The Gold and the Forest

XXX

Chapter 30: Sliver

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Her heart beating wildly in her ribcage, she looked him in the eyes.

"No." She cried. "I won't listen to you."

"Run— Vivien."

---

"You were right," She spun around a street light. "He did like the cookies."

"They were good cookies." He nodded, following after her in a relaxed gait.

Her hair fell over her shoulder and onto her chest as she smiled at him. "Who knew you could have good ideas like that?"

"Hm." He responded thoughtfully, stopping in front of her.

She looked up at him, brushing her hair behind her ear, her smiling receding and coming back like she couldn't contain her joy.

Her face was warmed by the street light coming alive. He looked up at it, musing at how on beat it was with the moment.

"What are you looking at?" She had turned her head up at the light too, squinting.

He smiled down at her while she was distracted and took one of her hands. She noticed but she kept staring at the light, trying to stall from the inevitable moment when their eyes will have to meet.

She let the moment inhale before she released it and looked into his eyes.

You. She read in his eyes. I was looking at you.

Her heart was in her throat now.

"Do you..." His voice was soft. "Do you want to come over?"

---

His fingers gripped the knife tightly and then released. In the corner he stayed, there was a sliver that allowed him to see the street and keep watch on that specific house. The two figures appeared in his line of sight, one he did not account for. His breath sped up in anticipation.

The two exchanged a few words before the boy stepped away from her to go check in his house. Her curls bounced while she swayed back and forth, waiting for him.

And a big hand enclosed over her mouth.

---

Vivien screamed.

Carl paused before sprinting back out the door. He stared at the man who had a hand over Vivien's mouth and a gun pointed right at him. Carl's mouth ran dry.

A gun.

A glint shone in the eyes of the man holding Vivi ever closer to him, stepping back jaggedly. "Gotcha." He gleefully sang into Vivi's ear and she shuddered.

"Stop." Carl's voice was low.

It was the same man that had attacked Vivi with a knife a few weeks prior. He looked like he only had a gun on him. From Carl's command, the man faltered for a second, and Vivi took the chance to bite him full force and scramble towards Carl.

Bang. The smoke wisped from the gun as the barrel exploded loudly.

Vivi cried as she crashed at the foot of the stairs up to his door. Carl's hands grabbed her frantically and yanked her in, slamming the door behind them.

With her in his arms, he quickly felt her for any injuries in the darkness of the living room. Nothing. The bullet must have missed her. His breath wavered in relief, both of them shaking in fear. He swallowed hard.

The door jerked as the man slammed into it, trying to get in. Carl pressed his weight against the door, mind whirling. A gun. Still in his hand. He could still shoot us through this door.

His hands felt for her face and he lowered his head, whispering urgently. "Call 911."

He felt her nods, stiff and shaky. He pushed her under a table before grabbing the nearest thing to barricade the door. He moved fast, and prayed that the police would come soon. But in a neighborhood like his, he wondered if they had that luxury.

The door stopped jerking, and all was silent.

And then he heard the rattling of something in the house. His breath hitched.

He was attempting to come in from a window. Carl swore under his breath and made a break for his room. He was attempting to come in from there. Snatching the short blade he had in the kitchen, he sprinted into the room.

He pounced on the man, throwing him down onto the floor. He broke first the attacker's nose and then wrist before realizing that this was not the same guy who had the gun.

Bang.

Carl stopped breathing.

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