𝐂𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐄𝐲𝐞𝐬 | 𝐓𝐚𝐢𝐣𝐮 𝐒𝐡𝐢𝐛𝐚

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐖𝐄𝐍𝐓𝐘

𝑭𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝑳𝒊𝒇𝒆

I'm going to die right now...

I was in such much pain that I couldn't move my body while resting on the ground; I felt lifeless. I've been shot several times with a gun. I was looking around the place when I saw her. She is firmly holding the pistol and wearing a delighted face; she is the one who shot me. She must have been pleased since I'm about to die. Because of me, she wouldn't have a problem anymore. 

I am unable to stay conscious any longer. I don't want to endure any more pain. Maybe now is the right time for me to rest.

Something warm touched my hand. I turn to face where the sensation was felt. I then surprisingly see him.

My eyes started to tear up. I'm such a horrible person for only thinking of myself. At the point of my death, I'm being selfish. How could I possibly have forgotten that my ex-husband is still there next to me? He must have felt awful as he watched everything unfold in front of him.

"Love..." he whispered softly.

He is also covered in blood. He's still grinning, as he doesn't want to appear weak in my presence. However, it aches to see him acting that way.

"H-Hey... don't s-smile. Y-You're making me c-cry even more." I'm still able to speak to him. He gave my hand a warm squeeze.

"Why... are you cold?" he asks in a sad tone. I smiled warmly at him.

"Can you p-promise me... s-something?" he must survive; I don't want him to perish. He can't pass away right now.

"What is it?" he asks, tears welling up in his eyes. Tears flow endlessly as I am unable to control it any longer. This is the first time I have ever seen him weep. To others, he always appears tough and frightening, but to me, he is quite the opposite. I vividly recall the moment I was forced into marrying him. He sincerely loves me, but I was more preoccupied with my studies and decided to end our marriage because I didn't like him. And he was forced to get married again. But he is so persistent that he continues to follow me around while neglecting his wife. Even when I'm giving him a cold shoulder, he still loves me more and more.

But this is the end of me. His wife shot and wounded us out of envy. I was shot several times, but I still have hope that he would survive. He still has the strength to survive.

I've run out of strength at this moment, and I could feel my body weakening. I'm about to go to sleep, I look at him... I want to take one final glimpse at him before I leave.

He's so loving...

I wanted him to understand my feelings for him during the five years he bothered me. But I was unable to pull it off.

"Live..."

𝑺𝒆𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒅 𝑳𝒊𝒇𝒆

Fire...

Fire is everywhere, and because of the ferocious fire that is all around me, I was unable to escape. The fire has trapped me; I am unable to move a single inch. The floor is scorching, and the heat is making my body burn. I can't breathe any longer because the air is too hot; it could kill me.

My body dropped to the heated floor.  It is like scorching lava. I want to get up because it's hurting me right now. But I was powerless to do anything because of how weak I was.

If I could just die now, I wouldn't want to die here, burning my flesh. I don't want to feel the blazing fire in my body. 

At this point, I was thinking of my death when all of a sudden, I saw a person's silhouette. It was rushing towards me, and I couldn't see clearly because I couldn't open my eyes properly any longer.

I felt an arm lift me off the ground and started walking carrying me. I'm glad I won't die in this place from burning.

"Hold on, woman," a deep male voice said. 

Who is this person? It doesn't matter because I'm going to die right now.

"I hope you can make it alive,"

I can't make it right now. Life is not worth living to the fullest for me.

"I-I'm sorry..."

𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒓𝒅 𝑳𝒊𝒇𝒆

Christmas has come...

I am on my way home from work and  I'm embracing myself because I'm cold. The chilly night and the white snow that was falling from the sky made me feel like it was Christmas. 

I was walking when I started to feel worried and something was bothering me. And then I realized I wasn't holding my bag. That's why I'm wondering why I felt like something was missing.

"I'll just take a shortcut."

I then take a shortcut that I am most familiar with. I proceed to a dimly lit, silent, and small alley. Due to the alley's unsettling appearance, not many people opt to walk there.

I'm moving quickly then suddenly. I see something disturbing from a distance.

It was a man who was sitting on the ground covered in blood and whose blood was constantly dripping onto the ground. His head is tilted back, and he can barely breathe.

I was unable to do anything but stare at him.  Still, he needs help. I went over to him right away and crouched down, meeting his gaze.

"Mister... what just happened here?" he squinted his eyes, possibly struggling to see me clearly. He is currently in a difficult condition. I was scanning my surroundings to see if there was anything I could do to assist him. I need of a telephone, but I couldn't see any houses or shops around.

I also spot a man lying on the ground nearby who is also covered in blood.

What exactly happened here just now?

A grasp on my hand prevented me from standing up as I was going to.

"W-Why are you here?" said the man in front of me. Having heard what he just said, I'm much more curious. What does he mean by that?

"Pardon me?"

"T-That person..." he pointed to the bloodied-unconscious man, "He is after you... h-he's a wanted, murderer," I shuddered at what he had said.

Is it true that he saved me from a murderer? I turn to face him and glimpse into his eyes. My life is saved by this man.

I immediately tear my dress. The man looks surprised by my unexpected action. I use direct pressure to stop the blood from pouring from his wounds by applying the ripped dress.

"Thank you, I owe you one, so I will help you," I'm keeping the blood from pouring out, but I worry he has already lost too much blood.

"Please don't die right now, please," I chant continuously, pressing the cloth into his wound.

He holds onto my hand, which confuses me.

He smiled at me, his thumb caressing my hand, and he slowly closed his eyes as he said, "I'm being saved right now by the woman I'm interested in."

I give him a light slap to get his attention, "No, don't close your eyes just yet, I need to save you."

But then his hand that was holding my hand fell to the ground. I panicked, I repeatedly gave him a light slap but he didn't react. He did not even move an inch.

"No... it can't be."