Time slowed nearly to a standstill. Saija's breaths froze in her lungs as her foot inched backward, her eyes full of fear.
The guard glanced around nervously, then, in one swift motion, snatched her by the arm, pulling her closer to him.
He chewed out a whisper in her ear, cutting through her whimpering, "Stop resisting, or they'll think ya got somethin'. You don't, right?"
With a gulp, she shook her head vigorously.
"Alright then," he reassured. "Ain't got a thing to worry bout then, boy."
With that, his hands roughly began patting against her little trembling body in pursuit of the mineral.
She sucked a breath in through her clenched teeth and stared straight ahead, working hard to ease her ramped-up heart. Sweat trickled down her nose, leaving a brining taste on her lips as she disassociated from the uncomfortable moment.
When he finished, he simply stood up and fell in line with his fellow guardsmen.
As they let them go, she hurriedly slipped on her shoes and overshirt before returning to Marcus's side to help him, a sense of relief washing over her.
As they emerged from the building, she struggled to support Marcus's weight as they trekked through the dirt. But when she caught sight of Ronny anxiously pacing back and forth right across the deserted street, her spirits lifted.
She pointed to Ronny with a hopeful look, trying to draw Marcus's attention. But as she glanced up, she realized the gravity of his state. His face had paled to the complexion of a ghost, his eyes glazed over, and suddenly, the giant man came tumbling down right atop of her.
She shrieked, plunging her hands into his stomach to try and stop the imminent, but she was no match for his weight. Every second was a step closer to him plummeting on top of her and then crashing into the ground.
Her eyes darted to Ronny; he hadn't noticed them yet. She needed to get his attention.
Her lips pressed together, her tongue prepped to speak.
"Br—"
"Shit, Marcus!" Arliss, out of seemingly nowhere, materialized at her side, gripping Marcus by the shirt and holding him upright. His sudden appearance was a light in the darkness. As soon as he saw his eyes closed and the color drained from his face, he yelled for Ronny and began positioning him to lie on the ground.
Saija exerted everything she had to assist, but Ronny's arrival soon overshadowed her efforts. Taking charge of the situation, the two men collaborated to lower Marcus to the ground gently.
The sight of Marcus's bloody and bruised face, coupled with his loss of consciousness, was deeply distressing and alarming.
In the midst of the chaos, Ronny swiftly turned towards Saija, firmly grasping her shoulders as he began to examine her carefully for any signs of injury.
"Are ya hurt?!" he demanded.
She stood rigid, her hands dropped at her sides as she shook her head.
Ronny's voice took a softer turn as he asked next, "What happened?"
She glanced at Marcus and then back to Ronny, her shoulders starting to rise and fall with each heavy breath.
The whole ordeal came crashing back into her mind; this was her fault.
Marcus was injured because of her.
YOU ARE READING
The Bitter Truth
General Fiction"Do ya like it?" he asked, eager to know her thoughts. She nodded, her eyes honestly drinking in every detail of the beautiful world just beyond her fingertips. "Imma gets us there one day, Saija," he spoke softly. She tried to hide it, but a smile...
