𝘼𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙨 𝙁𝙤𝙧 𝙁𝙞𝙧𝙚𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠𝙨

One

past...

I stepped over countless bodies, fallen soldiers of our side and the enemy. I didn't acknowledge them, all I cared about was finding Luitenant Logan. Soldiers--enemies--aimed with their guns loaded, I fired at them faster than I blinked away the tears. I was scared. Not for my own life, but that I might not find the Luitenant.

I kept running, my legs never feeling tired. Adrenaline kept me from noticing my heart pumping in my ears and the blood on my face.

"Luitenant!" I screamed, but my voice barely rose above the sound of guns. "Luitenant!" My throat hurt as I screamed again, but the gunfire drowned out my voice.

I finally spotted him and ran towards him. Enemy soldiers were soon all around me but I hardly even saw them drop as I hit every single one. My back hit the wall he was hiding behind as I stood beside him, catching my breath and clutching my gun to my chest.

"Maria, why did you leave your post?" Luitenant Logan asked, taking hold of my arms and moving me to a safer position farther into the concrete corner.

"There were too many soldiers, I had to see if you were still alive," I answered, my voice shuddering in my ears.

"You shouldn't be here!" He sounded irritated, but his voice wasn't harsh.

I looked from his left eye to his right eye and back again like I always did when he corrected me, or when I was scared. But his grasp on my arms kept all my attention on him rather than the violence around us.

"I have to get you somewhere safe, away from here." He said.

"No!" I screamed, jerking away. "Let me stay with you!"

"Maria." He said firmly.

My eyes fell instantly. "No." Is all I muttered.

He took my arm again, with a firm but gentle hold. He had never hurt me, and I knew he never would, despite how strong he was.

I didn't want to leave him, but I followed after him towards a safe place in the trees without arguing anymore. My throat burned from getting angry and screaming.

"Stay here." He said, guiding me to sit on my knees. I was eye level with a big space in the leaves of the bushes, I could see the big tower in the middle of town. "Don't come back for me unless you see the flare."

My eyes met his, searching between the two of them again. "I'm sorry," I said.

"Then do as I say." He responded.

I held my gun to my chest once again, my fingers subconsciously grazing over every tiny feature. "Okay,"

He left again, running back into the heat of the battle. I stayed where I was, watching the big tower with laser focus. I doubted he'd send up a flare...he always said he might but he never did.