She was only eight, and her chest already felt like it was going to tear apart.
Running had never hurt this much.
"Ariel don't stop"
Her mother's voice came out broken, breathless, like every word was a struggle. Their hands were locked tight, fingers almost slipping from sweat as they pushed forward, stumbling more than running now.
Behind them footsteps.
Fast. Heavy. Getting closer.
Ariel's lungs burned. Her legs felt weak, like they might give out any second. "Mum… I can't " breathless Ariel said still struggling to catch her breath
"You can," her mother snapped, pulling her harder. "You don't stop, Ariel. Not now."
Fear crawled up her throat, thick and choking. She didn't understand what was happening, only that it was bad. Really bad.
They turned sharply, meeting a dead end.
Her mother's grip tightened for a second just one second and Ariel felt it . That shift. That fear.
Then everything moved too fast.
Her mother shoved her behind a stack of old crates, dropping down quickly in front of her. Her hands cupped Ariel's face, firm, urgent.
"Listen to me," she said, her voice low but shaking. "No matter what you hear, you stay here. Don't come out. Don't make a sound."
"Mum "
"Stay."
That word… it didn't sound like a request.
It sounded desperate.
Ariel's chest tightened. "I'm scared…"
Her mother's expression softened for just a second, her thumb brushing Ariel's cheek. "I know baby " her mother said as she held back the urge to shade tears in front of her precious daughter . She hugged her daughter tightly like it was the end of the world
Then she stood, snd stepped away.
The footsteps came seconds later. Loud and Close.
Ariel pressed her hand over her mouth, her whole body trembling so badly she thought they'd hear her bones shake.
"Where is it?" a voice demanded. Cold. Sharp.
Silence.
Ariel squeezed her eyes shut.
"Last chance."
Still silence.
Then...
A loud crack split the air.
Ariel flinched so hard she almost cried out, biting down on her hand to stop the sound.
Another shot.
Her ears rang. Her body froze. Her mind went blank.
Then… nothing.
No voices. No footsteps.
Just silence.
Heavy. Wrong.
Ariel didn't move at first. She couldn't. Her body felt stuck, like if she stayed still enough, everything would go back to normal.
But it didn't.
"Mum…?" she whispered.
No answer.
Her throat tightened. Slowly, she pulled her hand away from her mouth, her breathing shaky, uneven.
"Mum…?"
Still nothing.
That silence scared her more than the noise.
Ariel crawled out slowly, her knees scraping against the ground, her hands trembling as she pushed herself forward.
Then she saw her.
Her mother was on the ground.
Not moving.
Ariel froze.
For a moment, her mind refused to understand it. This wasn't right. Her mum should be getting up. She should be talking. She should be...
"Mum?"
Her voice came out small. Weak.
She stumbled closer, her breathing getting faster, uneven. "Mum, get up…"
She dropped to her knees beside her, her tiny hands shaking as she touched her arm.
"I promise to be a every good girl… please…"
Nothing.
Ariel pushed her a little. Harder this time. "Mum… wake up…"
Still nothing.
Her chest started to hurt. Something inside her cracked open, but the tears didn't come yet. Just confusion. Fear.
Then a sound right behind her.
Ariel's body went stiff.
Slowly… slowly… she turned.
He was there.
Standing a few steps away. Watching her.
He hadn't left.
Her breath caught in her throat, sharp and painful.
For a second, the world went completely silent.
Then he raised his hand.
Ariel's eyes dropped , a gun
Pointed straight at her.
Her heart slammed against her chest, loud, wild, out of control. She couldn't move. Couldn't speak. Couldn't even think.
The man tilted his head slightly, studying her like she was nothing.
Like she didn't matter.
Ariel's fingers curled into her mother's clothes, gripping tightly.
The gun didn't shake.
It stayed right on her.
His finger tightened on the trigger....