Shadows of the road
The road to Melvic stretched wide and empty, cutting through hills and valleys like a scar on the earth. The sun dipped lower with each passing hour, painting the horizon in shades of crimson and gold. Shadows lengthened, crawling across the landscape like specters from the past.
Darius sat atop his horse, silent and withdrawn. His eyes, usually sharp, were now clouded, unfocused. The boy’s face—Coby’s face—flashed in his mind with every passing second. The way he fell, dead eyes fixed on him, the blood spreading like spilled ink—it was all too vivid.
He hadn’t pulled the trigger, but the weight of guilt sat on his chest like a stone. He was there. He let it happen.
“Hey, boss,” Peter called from behind, breaking the silence. “We’ll make it to Melvic by sundown if we push through.”
Darius didn’t respond at first. His gaze remained fixed on the horizon as though it held some elusive answer.
“You alright?” Peter pressed, riding up beside him.
Darius finally turned to look at him. “I’m fine,” he said, though his voice lacked conviction.
Behind them, Logan was another one troubled by what the road ahead demanded. His jaw clenched. His mind, too, was a battlefield. He couldn’t stop replaying the past—the betrayal that had cost his father’s life. The trust he once had in people was now buried alongside his father.
“Logan, you look like you’ve seen a ghost,” Hans quipped from behind, trying to lighten the mood.
Logan shot him a glare. “Keep quiet,” he growled.
Hans shrugged, “Suit yourself. Just trying to keep things from getting too grim around here.”
Tom, who was riding next to Hans, glanced at Darius, then at Logan. “We’ve all seen ghosts today,” he muttered under his breath.
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As the group pressed forward, the road became rougher, winding through dense forest. The sound of birds faded, replaced by the rustle of leaves and the occasional snap of a twig.
Darius’s mind drifted back to Coby. He remembered the boy’s face— and the past faces of ghosts which haunted him his entire life.
Titus hadn’t hesitated. The shot rang out, echoing through the trees. It wasn’t just Coby that died that day. Something inside Darius had, too. And another thing awakened.
He pulled his horse to a stop abruptly, the others halting behind him.
“What is it?” Peter asked, riding up.
Darius didn’t answer immediately. He stared into the distance, his hand tightening on the reins. Finally, he spoke, his voice low but firm. “We’re not running anymore.”
The group exchanged uneasy glances.
“What do you mean?” Tom asked cautiously.
Darius turned to face them, his eyes hard. “I’m done watching people die. No more innocent lives, no more bloodshed. If we’re going to Melvic, it’s not to hide. It’s to make a stand.”
Logan scoffed, shaking his head. “A stand? Against what? The entire system? You’re dreaming.”
Darius met his gaze, unflinching. “Maybe I am. But if we don’t start now, when will we? How many more have to die before we say enough?”
The group fell silent, the weight of his words settling over them like a shroud.
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As dusk fell, they stopped to make camp by a small stream. The fire crackled, sending sparks into the cool night air. The silence between them was thick, heavy with unspoken fears and doubts.
Logan sat apart from the group, sharpening his knife. The steady scrape of metal against stone was oddly soothing. He thought of his father, the way he’d laughed, the way he’d trusted his best friend—only to have that trust shattered by betrayal.
“Sacrifices,” Logan muttered under his breath. “That’s what it takes.”
Meanwhile, Darius sat by the fire, staring into the flames. Peter approached, sitting beside him.
“You meant what you said back there, didn’t you?” Peter asked.
Darius nodded slowly. “Every word.”
Peter sighed, running a hand through his hair. “You’ve got a good heart, boss. Just hope it doesn’t get us all killed.”
Darius didn’t respond. He didn’t need to. He knew the path ahead was dangerous—perhaps even impossible. But for the first time in a long time, he felt something other than fear. He felt purpose.
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As dawn broke the next day, they packed up and continued their journey. The city of Melvic loomed ahead, its towering spires visible even from a distance.
It was a city of opportunity and danger, of promises and pitfalls. For Darius and his group, it was a chance to start over—or to face the consequences of their past.
As they approached the city gates, Darius took a deep breath. He didn’t know what awaited them inside, but one thing was certain: the shadows of the past would follow them, no matter how far they ran.