she swings the upper part of her body out the window and aims.

A single shot rings through the air, I watch through the rearview mirror as the van loses control and collides with a lamppost.

Kelly climbs back in and drops the gun like it's about to explode. "I'm never doing anything like that again, that was so scary."

A small smile graces my lips, "You don't have to, but you looked Pretty cool--" I pinch my eyes close as I cry out in agony. I didn't know when I lost control of the steering and the next thing I know we are parked by the side of the road. I can hear the distant cries of Kelly desperately trying to call out to me, but I was only able to respond with three words.

"Motel.... Help.... Louis."

Then the world around me succumbed into darkness.