CHOSEN BY A SINNER (Completed)

...

"Don't

you fucking dare give up now," I order.

"I've radioed the helicopter to come to us." Uncle Demitri

yells after me. I stop running and watch the sky, holding the broken

pieces of my life in my arms.

When the last of the gunfire dies out, Uncle Alexei moves in front of me. There's so much pain on his face as his eyes take in the state of his daughter.

Slowly he reaches a hand to her neck, checking for her pulse. He closes his eyes, and I start to shake my head.

I refuse to face a day without Mariya.

Uncle Demitri shoves Uncle Alexei's hand out of the way

and checks Mariya's pulse, then mutters, "It's weak but there."

He glances over her. "She's lost a fuck-ton of blood."

The helicopter touches down, and we hurry to get Mariya inside. I keep her in my arms as I take a seat, refusing to let go of her.

Uncle Demitri pulls closer the emergency first aid kit he

brought along and gets to work on stopping the bleeding. Viktor helps his father, and every couple of seconds, the

two men curse when they find a new wound.

I can't believe what they've done to her.

Uncle Alexei places his hands on the sides of Mariya's head and presses his mouth to her hair. I swear it's the first time I've seen the man pray to any god.

With the real possibility of Mariya dying in my arms, I can only stare at her face. Even now, I've never seen anything more beautiful.