A Short In The Dark

Lena’s world felt like it was unraveling around her. The bullet had been so close, the impact so sudden, but the sound of it was still ringing in her ears. Her body tensed, the grip on the gun trembling in her hands.

Time seemed to stretch, each second thick with uncertainty. The room had fallen silent, except for the harsh, rapid beating of her heart. Her eyes darted to the man lying at her feet, his body crumpled unnaturally, the dark pool of blood spreading beneath him. She hadn’t meant to kill him, not really. She had just reacted, acted on instinct.

The gun was still warm in her palm, the weight of it a reminder that she had crossed a line. A cold shiver ran through her as she realized the gravity of what had just happened.

Ethan. Where was Ethan?

She forced herself to focus. She couldn’t afford to panic, not now. She could still hear the muffled chaos from the hall, the sounds of gunfire and shouting. They weren’t safe yet.

Lena’s eyes scanned the room, searching for any sign of Ethan. He had been right there, in the thick of it all, his face set with determination. But now, there was no sign of him.

"Come on," she whispered to herself, her voice shaky. She had to find him.

Her breath came in shallow gasps as she carefully moved away from the fallen man, making her way toward the door. Every step felt heavy, like walking through mud, the air thick with tension. She moved quietly, trying not to attract attention, but her pulse was thundering in her ears.

Just as she reached the doorway, a loud crash echoed from the hall. Lena froze. Her hand instinctively gripped the gun tighter. Her eyes darted toward the door, but before she could make a decision, a figure appeared at the edge of the hallway.

It was Ethan.

But something was wrong.

He was limping, his usually confident stride faltering as he moved. His face was smeared with blood, and his shirt was torn at the shoulder. His dark eyes were narrowed in a mixture of pain and fury. He looked every bit the part of a man who had just fought for his life—and lost.

"Ethan!" Lena cried, her voice breaking as she rushed toward him.

He looked up at the sound of her voice, his lips curling into a strained smile. "Lena, get back inside. Now."

"No," she said, shaking her head. "You’re hurt. Let me help you."

He pushed her away with surprising strength, his hands firm on her shoulders. "I’m fine," he insisted, his tone gruff but urgent. "You need to get out of here. Now. The building’s compromised."

Lena’s heart skipped a beat. "What do you mean? What’s happening?"

"We’re being attacked, Lena," he said, his voice tight with anger. "They’ve breached the building. We’re outnumbered."

Before she could respond, another gunshot rang out from down the hall, followed by a series of quick footsteps. Ethan’s expression darkened.

"Go!" he shouted, pushing her toward the stairs. "Don’t look back. Just run!"

Lena’s mind raced, her thoughts a jumbled mess. Her heart screamed at her to stay with him, but the fear in his eyes was unmistakable. This wasn’t a fight he could win alone—not with the blood dripping down his side, not with the weight of everything on his shoulders.

He was already retreating into the shadows, disappearing into the darkness of the hall.

She didn’t have a choice. She ran.

Her feet pounded against the stairs as she rushed toward the exit, her mind still spinning from the gunfire, the chaos, the blood. But then, just as she reached the bottom, the building shook with an explosive force. The ground trembled beneath her, and the walls seemed to groan as if they were about to collapse.

Lena stumbled, barely catching herself as she crashed into the doorframe. Her breath hitched, her body tensing as she tried to make sense of the deafening sound that was quickly closing in on her.

The building was under attack. The explosion had come from somewhere deep inside the structure, and the floor beneath her feet was already starting to crack.

"Move!" a voice shouted from behind her.

Lena whipped around, her heart leaping into her throat. A figure in black appeared, his face masked. She didn’t have time to think, didn’t have time to react. The man was already reaching for her, his hand closing around her wrist.

Before she could pull away, the man yanked her toward the emergency exit, his grip unyielding. Panic surged in her chest, and her mind raced. Who were these people? Were they with Andrew?

"Let me go!" she cried, her voice high with fear as she struggled in his grip.

The man’s response was cold, his voice masked by the layers of the black cloth he wore. "We’re here to make sure you’re safe. Come with me, now."

Safe? It didn’t feel safe. Nothing about this situation felt safe. Her world had spun out of control, and she was caught in the middle of it. Her heart pounded as she tried to break free, but the man’s grip was like iron, relentless, pulling her along.

She wasn’t sure whether to trust him or to run, but the overwhelming sense of danger pushed her to follow.

Lena stumbled through the exit and into the night, the cold air hitting her skin like a slap. The streets were eerily quiet, the usual hum of the city replaced by the distant wail of sirens and the occasional thud of gunfire in the distance.

Her eyes scanned the area frantically, but the man didn’t stop pulling her. He guided her toward a sleek black car parked at the curb, the engine already running.

"Get in," he said, his voice more urgent now.

Lena hesitated, her chest tightening with every passing second. Was this a trap? Was Andrew behind this? Or was this part of some new, twisted plan to control her?

"Where’s Ethan?" she demanded, her voice sharp, desperate.

The man’s expression darkened behind his mask. "He’s being taken care of," he said cryptically, pushing her toward the car. "You don’t have time for this. Get in."

Lena’s stomach churned, but there was no time to waste. She needed answers. And for now, this was the only chance she had to get them.

With one last, uneasy glance at the building—at the place that had once been her life—Lena climbed into the car.

As the doors slammed shut behind her, she felt a cold shiver run down her spine. The man slid into the driver’s seat, and the car sped off into the night.

But in that moment, Lena couldn’t shake the feeling that the true danger was only just beginning.