𝗧𝗼𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗿𝗼𝘄'𝘀 𝗟𝗮𝘀𝘁 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗵 | an apocalyptic novel ©

Chapter 107

Liar

2035

Valencia

The shot is fired. I get kicked back by the recoil of the gun since I couldn't prepare to get in position to fire. The shepherd runs toward me at full speed. It gets hit in the chest by the bullet, I barely fired before it could bite my neck. I want to make sure this dog is dead, but the other one follows his fallen companion.

Of course, both of them are here.

Already contemplating the options between dying and living, I run out of the back room back to the bar counter, throwing glass bottles full of liquor and alcohol in the way, aiming for the animal chasing after me.

But I can't aim as fast, I am thrown to the ground face first by the dog pinning me down, growling and biting, bleaching its teeth so close to my neck when I strain against the animal.

A sharp pain jolts through my rib cage when I manage to wiggle around and flip on my back.

The broken bottleneck of a liquor bottle is sticking out from my rib. I must have fallen onto it when I was thrown to the ground. The sight is nauseating, yet I can't waste any thought on that when the real threat is still here.

I try to push away the hound with my legs and knees, grabbing its head to turn away from me.

The only thing to defend myself that I can grab is the broken bottleneck still stuck in my skin. I rip it out with a muffled scream and stab it into the fur of the dog attacking me - again and again and again. It howls and backs away, only to lunge at me again. But that defense bought me minimal time. Despite my pain, I struggle up, throw myself backward against the counter and aim with the gun, my finger trembling on the trigger.

Aidan should have heard me by now - he should have, if he is still conscious with that blood loss.

The fired shot tears apart my eardrums, followed by the whining of the dog going down right in front of the white tip of my Converse sneakers.

Barely. I barely managed. Its teeth are so close-close-close, I can imagine what would have happened if I dared to take a second too long. My breath is coming out in ragged hitched gasps, every inhale hurts. Clutching my ribcage, I feel blood stain my hand and drip down to the ground.

I can't afford to tell him. I can't afford to tell Aidan. I will be okay. I just can't tell him. Not now.

"Valencia?! Fucking hell, what happened?!"

The call makes me flinch. "Yeah? I'm here!" I call back to Aidan, trying my best to stand up from my slumped position while hiding my pain. It works better than I thought.

"Oh fuck! You're okay!" he sighs in relief and hurries over to me, brushing my loose hair out of my face. But then, he notices the spot of blood on my T-shirt.

"It's not mine," I lie and motion to the two killed animals lying on the cold tiles.

He nods, exhaling slowly. "I- I just heard gunshots and..." He doesn't finish the sentence and just pulls me in for a tight hug, wrapping his arms around me more and more as if he's afraid he could lose me. My ribs hurt too much from that, but I try to not make a sound because of it.

After a moment, Aidan lets go and scans me from head to toe. "Are you okay?"

I force my smile to look realistic and nod, lying again. Internally, I am in excruciating pain.

I can't afford to tell him. I can't afford to tell Aidan. I will be okay. I just can't tell him.

Not now.

"I don't like it here anymore," I admit. Aidan looks around, almost suspiciously. "Yeah, me neither."

I sigh, almost causing a choked pained gasp to escape my lips. "Where do we go?"

The barricaded front of the theater comes into our view - another place, another lucky try.

The windows and main entrance are nailed shut with wooden planks. I dig my fingers into the crack between two planks and pull. Sure enough, it doesn't come apart. Aidan has gone around the building to the side and found a window that is only covered by a piece of wet, wilted cardboard. I help him take it down and look around on the ground. Even bending down is almost impossible while hiding my pain. I should just tell him. But when I want to part my lips, I can't seem to say it.

"I am not going to waste any more bullets for a stupid window," I instead comment and pick up a rock which I then smash the glass with. My ribs hurt alone from the movement. And although I try to push it away, I notice myself getting weaker ever since the attack happened.

Hide it. Don't let him know.

Before we enter, I stop and nudge Aidan, holding out his gun to him.

"Two bullets are left. Sorry, I might not have such a good aim since I never held a gun before," I say.

He huffs. "Come on, you survived that attack alone. That was a good aim if I have ever seen one. You're a good shot."

His response almost makes me blush.

But in reality, I know what I am.

A liar - a bloody, foul one.