Our Stormy Ride

*48 °Bleeding Hearts

"I'm sorry sir, we have our orders to detain you until the operation is over," I hear a gruff voice say, his face hidden by the darkness.

The feeling of being withheld at a moment when I'm so close to finding Nadia doesn't sit well with me. "I don't care what your orders are because I didn't come out here for nothing!"

The officer beside me snickers, "Well that's exactly what you'll be doing... Nothing-"

The sound of gunshots going off shuts the officer up, and they both sit up straighter, alert and ready for whatever comes. They start to debate amongst themselves, making a choice between staying behind or joining the fight. It doesn't take long before a static sound erupts from their radio, and a voice yelling for backup. It puts an end to their argument as they both jump out the back, forgetting about my presence entirely.

I waste no time in slipping outside a couple of seconds after they leave, finding my way with the help of the light beams from the house.

The closer I get, the more I realise how bloody and dangerous the surroundings are. My chances of not getting hit by a stray bullet become slimmer as I creep closer to the centre of the fight. I almost trip over twice by not looking at the ground, and both times I'd stared into the faces of dead men.

The chaos escalates to the point where I have to shield myself behind a car. More shots get fired between both parties while some are engaged in physical fight. Confused as to how to go about searching for Nadia, I stare at the house a couple of metres away from me, trying to get a view into the rooms. Most of the windows have been shattered by bullets, and the building seems to have received it's own share of the pelting metals.

I take a couple of seconds to catch my breath, and amidst the yells and screams, I pick up the strained voice of a girl somewhere far from me. By her frantic tone, it's seems she asking for help or trying to help someone else.

Could she be one of the girls who'd been in the house?

The thought suddenly causes me to rethink my initial plan of reaching the house. Getting to the girl first might provide me with a solid clue as to where to find Nadia, especially if they'd come across each other in the house.

Using the girl's voice as a guide, I begin to make my way towards her quickly. The closer I get, the more her voice becomes clearer and louder.

"We have to leave now! Please!" I hear her beg.

Whoever she's talking to doesn't seem to respond, or perhaps I can't hear her companion.

"For Muneerah's sake, please. We have to go Nadia-"

The name sends my heart pounding, from shock and anticipation. Without wasting a second, I take off in a sprint, praying fervently that she's the one.

I get to the other side of the estate, and come across a small clearing not too far from the surrounding wilderness. And right there in the middle of a small group, is my Nadia kneeling on the bare earth over someone, her back facing me. There's no way I can mistake her for another person, not with those long curls, and even without them, I'd still know.

My knees go weak from relief, and if it wasn't for the situation at hand, I'd have cried out in joy. Keeping my emotions in check, I wipe the tears from my eyes and approach her, walking slowly so I don't frighten her.

The other girl snaps her eyes to me lightening quick, and I can tell she's the one whose voice led me here. She scrambles for a thick branch on the ground and aims it at me, her face set in a dispassionate expression.

"If you take one more step towards us, I swear I'll make sure I hurt you in whatever way possible!" She threatens, rubbing the back of her hand over her eyes. She glances at Nadia and a little girl with a protective gaze, looking even more fiercer.