Love is Dead

Back in the Woods

Eventually, the professor and Will left them inside, stationing guards outside to report any complications with their twisted "experiment."

The cabin was heavy with silence, oppressive and thick, as if the air itself conspired to keep them pinned in place. Carmen shifted in her restraints, the rough rope biting into her wrists. Across from her, Logan sat eerily still, his mismatched eyes fixed on a point beyond her shoulder, lost in concentration as his arm seemed to be moving rather oddly in the binds.

Minutes dragged on like hours. Carmen's muscles ached, and her mind raced, searching for any chance, any plan. She glanced at Logan, noting the tension in his jaw and the subtle movements of his left arm—the skeletal one. His fingers flexed almost imperceptibly, moving with a strange, deliberate pattern.

"Logan?" she whispered, a mix of confusion and urgency in her voice.

He didn't answer right away, his gaze still distant, focused inward. Then, with a quiet, almost mechanical click, he twisted the base of his arm, unscrewing it just enough to expose a sharp, hidden joint beneath. His eyes finally met hers, a grim determination in them.

"They didn't check it," he muttered, almost to himself. His voice was calm, but there was an edge to it—a simmering intensity that sent a shiver down her spine.

Understanding dawned on Carmen. "You've been... loosening it this whole time?"

He nodded, the corners of his mouth twitching into something that might have been a smile, or maybe a grimace. "They underestimated me. Clearly." He glanced at the ropes binding her wrists. "Hold still."

Carefully, he maneuvered the exposed joint against the rough fibers, the sharp edge biting into the rope. Each movement was slow, deliberate, every scrape echoing in the suffocating quiet. Carmen clenched her jaw, every nerve on edge as she listened for footsteps outside.

The rope frayed and snapped, the sudden release sending a jolt through her body. She gasped quietly, flexing her fingers to regain feeling. There was no time to dwell on the pain. "Now you," she whispered, reaching for his bindings.

Her fingers trembled slightly, slick with sweat, but she worked quickly, tugging at the knot with desperate focus. The ropes were tight, digging into his skin, but after a tense minute, they loosened and fell away.

Logan reattached his bony limb with a practiced twist, wincing as it clicked back into place. They exchanged a quick, determined glance—no words needed.

Logan cracked the door open just a sliver, peering out. Two guards stood at the edge of the porch, their backs to the cabin, rifles slung over their shoulders. One of them was tapping his boot against the wooden floorboards, the sound rhythmic and impatient.

Logan gestured silently: Go left.

Carmen nodded, slipping out first, crouching low. The forest loomed just beyond the clearing, a wall of shadow and tangled branches. Freedom.

Logan followed, moving with a predator's grace. Just as they reached the cover of the trees, a shout rang out behind them.

"They're escaping!"

"Run!" Logan hissed.

They bolted into the woods, branches whipping past, the ground uneven beneath their feet. The sound of pursuit grew louder—crashing footsteps, shouted orders, the metallic click of weapons being readied. The ground seemed to slip out beneath carmen in the dark.

Shots rang out, the crack echoing through the trees. As Carmen tried to get up her shoulder exploded in pain, the force knocking her back off balance. She stumbled, her vision blurring with tears.

"Carmen!" Logan's voice was sharp, panicked. He caught her before she fell, dragging her up and onward. "You've got this. Keep moving."

"I—I'm fine," she gasped, her breath coming in short, painful bursts. Blood trickled down her arm and back, warm and sticky, as she clutched it tight. They couldn't stop now. Logan swiftly picked her up as he dashed through the woods.

The forest seemed to close around them, the dense undergrowth offering both cover and treacherous obstacles. The shouts grew fainter, the sounds of pursuit more distant. But they couldn't slow down, couldn't risk being caught again.

"There!" Logan said urgently to a shadowed gap in the hillside—a cave, hidden by moss and fallen branches. They stumbled inside, the cool darkness enveloping them.

Logan eased Carmen down against the rough stone wall, his eyes scanning the entrance. "We'll be safe here. For now."

Carmen's breath came in ragged gasps, her head spinning. She leaned back against the stone, the pain in her shoulder flaring with each heartbeat. "Some... plan huh?"

Logan crouched beside her, eyes hard but softened by a flicker of concern. "It worked mostly."

His one muscular arm tore a strip from his shirt, his movements careful but efficient. "Let me see your shoulder."

Carmen grimaced but nodded, biting her lip as he pressed the fabric against the wound. His rough and calloused hands worked with surprising gentleness. She watched him in the dim light, noting the tension in his jaw and the focused intensity in his eyes.

"Thank you," she whispered, the words barely audible.

Logan glanced up, his expression unreadable. "It's nothing."

"I know. But still... I wouldn't have made it without you."

Something flickered in his eyes—a softness, quickly masked by his usual guarded look.

"It isn't like you haven't done the same."

Carmen leaned her head back, closing her eyes for a moment. The cave was cool, the stone pressing against her, grounding her. She could feel the weight of the escape, the adrenaline fading to leave only exhaustion and pain.

"We'll rest here," Logan said quietly. "But not long. They'll be looking for us."

Carmen nodded, her eyes opening again to meet his. "We'll be ready."