𝐓𝐈𝐃𝐀𝐋 ❪ 𝐑𝐀𝐅𝐄 𝐂𝐀𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐎𝐍 ❫

TWENTY FOUR

"What did you do?"

Rafe stood tall, the gun held firmly in between his palms, inching closer to the scene where Officer Peterkin, whom had been inches away from shooting Ward Cameron, crumbled to the ground, a gun shot wound inflicting her health.

"I saved you, dad." Rafe spoke confidently, his smile soon fading into a frown, where tears formed in his light blue eyes. "I saved you."

John B was there to protect Sarah, though couldn't help but feel an immense amount of guilt forming in the pit of his stomach as he watched Ophelia Martin in the distance, her whole body shaking, unsure of where to place her eyes.

Peterkin was struggling for air, much as Ophelia had been. John B made way to the officer's side, attempting to keep her alive as Sarah fell limp to the ground beside him, which only caused Rafe to aim his gun yet again, this time, in direct site of both Sarah and Rafe.

"Rafe!" Ward Cameron demanded, the Martin girl frozen in her place, the loud chatter and blood pooled on the ground keeping her body numb, yet her ears alert. That, was when she made her move.

Each step was heavy, her legs taking her as fast as they could, throwing herself in front of the Cameron boy, his gun lined directly with the girls forehead - one that began to bead with sweat, trailing down the side of her face, mimicking the tears that hadn't seemed to stop.

"Rafe." Ophelia chanted, her words shaky as her hands rose in the air, causing Rafe to stop in his tracks, his breath hitching in his throat as the girl he loved danced in front of the barrel. "Rafe, you said you loved me, right?" Ophelia cried softly, her sobs only making Sarah cry even harder.

"I love you." Ophelia spoke over the boys father, one who rose to his feet, attempting to break up the pair that were only separated by a small, hand held gun. "John B, give me the radio."

Almost instantly, Ward Cameron had slid himself in between the two, one hand holding up Peterkin's radio, the other, softly moving Ophelia out of the way. Once again, frozen in place, Ophelia had only captured Rafe's attention for so long.

One minute, he had been in the grasp of his father, the next, taking a full force run towards John B, who upon Peterkin and Sarah's request, was to flee the scene immediately. Ophelia wished she could have agreed, though she remained frozen in place, ignoring the clatter behind her as both Ward and Sarah attempted to keep Rafe in place.

"Ophelia!" Ward Cameron shouted sternly, the loud clatter of a gun shot yet again ringing through Ophelia's ears, as if she could hear anything anymore. "Ophelia, stop him!" This time, it was Sarah, her body going into survival mode as she spun on her heels, facing the scene before her.

Rafe seemed to be unstoppable, thrashing himself out of both Ward and Sarah's grip, his eyes clouded over with what seemed to be pure and utter annihilation. Ophelia was scared, though she would never show it.

Instead, she followed suit, her hand outstretching to meet with the boy's face, one that was hot to the touch, his body being thrown around in Ward Cameron's hold. "Rafe." Ophelia chanted. "I need you to stop."

And just like that, he had.

Ward let his hands fall freely to his side, Sarah barreling to the ground where she met with Peterkin, apologizing over the tears that poured down her face. Rafe, on the other hand, kept the only thing between him and anyone else in his right hand, his left wounding around Ophelia's shaking state as he tugged her into his chest.

"Take her home." Ward's voice flooded through Ophelia's thoughts, one's that were clouded with anger and guilt, pushing herself away from the eldest Cameron. "Both of them. Take them home, now."