Ruthless

72

"What are we going to do?" Faith's voice trembled, her eyes wide with terror. Her entire body was shaking, overtaken by fear, as if every muscle had seized up, unable to relax. Her shallow breathing echoed the panic in the room.

"I... I don't know," I admitted, though my own voice was strained with tension. I could feel a lump of dread rising in my throat, but I forced myself to stay steady.

"We have to think quickly. They'll be here any moment." My eyes scanned the room, darting from wall to wall, desperately searching for anything that could give us a chance.

But every piece of furniture seemed useless, every corner offering no escape.

There was nothing. Nothing could save us.

Faith's gaze met mine, and she must have seen the helplessness reflected in my expression.

Her breathing grew even more frantic, each inhale sharp and uneven. Her chest heaved, her legs trembling beneath her. It was clear... Faith was on the verge of collapsing for anxiety.

No, not now. We couldn't afford for her to break down. Not here. Not now.

"Faith," I said, stepping closer to her. "It's going to be okay." The words felt empty, even to me, but I had to say them. I had to keep her from spiraling out of control.

I doubted she believed me. I didn't even believe in myself. But I had no other choice. We had to survive this...for the babies, for each other.

Faith's eyes darted to the nightstand where her phone lay, a small glow on the screen as a notification popped up.

That tiny flash of light stirred a sliver of hope in me. Maybe... maybe there was still a way out. If Edward knew what was happening, maybe he could help.

"Can you call Edward and tell him we're being attacked?" I asked softly, my voice calm but edged with urgency.

Faith's entire body tensed at the mention of Edward. She shook her head quickly, her grip tightening on the babies, her knuckles turning white.

The babies whimpered in her arms, their small cries adding to the tension that hung thick in the room. Their tiny faces scrunched up in discomfort. I knew it wouldn't be long before their whimpers turned into full cries.

"Faith, you're holding them too tight," I said gently, trying to coax her back to reality. "Please, put them in the crib. We need to keep them safe."

But Faith's fear was clouding her judgment. Faith backed away from me, her eyes wild, shaking her head as though she couldn't bear the thought of letting them go.

"Faith," I said, my voice growing firmer. "You have to snap out of it. If you don't, we're all going to die. I need you to help me. We can't do this without you."

She froze, her eyes locking onto mine, wide with conflict. Slowly, she looked down at the babies in her arms. Her whole body trembled, and for a moment, I thought she might break again.

But then, with slow, shaking steps, she moved toward the crib. Her arms wobbled as she lowered the babies down, and their tiny cries instantly grew louder, their little hands reaching up for her, wanting to be held again.

I saw the hesitation in Faith's eyes, the battle she was waging against herself. She wanted to pick them up again, to hold them close and protect them. But she couldn't. Not now.

Before she could change her mind, I quickly moved to the crib, leaning down to calm the babies. "Shh, it's okay," I whispered softly, brushing my hand over their tiny heads. "Mommy and I are going to keep you safe. We're going to get you away from bad men. But you have to be brave for us."