The second impact came harder—CRASH—metal screaming against metal as the cruiser lurched forward.
I slammed against the seatbelt, breath ripped from my lungs. "Fuck—!"
"Brace!" one of the officers shouted.
The world tilted violently—SKREEECH—tires screaming as the cruiser skidded sideways, barely missing the fallen tree blocking the road. Glass shattered—TINKLE—showering the front seats.
Serafin twisted toward me instantly. "Caoimhe, look at me."
I sucked in a breath that burned. "I'm here."
The engine behind us revved—VROOOOM—angry, relentless.
"They're not stopping," the driver officer barked. "Out! Everyone out!"
The door flew open—BANG—and chaos exploded.
I stumbled out, boots slipping on gravel—SCRAPE—as another impact hit the cruiser—WHAM—sending it jolting forward. One of the officers fell hard—THUD—groaning.
"Get her into the trees!" Serafin yelled.
Gunfire cracked—BANG! BANG!—sharp and deafening. I screamed and ran, Serafin's hand locked around my wrist as we plunged into the brush—CRASH CRASH—branches tearing at skin, leaves slapping my face.
Behind us, tires spun—SKRRRT—and an engine roared closer.
"They're following," I gasped.
"Keep moving," Serafin said. "Don't look back."
We ran blind, lungs burning, feet slipping on wet earth—SQUELCH—heart pounding so loud it drowned out thought.
Another gunshot—BANG!—too close.
"Down!" Serafin shoved me aside just as something whizzed past—WHOOSH—splintering bark inches from where my head had been.
I hit the ground hard—THUMP—pain flaring through my shoulder.
"Get up," Serafin urged. "Please."
I pushed myself up, vision swimming. "I'm up."
We veered downhill, branches thinning, the sound of water growing louder—RUSH—a stream cutting through the forest.
"River," Serafin said. "If we lose them, it's there."
My phone buzzed violently—BZZZT BZZZT—in my pocket, absurd and terrifying.
I didn't answer.
We burst through the trees and skidded down the muddy bank—SLIP—landing hard near the water's edge. The stream was fast, swollen from rain—ROAR—white water churning over rocks.
Serafin scanned behind us. "They're splitting up."
I could hear voices now—shouting, angry, coordinated.
My phone buzzed again—bzzzzt—and this time I looked.
You can still stop this.
I laughed, hysterical. "They're texting me like this is a fucking negotiation."
Serafin grabbed my shoulders. "Listen to me. Whatever they say—don't engage."
Another message.
Say you lied. Walk back. This ends.
Footsteps crashed through brush nearby—CRASH—too close.
"They want a public retraction," I said. "They want to erase everything."
"And you won't," Serafin said firmly.
I shook my head, panic rising. "They'll kill people."
"They already tried," he shot back. "That's not on you."
A figure broke through the trees across the stream—silhouette sharp against fading light.
"There!" a voice shouted.
Serafin grabbed my hand. "Into the water."
"What?" I stared at the torrent. "I can't—"
"You can," he said. "Or we don't make it."
Another gunshot—BANG!—rock exploding beside us.
I didn't think anymore.
We plunged into the stream—SPLASH—icy water stealing my breath in a shocked scream. The current grabbed me instantly, yanking my feet out from under me—ROAR—violent and unforgiving.
Serafin's grip tightened painfully. "Don't let go!"
"I'm trying!" I screamed, swallowing water, coughing hard.
We stumbled, half-swimming, half-dragged by the current, rocks slamming into my legs—THUD THUD—pain blooming everywhere.
Shouts echoed from the bank—ECHO—confused now, frustrated.
"They can't cross fast," Serafin gasped. "Keep moving!"
We fought our way to the far side, crawling out—SCRAPE—soaked, shaking, barely functional.
I collapsed on the bank, coughing violently. "I—I can't—"
Serafin dropped beside me, breath ragged. "You're alive. That's enough."
Sirens wailed faintly in the distance—WEE-OO—far, uncertain.
"They won't stop," I said between gasps. "They're proving it."
Serafin nodded grimly. "Then we stop running."
My phone buzzed one last time—bzzzzt—screen cracked now, water seeping in.
A final message appeared, blurred but readable.
You crossed the line.
I stared at it, chest heaving, body shaking uncontrollably.
Serafin looked at me. "What does it say?"
I swallowed hard. "That I'm not a warning anymore."
The sirens grew louder—WEE-OO—but so did something else.
An engine.
Closer than before.
I pushed myself up, legs screaming in protest, eyes scanning the treeline as headlights cut through the dusk on the far bank—VROOOOM—moving too fast, too deliberately.
"They found another way," Serafin said quietly.
The water roared behind us. The forest closed in ahead.
And standing there, soaked, injured, hunted—
I understood with brutal clarity that survival had just become a race between who reached me first.
Help.
Or them.