The Assailants

2. Lies and Sufferings

I woke up to silence.

For a moment, I didn't move. My body felt heavy, stiff from the cold and exhaustion. Then I felt it—small, warm, and fragile—resting against my chest.

Jessy.

I looked down.

She was still asleep in my arms, her tiny face peaceful despite everything we had been through. Her soft breathing was the only thing grounding me in reality.

I carefully shifted my arm and checked my watch.

One hour.

That's all I got.

It felt like seconds.

I let out a quiet breath and gently pulled the thick blanket off us. The cold immediately crept back in, biting at my skin.

No time to rest.

I stood up slowly, my legs protesting from the strain. I searched around the house for anything useful—clothes, fabric, anything I could turn into a blanket for Jessy.

Nothing.

Of course.

"Alright..." I whispered to myself. "We keep moving."

I wrapped Jessy tighter against me and stepped outside.

⸻

The night was still dark, but the air had changed.

We continued walking through the hills, the ground uneven beneath my tired feet. The wind had softened, but the cold still lingered, clinging to my skin. Each step felt heavier than the last, my body begging me to stop.

But I couldn't.

Not yet.

"Jessy... hold on," I murmured, adjusting her carefully. "We're close... I can feel it."

I climbed one last hill, my breathing ragged.

And then—

I saw it.

A village.

Small. Quiet. Nestled between the hills like it was hiding from the world.

Relief flooded through me so suddenly my knees almost gave out.

"We made it..." I whispered.

⸻

As I made my way down, the air began to warm. The freezing wind faded, replaced by a gentler breeze. Sweat formed along my neck, and I quickly loosened the layers around us.

Jessy stirred slightly but didn't wake.

Good.

She needed the rest.

⸻

The village was peaceful.

Too peaceful.