I have never begged anyone to stay,
But I said please that day.
We can work this out.
I have never prayed for anything so badly,
but I remember begging the universe that if it could hear me somehow,
all I want is a chance to make it work.
'I can't'...
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The gunshot echoes in my head, impossibly loud, disorienting me as time slows to a stop. My body jolts into survival mode-heart racing, muscles tensed, senses sharpened-then numbness seeps in as an eerie silence wraps around me. It's almost as if I've left my own body.
I open my eyes, realizing the silence is only in my head. Around me, people are springing into action, their mouths moving, shouting, running towards me.
Lucian, still tangled with me, staggers backwards, taking two steps back, and I watch him as if from a distance. His eyes are wide with shock, and he looks straight at me, almost pleading. The gun falls from his hand, and he lurches forward, collapsing into my arms, blood trickling from a wound on his forehead, streaming down his face and onto his chest.
I'm in shock, sure that I've been shot-I can still feel that phantom impact-but I'm unhurt. The shot wasn't on me.
His weight grows heavier as his body becomes limp, pulling me down to my knees with him. His breaths grow faint, disbelief still etched into his gaze.
Suddenly, people surround him-one kicks the gun away, while another retrieves it, even though Lucian's in no condition to be a threat to any one anymore.
Reality crashes back, and I realize I'm holding my uncle as he slips away.
My instincts suddenly checkkick in. My fingers instinctively go to his neck, searching for a pulse.
I lay him down and check his heart beat, almost all gone.
"Roman!" A voice cuts through the haze. "Roman?"
I'm pulled away from him, someone patting me down, checking for injuries.
"Are you hit?" they ask.
It takes a moment for it to sink in why they're asking. My face is bloody from the shot that hit Lucian. My hands and chest are splattered with blood too-his blood.
"No." At least, I don't think so.
"Hey, are you alright?" Another voice, checking in.
I nod numbly. "Mom....." I mumble, ".... I need to check on my mother?"
"One of our teams found her outside, parked just past the gate. She called 911 and was waiting when we arrived. She's safe."
I nod with relief, the shock still clouding my mind.
I barely process the swarm of people combing the scene until I recognize Ross, holstering his weapon and turning away from where Lucian's body lie.
"You good?" he asks, putting a steady hand on my shoulder.
"I think I need to sit down." I say. He smiles slightly, squeezing my shoulder before stepping away.
I look up just in time to see my mom getting out of a car, her eyes darting around before finding me. She runs over, tears welling up as she reaches for me.
