HIS CLAIM

46

“Let him swear to always protect you. Do you promise me, Elsa?” She looked at me firmly, and I couldn’t do anything but nod.

“I don’t have time to go into detail but -” The sound of a twig  snapping interrupted her, making her quickly snap her head towards the sound. My body froze, not daring to move an inch or make a sound. Not even to breathe, afraid to give away our hiding.

Light movements could be heard, the crushing of the leaves indicated that we were not alone anymore but it sounded like there still was some distance between us.

Another set of footsteps appeared and light whispers could be heard. I tried listening in to what was being said and I immediately picked up they weren’t speaking English but a different language. I focused to pick up on the words to see if I could recognize it.

It was Korean.

I frowned the more I tried to focus on their conversation but they were talking in hushed voices, only making me pick up very few words and making me wonder why these people were after us.

We got up on our feet as quietly as we could, ready to face whatever was going to happen. My heart was once again pounding and my legs were slightly shaking but I had to force my body to calm down as this wasn’t the time to be scared and weak.

I tried to listen to them, and it sounded like there were only two of them. I had to gather my strength to at least be able to fight back, suddenly remembering Arianna’s instructions on always going after the vital points.

I was too focused on trying to hear their conversation when I was suddenly pushed hard to the side, making me land on the ground with a grunt. The sound of a gun firing made me quickly snap towards the sound, seeing my mother was aiming in the direction where I previously stood.

My eyes widened when I saw another person coming from behind my mother.

“Behind you!” I screamed just in time for her to turn around and pull the trigger.

But it was empty.

“Elsa, run!” She yelled just as he lunged after her, but she blocked his attack and used the gun to smash him in the head. I hurriedly tried to get up to help her, only to feel a strong kick coming out of nowhere, hitting me right in the rips. It forced me on my back and air completely left my lungs.

I drew in a sharp breath and rolled to my side, violently coughing while gasping for air as pain spread out in my body. I screamed out in pain when a fistful of my hair got grabbed, forcing me onto my feet.

“Let her go!” My mother screamed at him, trying to get to me. But she was trying to fight off two people at the same time.

Something in me snapped.

I clenched my hand into a fit and aimed for his face. I barely made any contact with him as he leaned back, avoiding my punch. Instead, he grabbed my arm to twist it painfully behind my back.

“Fuck!” I screamed out. But I still tried to hurt him in some way, but he blocked me. I was violently pushed against a tree, his body completely pressed up against mine with his forearm against my throat, choking me.

I tried to get out of his hold, clawing his arm in the process but it was impossible. He was much stronger and bigger than me. His arm was crushing my windpipe, making me gag as I tried to gasp for air. I tried to push him away but my push was too weak as I looked at him. His eyes were the only thing visible to him, and he just looked back at me, tilting his head slightly to the side as he observed me.

My eyes were slowly drooping, black spots appearing in my sight when he suddenly removed his arm from my throat, and I immediately took a sharp breath.