"Easy... easy... calm down... He deserved it," Kael muttered, pacing like a caged beast, his body trembling with rage and fear.
His mind was a whirlwind of blood, screams, and death.
"What do I do...? What do I do...?" he whispered, his hands clenched so tightly his nails dug into his skin.
He took a deep breath, forcing himself to act.
He approached the young woman still sitting on the ground, curled up into herself.
She was covered in blood, trembling, her eyes vacant like a wounded animal's.
"What's your name?" he asked, his voice cracking.
"Luisa..." she whispered, barely audible.
Kael crouched down, catching her gaze.
There was no time for compassion. Not now.
"Listen to me... I'm glad you're alive," he said, swallowing hard. "But I need to ask you something important."
"Tell me..." Luisa sobbed.
"And... thank you... thank you for saving me. I would hug you, but... I'm covered in blood..."
Kael closed his eyes for a moment, feeling a sharp pain pierce his chest.
"Nothing happened here. No one can know what you saw.
Do you promise?"
"I promise..." Luisa nodded through her tears, her voice broken.
"I swear... What's your name?"
"Kael."
Carefully, he helped her to her feet.
Luisa was so light she felt like she might break with a touch.
"Thank you, Kael..." she whispered.
"That man... he'll never hurt me again..."
Kael held her tightly against his chest, shielding her.
Together, staggering, they began walking toward the road.
But then Kael froze.
A black pickup truck was waiting ahead.
Silent.
Motionless.
Like a predator lying in wait.
"Wait..." he whispered, alarm rising in his voice.
"That truck... something's not right..."
"Oh God... I'm scared..." Luisa whimpered, clinging to his back.
From the vehicle, four men in black suits stared at them with cold, pitiless eyes.
"Son of a bitch... that's the little whore we were gonna sell!" the passenger growled, slamming his hand on the dashboard.
"And who's that asshole? Where's Jorge?"
The leader, Ismael, calmly rolled down the window.
His gaze was that of an executioner.
"Beaten up like that, she's worth nothing."
Without hesitation, he pulled out a rifle and aimed.
Click.
Nothing.
The weapon jammed.
"Fuck! Give me another one, goddamn it!" he roared.
Kael didn't think.
He lifted Luisa onto his back and bolted toward the forest, where darkness offered a fragile hope.
"Hold on, Luisa! I won't let you go..." he panted, muscles burning.
Behind them, pickup truck doors slammed open.
"Kill them!" Ismael thundered.
Two thugs leapt from the vehicle and began firing into the air.
Gunshots ripped through the night like lashes.
Kael ran blindly, dodging branches, roots, and shadows.
Every step was a battle.
But fate played a cruel hand.
His foot sank into a hidden hole.
He stumbled.
They fell.
Luisa cried out.
Kael shielded her, trying to rise, to keep running...
Too late.
The men were already there.
One aimed straight at Luisa's head.
"NO!" Kael screamed. "No, please!"
An instant of silence.
Heavy as lead.
Two shots.
Luisa's body shuddered.
Hot blood splattered across Kael's face.
He remained frozen.
The world collapsing around him.
"LUISAAAA!" he roared, a wail so raw even the trees seemed to shudder.
One of the men approached, laughing, pistol still smoking.
"Did you really think you were going to save her, you idiot?"
Kael didn't answer.
Inside him, everything had gone silent.