I shook my head as my eyes met Dad’s eyes.
Fear left me immobile as tears fell down my cheeks, touching the corner of my lips. It was the only thing that kept my mind solely on reality, even when I didn’t want to.
I didn’t want this reality.
Please let this be a dream.
Dad’s eyes were wide, and his mouth opened, but nothing came out.
I swallowed the bile rushing to my throat as everything in the room quieted down until all I could focus on was him.
He slowly dropped to the ground, revealing Stephen in front of me with a gun aimed at us.
I blinked, my brain feeling like it was encased in mud.
My eyes took in the cabin. Most men were on the floor, unmoving, the smell of blood teasing my nostrils.
I thought I saw the tall one’s body…
I blinked again, trying to clear my vision and thought.
Stephen looked like he wanted to kill me.
I couldn’t bring myself to care.
A sound rang to his left, then blood splattered out from the side of his head before he dropped to the ground.
I must be seeing things, because the next thing I knew, Roman was in front of me.
He was saying something, but I couldn’t hear.
His mouth moved as he grasped my arms and shook me slightly, but no sound came out.
No sound save for the incessant ringing in my ears that was getting louder and louder with each passing second. My knees buckled and I fell.
Micah came into my line of sight, and he handed something to Roman… a key.
Soon, the shackles loosened around my wrists.
Roman tried to help me up, but I shook him off as I crawled to my dad.
I touched his shoulder.
“Daddy?”
He didn’t move.
“Daddy, wake up. We have to go now, so please—” My voice was cut off. I took a deep breath, hoping to hold on to my composure. I was a hairline trigger away from breaking. Why did I want to break apart so badly? I didn’t understand it. “Please wake up.”
His eyes remained closed.
His chest wasn’t moving. Why wasn’t it moving? Why wasn’themoving?
“Please,” I begged.
Around me, men moved.
I didn’t care anymore.
