Burn Me Right

Chapter- 77

"You..." Liam began to rise, but Autumn didn't hesitate. She fired another shot, this time striking him in the stomach.

Liam cried out in agony, collapsing to the ground once more. As the room filled with the acrid scent of gunpowder, Carly burst inside, accompanied by Peaches.

"Atty!" Carly screamed, rushing to the visibly shaken girl. The recoil from the gun had left Autumn's senses numb, the weight of her actions sinking in with each passing second.

Autumn had confided in Carly earlier, the only person she trusted with her secrets. She had asked Carly to bring Peaches to her when necessary, and Carly had not probed further, for which Autumn was grateful.

Carly urgently shook Autumn to wake her up from her shock. "You need to leave," Carly emphasized.

"I... I killed him," Autumn confessed, pointing at Liam; all the while, Peaches reached out for her mother. The sight of her distressed fur baby spurred Autumn into action.

Carly glanced down at Liam and noticed the subtle rise and fall of his chest, causing ripples in the pool of blood. "He's not dead yet," Carly declared, kicking Liam's phone out of his hand as he tried to make a call. "You have to go before Cole or someone else arrives," she said as she reached for April.

Curiosity finally got the better of Carly, and she couldn't resist asking, "Who is she?" nodding toward April, whom Autumn was carefully placing in the wheelchair.

Autumn, her eyes a mix of fear and determination, replied. "Someone important," she wheeled out of the warehouse where the driver awaited them. With the driver's help, they put the girl in the car.

"Take care of these two," Carly instructed the driver.

Autumn hugged Carly. "Where will you go?" Autumn knew Zyler would punish Carly if he knew she had helped her escape. "He will hunt you down if he knows you helped me."

"Don't worry about me. I am going to go back home. No one will get me there," she patted Autumn's back. "Besides, it will take him years to come out of this mess he landed himself in," Carly was confident, but Autumn wasn't. Her heart told her otherwise.

Carly released Autumn and touched her cheeks, wiping her tears. "Stay out of trouble, will you?" Autumn chuckled.

"Where to next?" Carly stroked Peaches' fur as the boy licked Carly's hand.

"Ireland," Autumn had already secured a place there. "I don't think he will find me there. Zyler cannot set foot in that country. I don't know what rivalry he has with that government. There is not a single company of his over there." Autumn had researched every place Zyler had his foot in except Ireland. She didn't know why, and she did not need an answer. For now, safety is all she needs.

"Will you stay in touch with me?" Carly kissed Peaches's head.

"It's too dangerous for both of us. But when the time comes, I will reach out to you. I need to get my parents, and we need to flee for now." Autumn glanced at her phone and looked at the time. Grabbing a rock, she cracked the phone into two. "He won't be able to find me now."

She got in the car and closed the door. Rolling the window down, she said, "Thank you for all your help, Carly. I will see you again." With teary eyes, she saw the warehouse disappearing behind her. She kissed Peaches' head as he lay his head in her lap.

She looked at the country that caused her a lot of trouble. With a heavy heart, she closed her eyes, not knowing that no matter how far they ran, the monsters would always be chasing after them. A pair of blue and grey eyes will always follow them.

.............................

Two years later...........

A solitary cabin stood in the heart of the Irish countryside, nestled among ancient woods that whispered secrets and mysteries. It was an escape from the bustle of the nearby city, a lonely embrace of the misty forest.