Page 127 of Darling Wildfire
All I saw was the end.
I was done.
Do not go gentle into that good night.
The .45 still dangled from my hand and as I dropped to my knees, I brought it to my head.
Rage, rage against the dying of the light.
62
THERON
Atlas dropped to his knees. The devastation and hopelessness on his face was so complete I was already moving towards him as he slowly raised the gun to his head. I watched as the barrel drew even with his temple and his finger gripped the trigger. His eyes landed on me with an apology and the empty look of a man at the end of his rope.
I wouldn’t reach him in time.
Then Nyx was there.
He tackled him to the ground and they rolled through the mud as Nyx fought to gain control of the weapon. He finally pinned Atlas, straddling him as rain pummeled the ground around them. He yanked the gun away from him, quickly unloaded it and threw it out of his reach. Nyx climbed off of him and Atlas staggered to his feet. He turned and came at Nyx, throwing a punch that landed on his jaw. Nyx’s head snapped to the side.
“Do it!” Nyx hissed, taking a step forward, glaring at Atlas with fire in his eyes.
Atlas hit him twice more and Nyx went down on his knees in the mud.
Blood ran from his lip and his eyes were wild as they looked up at Atlas. He bared his teeth in a bloody grin.
“That’s it—take it out on me!” He slammed his fists against his chest, trying to provoke Atlas who was pacing in front of him like a wounded animal. Atlas’ chest was heaving, fists clenched at his sides. His hair had come unbound and stuck wildly to his face and neck. They were both covered in mud.
Atlas hit Nyx again.
Preacher stepped forward as though to intervene but I put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.
“Don’t,” I said quietly.
They both needed this.
Nyx stretched his arms out wide in surrender and Atlas hit him again, sending Nyx backwards into the mud. Atlas fell on top of him, punching him again and again until he realized what he was doing and staggered off him with an appalled look on his face. He went to storm awaybut Nyx rolled to his knees, supporting himself with an arm as he surged to his feet.
“Don’t walk away from me!” Nyx demanded hoarsely.
Atlas’ shoulders heaved as he stopped with his back to Nyx, fists clenched tightly at his sides. Nyx got the rest of the way to his feet.
“You think you can just leave us?” Nyx fumed. “Leave me?”
Atlas whirled around and took a few steps towards Nyx.
“Don’t you get it?” Atlas scoffed. He threw up his hands. “There is no getting out of this fucking place! I’m done!”
“So what, you’re giving up?” Blood ran down Nyx’s face from several cuts and the look on his face was deadly. “I didn’t take you for a fucking coward!”
Atlas took another step towards Nyx, his jaw clenched and rage flashed through his eyes in tandem to the lightning going off around us.
“You’re a lot of things, Atlas,” Nyx continued. “But a coward isn’t one of them.”
Atlas shook his head and went to turn again but Nyx snarled and stepped forward. His hand lashed out and grabbed Atlas by the shirt.
“I said don’tfuckingwalk away from me,” he growled. “Don’t let him win goddamn it!”
