THE FINAL STAND

With the USB drive weighing heavily in my grasp, I dashed into the night, moving more away from Ethan's sacrifice and farther into the unknown with every step. I could hear his voice"Complete this. For us both. I resisted the need to go back because I could still see his face, contorted with misery. Ethan had put everything on the line for me to get away, and I owed it to him and to myself to complete the task we had begun.

As I ran down the road, the night was a blur, the woodland shadows enveloping me like a shield, my lungs burning with every breath. There were no indications of life in either direction, and the deserted roadway loomed ahead, black and quiet. Even though I dared not stop, I could feel my vitality ebbing away and my fatigue gnawing at me with every step.