Not Without You

     “Please don’t leave me.” She whispered, tear tracks staining her cheeks as she looked into the eyes of her love. The sounds of the battle raging around them seemed to fade away as they sat on the dusty road. Blood oozed from the fatal wound in his chest as he opened his mouth for the last time.

     “I...told you...run.” He coughed.

     “And I said, not without you.” She choked out. Jared took in a final shaky breath, and let it out, his eyes closing.

************************************A half hour earlier*******************************

     “You can’t go! It’s suicide!” Kara shouted at him, desperation written all over her face. Jared cupped her face with his hands.

     “And if I don’t go out there, what will become of this town? Even though we have a mere fifty men, we shall fight to our last breath.” His eyes were full of determination, and Kara knew in that instant that there was no stopping him. She lowered her chin, then said in a low voice, “Take me with you then.” Jared said nothing, only swept her up in a hug.

     “I could never do that. I wouldn’t be able to bear it if you got hurt. You must escape as soon as we march out.” Kara pounded on his chest, angry that he would suggest such a thing.

     “Jared, I’m not leaving. Not without you. I can fight too, if you’d give me a chance.” Her voice wobbled a little, but she held back her tears. Jared squeezed her tighter, then released her.

     “Stay here then, if you really insist. If they get to this house, hide or find a way to get out. Promise me this.” He said firmly. She caught his gaze again. She wasn’t pleased with the decision, but it looked like that was all he would allow. Kara rested her head on his shoulder.

     “Okay.” She promised, sighing in defeat. He brought her head up, kissed her swiftly, and left before she could say another word. Immediately wanting to scream and beg for him to come back, she clamped a hand over her mouth. Kara crumpled to the floor in a heap, disgusted with herself for letting him leave.

     “Jared...” She whispered, feeling that she would never see him again. She listened to the sounds of the men preparing for the raid. The raid that they knew would destroy them. But they couldn’t leave, it was their town. They’d built this town from nothing, and nothing was going to take it away from them. Not without a fight.

     Kara leaped up and rushed to the door, her dress billowing behind her. Pulling back the cloth curtain on the window, she could see the men a block away. They were simply dressed, their working clothes belying their determination to protect what was theirs. Each one of them held a rifle. And there, in the front, directing the crowd, was Jared. Her Jared. She couldn’t let him die.

     Silently apologizing for breaking her promise, she ran to the back of the house, grabbed one of Jared’s rifles from his gun rack, and sprinted out the back door. She went around the house and was just in time to see an opposing raider break out of the pack marching towards the town. As she tried to focus on him, he raised the barrel of his gun, aimed, and shot at the group in the town. Her eyes widened in horror as she watched Jared stumble backwards, as if he’d been pushed. Then she began to sob as he fell to the ground. The ones around him began to charge forward angrily. Kara raced to the middle of the road, dropping to her knees in front of Jared.

 *************************************Present************************************

     Jared’s eyes closed and Kara got up slowly, tears still streaming down her face. She grasped the rifle beside her and marched towards the battle in front of her. But before she could even fire a single shot one was heard that stopped her in her tracks. She looked down to see a splotch of red blossoming on the front of her dress. Stumbling, she fell to her knees, holding her stomach. The next time she looked up it was into the barrel of an enemy gun.