Page 99 of Pomegranate Seeds

I stopped on my heels. “Running?”

Clara hopped on his father’s lap, her eyes still on the screen. “She took Apoyyo running.”

There was not enough space for her to run other than around the lake. She didn’t know the path around the lake, and even if she did, she had to leave the property. It was dangerous. She would not put herself in danger.

My heart started beating with worry. My brain kept giving me logical arguments about how she was safe but to be honest, they were not too logical as well. Priscilla was reckless.

Fuck, I shouldn’t have let her go alone.

I decided to check the backyard before the scarier option, but before I left the house, I heard a faint noise from the other side. A loud barking. I knew that bark. Probably due to his deafness, his barks were different than other dogs. I always knew it was him.

As soon as I heard that, I ran to the front door and then the front gates. I saw the blonde furred dog barking and jumping on the gates like he could jump over them. I got freaked out because him being here alone meant Priscilla was out there alone.

But it was not all.

Apollo’s blonde fur was covered with blood. His teeth were drained in red, and his mouth was still wet with it.

Fuck it. Did the dog attack her? Did my biggest fear come true?

I opened the gates without caution stupidly. If he attacked her, he would probably attack me too. It was a bad move, but I was blinded by worry.

Apollo didn’t attack me, though. He only kept jumping around my legs and then jumped to the road and then my legs again and then the road…

I heard footsteps behind me before Alessio asked, “Hey, what is wrong?”

My jaw locked. My heart stopped. “Follow me with a car,” I commanded, and then I started running. I let Apollo show me the way on the empty open road. I let him take me to where he lost Priscilla and where he got drenched in blood.

I ran.

And ran.

And ran.

When he jumped from the road to inside the forest, I followed, and between the long trees, I saw her. I saw my biggest nightmare. My breath left my lungs, and my brain felt dizzy.

It felt like dying.

But still, I ran to her.

“Priscilla!” I screamed her name like a prayer and got to my knees. Her golden hair was sprawled on the mud, her pale body was lying on the ground, and the blood. There was so much fucking blood on her.

I put my hand on her heart. I needed to make sure she was alive. Before I could even register the beat, her green eyes fluttered full of pain and tears. “Antonio?” her voice cracked.

“I am here,” I assured her. My hand went to her bloody neck, making sure the cut there was not too deep, and then I started checking for broken bones. I wanted to carry her back home. I wanted to take care of her, but I was afraid of hurting her further.

Priscilla’s lips trembled, and tears kept falling from her eyes. “Am I going to die?” she asked.

Knives stabbed my chest. “No,” I said, cupping the back of her head. I would not let that happen. When my hand touched the wet strands, I cursed and quickly took Priscilla into my arms.

She gave a small cry, and I felt so helpless. I couldn’t even think. The sight of her, the painful voices she created, all stabbed me. I wanted it to be a nightmare. I wanted it to end.

“Hurts so much, Antonio,” she cried in my arms. “I don’t want to die.” Her voice was so weak.

“I won’t lose you.” I carried her to the road where Alessio’s car was waiting. “I will die before I lose you.”

Priscilla

It hurt so much. It hurt everywhere.

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