Jay's POV
I stood in front of the horse.
It stood in front of me.
We stared at each other like two people forced into a group project.
"You and me," I whispered. "We survive this."
The horse snorted.
Encouraging? Threatening? Hard to tell.
I grabbed the saddle awkwardly and tried to climb up. My foot slipped. I almost face-planted into destiny.
"Okay. Dignity is optional tonight," I muttered.
Second try.
I swung my leg over and actually got on.
Victory.
Then I blinked.
"…Oh."
I climbed right back down.
The horse was still tied.
"Details matter, Jay," I whispered to myself.
I untied it, climbed back up, inhaled deeply, exhaled slowly, and grabbed the reins. The rope felt foreign in my hands. Like I was holding responsibility. Or chaos.
"Okay," I murmured. "Let's go."
I gave it a small shake.
The horse neighed loudly and launched forward.
"WAIT—"
Too late.
We were running.
Wind slapped against my face. My heart pounded. I tried to pull gently on the reins like I'd seen in movies.
"Left? Right? Slow? Please cooperate!" I hissed.
Then—
"HEY! Someone's escaping!"
Gunshots cracked through the air.
A sharp, burning pain exploded in my left arm.
"Shit!" I gasped.
The bullet hit. Not deep. But enough.
I clenched my jaw and forced myself not to spiral. Not now. Not blood trauma now. Not tonight.
I reached behind me, pulled my gun out, and balanced as best as I could. Controlling a horse while shooting was not in my skill set, but here we were.
I turned slightly and fired twice.
Two men dropped.
"Sorry!" I muttered, already riding faster.
We gained distance quickly. The mansion lights faded behind us. My breathing steadied as adrenaline took over. Slowly, I began to understand the rhythm of the horse. The movement. The balance.
We were working together now.
When I was far enough from Sienna's territory, I slowed the horse down.
My arm throbbed.
I spotted a small mini mart glowing under fluorescent lights. I guided the horse there, tied it outside carefully, and stroked its neck.
"Stay here, okay? I'll bring you apples," I promised.
The horse flicked its ear.
I stepped inside the store. The bell above the door chimed softly.
I grabbed two apples, one sandwich, then walked to the medical aisle. Spirit. Cotton. Bandage.
At the register, the woman scanned everything.
"Two apples… ₱20 each. That's ₱40.
One chicken sandwich… ₱65.
Antiseptic spirit… ₱120.
Cotton pads… ₱45.
Elastic bandage… ₱85."
She tapped the screen.
"Total is ₱355."
I swallowed. Still breathing. Still standing
Thank God I had my card.
I handed it over, praying it wouldn't decline and embarrass me in front of destiny and disinfectant.
Approved.
The receipt printed with a soft whirr.
The woman looked at me carefully. Probably because I looked like I'd escaped a historical battlefield.
"If you need a place to sit," she said gently, "there's a small park a little ahead."
I nodded. "Thank you."
Outside, I untied the horse and walked slowly toward the park.
The sky was turning lighter. Dawn creeping in.
I sat on a bench and placed an apple beside me.
I tapped it.
"Come on, Pixel. I brought you apples."
Yes. I named him Pixel.
He deserved a name.
Pixel walked over and began eating.
I looked down at my arm.
Blood.
Dark. Thick. Real.
My chest tightened.
Not now.
You are not collapsing because of blood. You are not fainting. You are not shaking.
I forced myself to breathe.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
No shaking.
No panic.
No hostility.
No fear,
I opened the spirit bottle and poured some onto cotton.
Then I looked at the wound properly.
"Okay," I whispered. "It's just flesh. Just pain. Just temporary."
My hand slipped.
Half the spirit bottle poured harder than I intended.
"Shit!" I hissed
Fire.
Actual fire.
I shoved my jacket into my mouth and screamed into it.
Tears burned my eyes but I kept going. I pressed the cotton against the wound, cleaning the blood. My hands trembled.
The bullet had not gone too deep. I could see a bit of metal near the surface.
"I can do this," I muttered. "It's just like in movies."
I found a small metal piece on the ground. I washed it thoroughly with spirit.
Jacket back into my mouth.
I placed the metal carefully near the wound.
Slow.
Slow.
Slow—
Pain exploded through my arm like lightning splitting bone.
I screamed into the fabric, body shaking.
For a terrifying second, I thought I would faint.
Fuck!" I yelled
But I didn't.
I gripped harder.
The bullet slipped free.
I nearly cried from relief.
I dropped it beside me, breathing heavily.
Then I wrapped the bandage tightly around my arm, securing it. My hands were still shaking, but I managed.
I put my jacket back on, though every movement hurt.
Pixel finished the first apple.
I placed the second one down.
"Eat fast," I told him weakly. "We have to go back to Keifer."
Pixel chewed calmly, as if none of this was dramatic.
"I know, I know," I muttered. "You're done. I see."
I finished my sandwich quickly, then used spirit to wipe the blood from the bench.
No evidence.
No weakness.
I gathered everything, mounted Pixel again more confidently this time.
We rode.
The morning sky brightened. Joggers stared at me like I was a character from a fantasy novel who took a wrong turn into suburbia.
"See, Pixel," I whispered, pointing ahead. "Adrian's house is near."
My vision blurred slightly from pain, but I pushed through.
We reached the house.
I got off carefully and walked to the door, still holding Pixel's reins wrapped around my hand.
I pressed the doorbell.
The door opened. One of Ciel and Adrian's maids stood there, eyes widening.
"I made it," I whispered to myself.
And then the world tilted.
Everything went dark as I collapsed forward onto her, still clutching Pixel's rope.
End of Chapter. 🖤