A Remaining Podeshire 1

Chapter 13 (Part 1)

     Tears filled up in Gregory's eyes, spilling over his cheeks in silent streams. Slowly, he looked down at his chest and saw a red stain spreading across his white shirt. Oliver's eyes widened, knowing what he was seeing. Gregory was bleeding, and his blood spurted from his deep wound.

     Oliver felt his heart sinking into the sea of despair. His mind raced with fear and anger, and he gritted his teeth. As anger fueled his power, Oliver spun around and swung his hand towards the assassin.

     Lightning crackles from the clear blue sky, striking the killer with deadly force. The impact sends shards of wood and leaves flying in every direction. The assassin screams in agony as the electricity rushes through his body.

     Oliver then hears Gregory groaning in pain and sees him fall to his knees before collapsing onto the ground. He rushes to his side and catches him before he hits the ground. Gently, he cradles Gregory's head in his lap as tears gush down his face.

     Guilt hastens across Oliver's veins. Tears spill from his eyes and onto his friend's face as he tries to combat the urge to wail. With shaking hands, he presses onto Gregory's chest, hoping to stop the bleeding.

"Stay with me, Greg," Oliver cried. "Stay with me!"

"Ol... urr... ivrr..." Gregory tried to speak, but blood began to spill from his mouth, muffling his voice.

"Shh... I'm here..." Oliver whispered.

"...I tried... my best..." Gregory said, his voice barely above a whisper as he stared at Oliver in the eyes.

"...You did your best..." Oliver sniffled.

     Oliver lays his forehead against Gregory's. They close their eyes, and their tears meet as they try to create a quiet, peaceful moment. They ignore the surrounding danger, focusing only on each other as they cling to one another. Unexpectedly, a bulge in Gregory's pocket catches Oliver's attention.

     Meanwhile, Cal and his remaining assassins emerge from the bushes. Cal cautiously approaches the two young men and sees his son covered in blood. His eyes glisten with tears, and he feels a shiver run through his body.

     Cal quickly sniffs and wipes away the tears from his face. He reaches into his pocket and pulls out a pistol, pointing it at Oliver. Cal's face instantly hardens, and his brows furrow.

"You..." Cal growled. He yelled, forcing himself not to cry as tears washed his eyes, "You Podeshires have killed too many of my family!"

"I didn't kill Gregory..." Oliver remarked. "He chose to sacrifice himself to save me. He promised to protect me no matter the cost... and that's what he did. He's my hero..."

     Oliver addresses his pure, honest thoughts as he locks eyes with his beloved friend. They lay forehead to forehead, sharing each other's warmth. Oliver then pulls Gregory into a tight embrace, holding him close.

     Cal's fingers tremble. He cannot press the trigger immediately. But when he is about to shoot, something unexpected happens.