A Remaining Podeshire 1

Chapter 12 (Part 5)

     Gregory reunites with his friend. He hugs Oliver, nearly lifting him from the ground. Gregory then grabs Oliver's hand, and they sprint away together.

     Oliver and Gregory ran past through the raging inferno. As they sprinted, they noticed the flames gradually shrinking until they became nothing but flickering embers. The heat dissipated, and the once-raging fire faded away, allowing Cal and his assassins to leap through.

     As Cal and his assassins emerge unscathed from the cage of fire, Oliver watches in disbelief, and his eyes widen. He leaps to his feet and gasps in shock and surprise. Oliver and Gregory pump their legs faster, their feet pounding the ground as they sprint.

     Cal scans the area, his eyes darting back and forth as he searches for Oliver. Immediately, he spots him and his son sprinting away in the distance. Anger courses through Cal's veins, causing him to clench his fists and grit his teeth, and his eyebrows furrow in frustration as he groans.

     Grabbing their guns, Cal and his assassins chase Oliver and his son. Cal fired a warning shot into the air, marking their presence. As they ran, Cal noticed his men loading their rifles. Cal felt a knot form in his stomach. He couldn't let Oliver and Gregory escape but didn't want to risk his son's life.

"Hold your fire, damn it! You might hurt my son, you fools!" Cal shouted as they ran, and his voice echoed through the air.

     Oliver and Gregory dash into the dense forest. They have finally escaped the open fields of the grasslands, but they know their pursuers are still on their trail. As they run, they encounter a treacherous landscape of muddy soil, tangled vines, thorny bushes, and towering boulders.

     The dense canopy blocked the sun, casting long shadows across their path. Despite the obstacles, Oliver and Gregory pushed themselves through the dark, muddy woods. Their eyes fixed on their way ahead as they panted.

     Oliver and Gregory flee through the forest, distancing themselves from their pursuers. Suddenly, Gregory's ankle snaps on a hidden rock. He then slips on the soil as he cries out in pain.

"Greg!" Oliver called out as he heard his friend cry out in pain. He ceased and turned towards Gregory.

"No, Oliver! Keep running!" Gregory ordered as he crawled towards a nearby tree.

"I'll never leave you behind!" Oliver refused to abandon his friend as he shook his head.

"It's you they're after! You need to keep moving!" Gregory's face contorted with pain as he insisted.

Oliver's eyes flooded with tears as he remembered the guilt for leaving Gregory behind in the past. "I can't leave you again," he cried as he hurried towards Gregory, carrying him in his arms.

     Gregory's eyes widened as he gazed at their surroundings. As Oliver's grip pulled Gregory to his feet, an eerie coldness shrouded them, causing the hairs on the back of their necks to stand on end. They began running, but Gregory started limping as Oliver cradled him in his arms.

"Wait! Wait! Stop!" Gregory whispered urgently. "It's too late..."

Oliver and Gregory ceased, halting on their track as they looked around.