Sacrifice

Chapter Four

The day began the way any other day did during the war, with bombs and nonstop shooting echoing all through the base. Rowan wanted to throw his pillow over his face and shield himself from the noise, however, he remembered Malik and decided to jump out of bed and took the first shift. He got dressed in loose camo pants that were covered in dry mud and dirt alongside some blood, and he wore a sand brown t-shirt to go with it. He put on his utility belt and secured his handgun before digging throw his bag for some protein bars. He found a cliff bar and quickly hid it inside his pocket before combing his fingers through his dark brown curls of hair and head towards the interrogation room.

When Rowan unclocked the door, he made sure to lock it behind him as he crept up to the chair where Malik sat in a deep sleep. Gently, he placed his hand on Malik's shoulder and shook him lightly, whispering his name.

Malik opened his eyes, though Rowan had no way of knowing due to the damp blindfold that still covered Malik's brown eyes. The boy was barely awake due to his lack of energy, he had been imprisoned for over thirty-six hours without food. It was clearly showing that the boy wouldn't last much longer.

"Listen, I know you don't trust me anymore but I promise I'll make it up to you." Rowan reached for his pocket and dug out the cliff bar, unwrapping it for Malik. "Eat this, it'll give you energy. Hurry before someone comes."

It was a matter of survival, not whether his feelings were hurt. Malik knew if he refused to eat then he would die a slow and painful death due to starvation. His body would break down and start to eat itself while he struggled to breathe, feeling every nerve in his mutilated corpse fight for their right to live. If this was some sort of trick if the food was poisoned than he would die anyway. So, he chose to fight and devoured the bar within minutes from Rowan's shaky hands.

Rowan was admiring Malik's caramel colored skin, the soft brown was laced with sweat and yet, the glistening skin had never seemed so beautiful. It was then that a knock interrupted them, and when Rowan opened the door, he met eyes with his direct Lieutenant and Dax.

"I was just telling the Leuitenant that if you've sucked all of the information out of him that he was good to go," Dax spoke first.

"I'm done. There's nothing left for him to say that we don't already know. We can let him go now?"

Dax laughed, "Go? Go where? We're gonna kill him."

Rowan's eyes widened but he remained calm in front of his superior who agreed and left the two men to do the deed. Dax pulled out a gun and placed it behind Malik's head, the barrel pushing against his skull. 

Malik trembled and began to beg through sobs, "Please, no. I'll never come back, I promise. Just don't kill me, please."

"Dax, don't do this." Rowan pleaded but it was no use.

"If you try to stop me, I'll have no choice but to shoot you, Rowan." Rowan stepped behind Malik with the barrel of Dax's gun now pointing directly at Rowan's chest. "I won't ask you again."

Malik couldn't see anything, all he could do was hope for he could feel Rowan's presence behind him. Before he had time to breathe, a loud gunshot echoed through the enclosed room, the sound of a body falling to the ground made him scream, "Rowan! No!"