Runaway- Book 1 in the River and the Romanovs series

Flashback

There was a crack, and next thing I knew, I was shot, and fell backwards onto the wooden floors. There was a laugh, and the metal gun dropped from the woman's hands.

Blood came gushing out of my stomach, and coursed through my body. I began to scream in pain. The woman kept laughing at me, through heartlessness and cruelty. But, it almost sounded like she was crying. How could that be so?

The front door tore open, and 5 men and a young boy, not much older than me ran in. 2 of them hurried to my aide, and lifted me up onto a stretcher.

"You..." one of the men glared at the woman. "Dominika...how could you? To our own daughter?"

"Andy, I had to. I hope she'll be able to forgive me one day when she's older..." Dominika looked wistfully at me.

"But, but why!? She's only 6!"

"Andy, I'm sorry! I was doing it for with her best interest!"

"And where does attempting her murder fall in the 'best interest' category, Dominika! A mother doesn't do that to her child! You would've done that to Reygan!"

"Because I don't want them to live the same life I was forced to live!"

"Then you should've given both of them to me! I would've treated them the way that they deserve to be treated! And now our youngest daughter might die, and she might die because of you! I hope you go to prison for life!"

"Andy, Dominika. Please stop this fighting. Let's just focus on the girl." the last man to walk in, and holding the little boy in his arms, ordered.

"Yes, sir." Andy submitted immediately.

Dominika just nodded coldly.

"Oh, and you..." the man glared at her. "are going to prison after this horrific crime has been settled, and you have been proven guilty, Dominika Shores. Let's get her out of her, gentlemen."

"Yes, Nicholas." one of the other men obeyed immediately.

Nicholas...the name sounded oddly familiar. And the vision of the boy, I feel like I've seen him somewhere before, and somewhere recently. Maybe Crasander? No, it couldn't be. He doesn't have the same complexion as the boy.

I was rushed to the ambulance. Andy, my father, sat in the back with me, and was stroking my hair.

"Oh, honey, I'm so sorry she had to do this to you. You're too innocent, too young to die like this. River, please don't die!" he whispered to me.

The man, Nicholas, and the boy also climbed in the back with me. Nicholas watched me with sad eyes, and the boy held my hand to comfort me, squeezing it every once in awhile. My dad smiled at him.

"Thank you."

The boy smiled back. "You're welcome. It's horrible that your daughter has to go through this. Even though I know what it's like. Not to be shot, though. To bleed." the boy said sadly.

The memory stopped there, and I slid down the tunnel, and came out the other end, breathing heavily and wanting to scream.

Reygan came racing to my side. "River, are you okay? Why are you breathing so hard?"

"I-I had a flashback. Of that night, when we were 6. The night I was shot." I replied.

She pulled me into a hug. "I can't imagine how horrible that must be. I'm so sorry." she whispered.

I hugged her back. "It's okay."

Mr. Arang and Mr. Shocker came screaming at us. "River! Reygan! Get your butts back over here right now, you two!"

We looked at each other, and said one word. "Run!" we yelled at each other.

We turned around and ran full speed towards the forest. I made it into the border, then turned around to grab Reygan's hand. She reached out and grabbed it. We ran deeper, finally free from Mr. Arang, Mr. Shocker, Ms. Beklyn, Daniel Crasander, everyone.