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Table of Contents
I: Victor
II: Maria
III: Victor
IV: Maria
V: Victor
VI: Maria
VII: Victor
I: Victor
Escape. This was the only word I could think of as I wove through towering pine trees and deep bushes washed in deep orange light. Wherever I was, I did not care. All I really want is to get as far as possible from the highway where I crashed my car.
If the odds were with me, they’d assume I died from the wreck. But then again, my brothers never left unfinished business unsettled... and that meant bringing my decaying body back to Spinner.
My heart raced at the thought, and chills crawled up my spine. I was panicking, and I was unfamiliar with the feeling until this very moment. Only now did I realized that panic was not a single sensation, but a perfect, seamless mixture of many -- fear, helplessness, anxiety and alarm. I was only familiar with it because I saw it from the people I hunted. Never had it occurred to me that I will one day end up in the same situation as them.
Tears fell from my eyes and sobs pushed their way up my throat. Trembling feet dragged themselves through unfriendly foliage of thorns. Shaking hands felt for the surroundings, between the fingers of long shadows.
I could barely see now. Whether it was the night, or my losing light of hope, I could not tell. All that’s left within me was pure concentrated fright, and the feeling weighed on me like darkness.
Then the image of her face gave a little light to my currently dark world. Margaux -- my beautiful goddess. If there was one thing I did right, it was her. She was the one who taught me to love. She was the one who taught me the word passion and all the beautiful things it beholds. And the thought of her sparked what little hope was left -- the thought of her pushed me to reach for someone whom I had never dared believe in until today.
Dear God, I beg you! Please don’t let me die tonight! I deserve to go to hell for all my sins, but I can change! I promise You I will change! Just please let me come back to her! Let me live… for her!
The soft breeze brushed through the treetops, sending dried leaves and pine needles down on me. I stopped and looked up. Peeking through silhouettes of eerie bone-like branches, the moon shone in a taunting smile.
“Please I beg You!” I cried to the sky, hoping for a miracle. I dropped to my knees and cried harder, my face now bathing in moonlight. “Do miracles even work for bad men like me?”
Dogs barking and howling in the distance was a clear sign they were near. If there was anything I was most familiar with, it’s the Saints’ hunting style. They love dogs, especially when letting them track helpless rabbits like me.
There is no hope, I finally accepted as I stood up. I had not eaten nor slept for days, and my exhaustion had reached its limit. How could I even hope to fight anyone or anything in such a state? And what miracle am I hoping for now?
My hands felt for the last pack of cigarettes in my back pocket. I took and lit one, and breathed deeply. Without any thought, I leaned on the rock sitting beside me… and suddenly, the world spun.
I was falling. Everything happened so fast, I had no time to think. Then with a loud tonk!, everything turned blank.
Whatever was happening, I had no idea. But there were voices around me. I opened my eyes, but there was nothing but intense brightness. Between the cracks of light, however, I saw a girl. She had chestnut brown hair, and it fell perfectly on slender shoulders. Her almond eyes searched my face with deep concern, and I felt... warm. Thin pink lips moved to whisper “You’re gonna be alright,” then she disappeared and I closed my eyes.
Was I in heaven? Was she an angel? Before I could further reflect, however, I drifted to unconsciousness once more.