Page 193 of Where Broken Wings Fly

“Just keep running. Don’t fucking stop.”

The Devil himself must be watching over us, pulling invisible strings to better serve his games. One minute we’re inches from salvation, the next I’m running through the darkness alone as Pedro’s hand is ripped from mine.

BANG.

The blast of a gunshot has me tumbling to my knees in fear. Arianna is screaming like a banshee, hitting the ground several metres behind me. But I haven’t been shot. Looking over my shoulder, the terror of reality sinks in.

Pedro is splayed out in the moonlit sand, a halo of blood surrounding him. In the distance, voices bellow and the crunch of thick-soled boots running to catch us echoes through the night. I race back, throwing myself at his feet.

“Willow… please,” he begs. “Go.”

“Pedro! No!”

Hot sprays of blood are spewing between his fingers, clasped over his midsection. He can’t move an inch, groaning in agony as the crimson tsunami continues to pour out of him. I can’t even drag him, not with my waning strength and injuries.

“Go… find the truck. Go!”

Thrusting his security pass and a set of car keys into Arianna’s hands, he shoves her towards me with his remaining strength. I steady her, trying to stop her from staring at his bloodied state.

“Pedro!” she screams.

“Run, muchacha. Go w-with your mama.”

“Are you hurt?” I run my hands over her, searching for blood.

“N-No, Mummy.”

“Go then. I’m right behind you, Ari.”

I can barely see through my tears, holding a scream back as I bite down on my clenched fist to silence it. The sound of shouting assails us. Security is swarming, starting to give chase.

Arianna slips her bloody hand into mine instead of running as I told her to. She tugs hard, forcing me to find my feet and leave Pedro sprawled out on the sand.

“I’m so sorry,” I sob.

Blood pours out of his mouth. “L-Live, Willow.”

Crying too hard to think straight, I let Arianna pull me along, her shouting forcing me to move my feet. We break into an unsteady run, both of us struggling to remain upright. It kills me to leave Pedro alone in the darkness, watching us disappear.

“Hurry, Mummy! Pedro said he’s coming.”

Arianna’s frantic voice pushes me to move despite everything screaming in protest with each bruise and laceration. We run. On and on. Legs pumping. Hearts pounding. Dodging bullets and fury following hot on our heels.

I can’t let Pedro’s sacrifice be in vain. My only friend died to buy our freedom. He couldn’t keep us safe, but he got us as far as he could. I just hope his family will know what to do now he won’t be around to protect them from Mr Sanchez.

“Faster, Ari,” I shout, my courage rising. “Don’t stop.”

“Is Pedro okay?” She tries to look behind us.

“He’s fine. We have to leave him.”

Her bottom lip wobbles. “I’ll miss him.”

“Look, there’s the truck. Last one there is a loser! Run!”

With the innocence and naivety of her age, Arianna speeds off with a new burst of energy, heading straight for the shrubbery that conceals the truck Pedro stashed for us. We’re so close. Salvation is right there.

All we have to do is get out of the city undetected and drive a few hundred miles to the tiniest airport Pedro could find. The flight is booked under our new identities, with three more connecting flights after that.

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