Page 220 of A War Around Us

I was too mesmerized by her gripping regal beauty to stain such vision with thoughts I didn’t welcome at the moment.

At that moment, I only had eyes forher.

My little creature of wickedness.

But I blinked, and death danced with disaster.

XLV

LUCCA

My mother warnedme about hesitation. How it had the power to root your feet. The power to paralyze a being. Or would the fear of losing someone triumph over such a power? Or would it leave you too fear-struck to move?

Could they shake hands and form an alliance into despair? The feeling of all hopelessness.

While she’d spoken in hushed whispers next to me in my bed, her tales were always lessons told into the ears of a five-year-old. Nighttime stories of confusion and uncertainty. Words to understand and feelings to conquer.

But there was one word she’d never covered.

Desperation.

And desperation can overtake you with madness.

I blinked, and I saw it too late.

The glimmer of a scope.

The shine reflected into the corner of my eye.

Time flew by with the wind in swirling gusts. Fast, furious, and yet too slow.

Too slow for the speed of a bullet.

Too fast for erupting chaos.

First, the lone loudpop.

Second, the exploding flesh.

Then, the havoc.

I didn’t hesitate, and while fear clawed, ripping my chest by her parting mouth and wide eyes, desperation took control when I saw her back, turning to face her father as anotherpopricocheted into my eardrum.

Echoing in a deafening death.

Blood splattered all around her, and she fell to the ground by her father's weight.

Screams pierced all around, bodies ran in all directions.

I rushed to her.

I rushed to retrieve my gun out in the open, eyes wild and looking in all directions for threats as Iran to her.

Adrenaline pumped, and bullets fell all around.

Katia struggled on the floor, her hands pushing the weight of the dead. But her howling cries and shaking body weakened her as his head pressed against her chest.

“I’m here, baby,” I yelled past her cries, but she wouldn’t open her eyes.

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