Redemption (Midas x Reader)

• XII •

There was a part of me that hoped they wouldn't follow, that they'd decide I was more trouble than I was worth and just let me go. I had already told them all the information I knew, I didn't know why they were still trying to protect me anyway, I was a nobody to them.

I had to assume they'd give chase. I realized that I had lost my finger splint in the water, making it difficult and painful to get my boots back out of my bag. My ankle brace and socks were soaked since I hadn't taken the time to remove them, but I crammed my boots on anyway, figuring I could dry everything out later. Right now I needed to try to run.

"Wait! Wait!!!" I heard the henchman yell as I picked up my backpack and began running, limping badly.

I was so annoyed he'd seen me that for a second I considered just taking out the pistol and shooting the bastard.

There was a lot about my current situation that wasn't ideal. I was injured, I was still being hunted, and now this random guy had made sure that I wouldn't be able to stop and rest, just in case they came straight after me. I was pissed at myself for not paying more attention to my surroundings on the way out.

I also wasn't even sure how far away the coast was, but I knew it was an island, so if I kept running in one direction I'd hit the edge eventually. I had no idea how long it'd take. One day? Two?

I wished I'd had the opportunity to stay a couple more days to let my ankle heal, but Midas had been adamant about sending me away today, leaving me with no choice. And he was trying to send me to a place called the SHARK for Christ's sake. I was now positive the universe was trying to send me some kind of message.

Those prehistoric fucks are HAUNTING me. Day and night.

The sky was just starting to lighten as I reached the edge of the woods. I was trying to keep a steady pace, but was still panting heavily from the extra effort required to move due to my ankle sprain. I could feel the low lying branches whipping against my legs as the trees started to thicken.

I noticed the river again on my right, and was trying to keep it in view, thinking that it was probably flowing out to sea and I could follow it. I carried on like this for maybe two hours, until my legs were numb, and I didn't know how I was still putting one foot in front of the other. I had slowed to barely a walk. I was going to have to rest.

I saw a bridge ahead. It was going to have to do. I crawled underneath, hiding in the shadows, and collapsed.

My ankle was screaming in pain, causing tears to burn at the edges of my eyes. How in God's name was I going to be able to keep going? Maybe I should try to hide?

They'd found me once before, though, a lot easier than I'd like to admit. I obviously sucked at this.

I was broken out of my thoughts when I saw a man standing on the riverbank, fishing pole in hand. He had his back to me so I couldn't see his face, and he had a dark hood pulled over his head. He gripped the pole with red gloves that had the fingertips cut out of them.

Had he been here a minute ago when I crawled under?

My blood ran cold. Surely he had, and I hadn't seen him in my exhaustion. He was just fishing. Right as I had that thought he cast the line, easing my fear a little.

I still needed to hurry. I decided to change into my dry socks, so I removed my boots and wet socks gingerly, groaning at the pain in my foot. I reached into the backpack, and as I was digging around, I accidentally knocked the gun out of the bag and it rolled down the bank a few feet.

The second I bent over to retrieve it, I heard a dull thunk on the wood of the bridge right beside me.

What the hell was that???