The Bullet Through a Flock of Doves

~ Prologue ~

We ran as fast as we could. Into the desert.

They were still after us. They will always be after us.

But it was a dark night. We might be able to flee and hide.

I felt something pull my hand down.

I looked to the side and saw her, collapsed on the ground. She looked exhausted. She is exhausted. So am I.

But we have to keep going. They can't catch us. This can't be the day.

"COME ON, COME ON HONEY GET UP" I shouted

"I CAN'T, I CAN'T KEEP GOING! PLEASE LEAVE ME!" She said

"NO I CAN'T, I CAN'T JUST LEAVE YOU TO DIE! PLEASE GET UP!"

Tears started streaming down my face as I pulled on her arm. She wouldn't move.

"WE ARENT GOING TO MAKE IT! SAFE YOURSELF!"

"NO... NO PLEASE..." I went down on my knees in front of her trembling body. "Helena..." I spoke softly.

I can't leave her. I can't.

Without a thought I wrapped my arms around her.

She was cold. The only thing warming her up were her tears slowly falling down. I pulled her close. I have to keep her close. I have to protect her.

Her short black hair smelled like vanilla. Like it always did. Her eyeliner was smudged, but it looked beautiful.

I heard stomping feet getting closer. They were here. We were done. It was too late.

I lifted her chin up and looked her straight in her teary eyes. I saw a love so incredibly strong, but I also saw fear. A lot of it. I wish I could reach in her mind and take away the fear. And all the pain.

I can't.

I started singing to her. Softly.

"what's the worst that I could say, things are better if I stay, so long and goo..."

Gunshots interrupted me. I didn't care. I kept looking at her. She is all I need. She is all I want. I continued.

"and goodnight, so long and goodnight..."

The heavy sounds of shouting voices, gunshots and stomping feet faded out.

I blinked. It was getting hard to keep my eyes open.

I looked down at my chest and saw blood.

One last time I looked up at her. Her eyes once filled with so much life were growing emptier with the second.  Her arms tightened around me.

Her body was covered in blood and sand. I closed my eyes. That felt good. It felt good to hold her.

I heard something. Through all the faded noise. I heard it. She said one last thing, with her final breath.

"I lo... love you..." she managed to get out.

I opened my mouth. No sound came out. I tried so hard to tell her that I did too, but I was too late. The noise faded even more. I felt her grip on me loosened. So did mine.

I love her.

Why couldn't I tell her that right now. I got angry.

But it went quiet. Everything was quiet.