Stay with me—open your eyes, please," he begged, cradling the
girl in his arms. Her body lay limp, blood soaking through his sleeves.
All around them, chaos reigned—screams, crashing debris, the roar of
fire closing in.
Despite his own wounds, he clung to her tightly, pressing a trembling
kiss to her forehead. "Don't do this. Stay awake, please."
"We need to go— now!" a voice shouted behind him.
He tried to stand, but his legs buckled beneath him. The heat was
unbearable. The explosions were getting closer. He knew she didn't
have time.
"Take her!" he yelled over the roar. He forced himself to lift her into
someone's arms. "She's losing too much blood."
"What about you?" the other man asked, hesitating.
He managed a strained smile. "I'll manage. She's the priority."
There was a flicker of resistance—then a sharp nod. The man turned
and bolted toward the exit, carrying her away.
The moment they disappeared, his legs gave out for good. He hit the
floor hard, the cold biting through torn fabric.
He could hear people shouting, feet pounding past him. But it all felt
distant now—like the sound was coming from underwater.
He knew he wouldn't be able to hold on much longer.
"Forgive me, love," he whispered, his voice barely audible over the
chaos.