“Wait. Don’t move.” Alphonse stood frozen, eyes scanning the grounds. “Something doesn’t seem right.”
I tightened my grip on Gigi, thankful the snow showers had subsided. “What do you see?”
“Just… something is off,” Alphonse insisted, his gaze flickered toward the tree line. “I can feel it.”
A chill ran down my spine as I sensed the same. Everything felt too still, too quiet.
“So, what? We’re just going to stand here and wait for them to take us out?” Luca whispered fiercely, his gun steady in his grip.
“Forgive me if I don't trust his instincts,” Matteo countered.
Alphonse's gaze hardened. “In a time like this, you always go with your gut instinct. Never question it.” Alphonse faced the ground again, cautiously stepping forward.
A faint glimmer appeared in the distance, confirming he was right. I cursed under my breath, shielding Gigi. “Take cover!” I ordered.
But it was too late.
A shot rang in the air.
Luca crumpled to the ground, a cry escaping his lips.
“Luca!” Matteo shouted.
“Motherfucker!” he cursed as he frantically tried to stem the bleeding on his leg with his hands.
“You dumbass!” Lo scolded, rushing over to his side.
“Shut the fuck up and get me out of here,” Luca grunted.
Matteo and Lo ran to Luca’s side. They grabbed the back of Luca’s jacket and hauled him out of the way. Matteo crouched over the wound, his brow furrowed. “It went through. You’ll live,” he said.
Matteo drew his knife and cut a strip from Luca's jacket, wrapping it tightly around Luca’s wound.
“Fuck off,” Luca spat. “You weren’t the one shot.”
“Knock it off,” I hissed. I turned to Alphonse, dread clawing at my insides. “Do you see anyone?”
He peered over the statue and shook his head. “Why come now?” he muttered. “This was a fucking trap.”
Before I could respond, bullets tore through the statue, splintering the stone and sending debris raining down. I pivoted, instinctively shielding Gigi with my body as chaos erupted around us.
The rapid-fire onslaught felt endless, each crack of a bullet echoing like thunder.
Finally, the gunfire dwindled to silence, leaving only our ragged breathing hanging in the stillness. I glanced around, adrenaline still pumping. “Are you all good?”
Alphonse nodded sharply, his head resting against what was left of the statue. Lo, Luca, and Matteo murmured their reassurances.
“What now? We’re trapped,” Lo asked.
My gaze drifted toward the rear of the cemetery, where I spotted a large mausoleum. I turned to Alphonse, pointing toward the building.
He tracked my gesture and nodded.
I glanced down at Gigi, and panic clawed at my throat. She needed to get to a hospital and fast. I held her closer to my chest, wishing I could somehow transfer my soul to her and bring her back to life.
The sound of heavy boots crunching through the snow grew louder.
My gaze found Alphonse, seeking answers. “How many of them are out there?”
