Disappearance: A broken Wing

Escape

The screams of everyone around me jolted my eyes open. My chest rose and fell in ragged breaths, and when my vision cleared, I realized Sally was safe. My gaze shifted—and there he was. Hito. A hole gaped between his eyes, blood pooling beneath him.

I turned to see Baxton, alive, standing like a soldier in the middle of the chaos, firing shot after shot. He came back for me.

My heart leapt into my throat. This was my only chance. I grabbed my baby from the ground, scooped Sally up into my free arm, and ran with everything I had, ignoring the gunfire cracking behind me. The first vehicle I saw was a jeep—thank God the keys were in the ignition.

As I slammed on the gas, tires screeching, Leo and Lucas burst through the chaos. They leapt into their own jeep and started tailing us, their guns flashing. I swerved, trying to keep my precious cargo safe, but I wasn't fast enough. I even caught a glimpse of a guard shooting Baxton and I watched as he fell as I sped off.

A sharp cry tore from Sally's lips. I glanced over—blood. A bullet had ripped through her stomach.

"You're going to be okay," I whispered, even though my voice trembled like I didn't believe my own words.

"I hope," she breathed weakly.

"Just keep your eyes open. Stay with me, Sally."

The road blurred in front of me as I sped toward town, praying for a miracle. But fate had other plans. I blew through a red light—just in time for a truck to slam into us. The world turned upside down. Metal crunched, glass shattered, and I heard my baby screaming.

"Sally!" I turned—and froze. A shard of metal from the wreck had gone straight through her throat. Her eyes were wide, terrified, and I felt my soul shatter into pieces.

I knew then. I wasn't going to escape, but hopefully my child could. I unbuckled, blood dripping from my forehead, and clutched my baby tight to my chest. My legs were shaking, but I ran. I ran like hell.

I found a bridge, crouched under it, and kissed my child's forehead. "I love you, Baxton. Someone will find you. Please, live for me." I tucked him deep under the bridge, safe from sight.

Then I turned back. Leo and Lucas were close. I couldn't let them find him.

The lake shimmered like glass when they cornered me. I had nowhere left to go. My body ached, but my spirit—oh, it was on fire.

"You have nowhere to go," Leo sneered, his gun steady.

I forced a smirk, even with blood dripping down my cheek. "I shouldn't have run," I said slowly. "You can take me back if you want."

Leo stepped closer, his confidence oozing. Big mistake.

In one swift move, I lunged, grabbing his gun. A single deafening shot rang out—Leo dropped, dead.

Lucas roared in fury, his gun already raised. Two bullets tore into me, the force knocking me backward. Pain exploded in my chest as I fell toward the water.

But I wasn't done yet. My fingers squeezed the trigger—I put a bullet through Lucas's skull before the cold water swallowed me whole.

As the lake closed over my head, the world slowed. Blood swirled around me like smoke. My lungs burned, but I didn't care.

I would die here. And I would die happy knowing one thing—
My baby wasn't in Hito's hands.

I prayed—silently, desperately—that whoever found him would love him. Protect him. Save him from the darkness that consumed me.