The door creaked open—creeeeeak—just enough for light to slice into the room like a blade.
My heart slammed so hard I thought I might black out.
Serafin's hand shot out, bracing the door, muscles tight beneath his jacket. "We said no service."
The man on the other side smiled.
It wasn't friendly. It wasn't angry. It was practiced.
"Sorry," he said mildly. "Wrong room."
"Then walk away," Serafin replied.
The man didn't move.
Behind him, I caught a glimpse of another figure at the far end of the walkway—leaning casually against the railing, pretending to scroll on a phone. Watching.
My phone vibrated—bzzzzt—once.
I didn't look.
The man at the door glanced past Serafin, eyes flicking to me. "You look tired."
I swallowed. "Get the fuck away from our room."
He raised his hands slightly. "No need for hostility."
Serafin shoved the door closed—BANG—and threw the chain—CLINK—just as the handle jerked violently—CLACK CLACK CLACK.
"Open up," the man said, voice sharper now. "We just want to talk."
"No," Serafin snapped. "You want leverage."
The handle rattled again—RATTLE—harder.
I backed away instinctively. "They're not here to negotiate."
Serafin glanced at me. "Bathroom window."
"I don't think—"
"Now," he said.
The pounding intensified—BANG BANG—the thin motel door shuddering in its frame.
I rushed to the bathroom, shoved the window open—SCRREEECH—rust screaming in protest. Cool air rushed in, carrying the smell of wet asphalt.
Behind me, the door chain snapped—CRACK—metal clattering to the floor.
"Caoimhe!" Serafin shouted.
I climbed halfway out as the door burst open—BOOM—wood splintering. One of the men stumbled in, cursing.
"Grab her phone!" someone yelled.
Serafin slammed into the first man—THUD—a grunt of pain following. The second man lunged for me just as I dropped—THUMP—hitting the ground hard, knocking the breath from my lungs.
Pain exploded through my ribs. "Fuck—"
Boots hit the pavement—THUD THUD—running.
"Stop!" someone shouted behind me.
I staggered to my feet, adrenaline drowning out pain, and ran.
My phone buzzed wildly—BZZZT BZZZT—as if mocking me.
I didn't look.
A hand grabbed my jacket—RIP—fabric tearing as I twisted free, stumbling toward the edge of the lot.
"Caoimhe!" Serafin's voice cut through the chaos.
I turned just in time to see him slam the motel room door into one man's face—CRACK—then sprint toward me.
A car engine roared—VROOOOM—headlights flaring on suddenly, blinding.
"Get down!" Serafin yelled.
I dropped instinctively as something whizzed past—WHOOSH—missing my head by inches.
The car screeched—SCREEEECH—tires spinning, gravel spraying.
They weren't trying to scare me anymore.
They were trying to end it.
Serafin reached me, grabbing my arm. "Can you run?"
"I think so," I gasped.
"Good," he said. "Because we don't stop."
We bolted toward the treeline behind the motel—CRASH CRASH—branches snapping as we plunged into the woods. Thorns clawed at my skin, pain blooming everywhere at once.
Somewhere behind us, a voice shouted orders. Another engine revved—VROOOOM—then stalled.
We didn't slow.
My lungs burned. My legs screamed. Still, I ran.
Finally, Serafin pulled me down behind a fallen log—THUD—pressing a hand over my mouth as footsteps thundered past—THUD THUD THUD—so close I could hear their breathing.
I bit down on my scream.
Silence followed. Heavy. Listening.
My phone vibrated again—bzzzzt—soft but deadly loud in the quiet.
Serafin's eyes widened.
I fumbled to silence it, hands shaking too badly to be graceful.
A whisper cut through the trees. "She's here."
Serafin's grip tightened. "Don't move."
The footsteps shifted direction—crunch… crunch—coming closer.
My heart pounded so hard it felt like it would give us away.
Then, suddenly, a shout from the motel—"Police!"
Chaos erupted.
"Move!" Serafin hissed.
We crawled backward, then ran again—CRASH—branches whipping past until the trees thinned and the road reappeared ahead.
A cruiser's lights flashed—WEE-OO WEE-OO—red and blue slicing through the dusk.
Serafin dragged me across the road just as someone shouted behind us in frustration.
We collapsed behind the cruiser—THUD—both of us gasping.
An officer ran toward us. "Hands where I can see them!"
Serafin obeyed instantly. "They attacked us."
The officer's gaze flicked between us and the woods. "Who?"
I opened my mouth—
And my phone buzzed again—bzzzzt—one last message forcing its way through.
You see now what silence was buying you.
I looked at the officer, then at Serafin, then back toward the trees where the shadows still moved.
My voice came out hoarse. "They won't stop."
The officer frowned. "Who won't?"
I swallowed hard.
Because now, finally, I understood the truth I'd been running from—
Silence hadn't protected me.
It had protected them.
And now that I'd broken it, the cost was no longer theoretical.
It was already here.