The Survival

Chapter 53

Nathan keeps pushing us, but neither me or Beth are athletic, in fact I never like to run, play sports or any of that. I just wasn't made for it, and we are not in the best health conditions to do it.

"I can't do it anymore." Beth whines and falls to the ground gasping, her knees touch the snow that is covering the dirty ground, and I press my open palms on my knees trying to regain some air and force.

"C'mon girls, you can't give up now!" He tries to lift her up, but she is like a dead weight and although Nathan has muscles, big muscles I might add, he is just as tired as us if not more since he faced the demon himself, so without Beth's help he won't be able to pull her up.

In a swift move he changes directions, and comes to stand inches from my body, he puts his arms under my armpits and lifts me up so I can stand as tall as possible, he grabs my face and gently runs his thumb over my cheek bones, "You have to go." He whispers.

A frown settles on my forehead and I open my mouth to say no when he beats me to it, "He wants you, not me, not Beth, but you. And he'll do anything to get to you."

"I won't leave you." I say this thinking about the both of them but deep down my heart is screaming for Nathan, I can't leave him.

He rests his forehead against mine, his breath mixes with mine and his eyes close for a second before the darkest and most beautiful green I ever saw appear, "Remember the promise I made? I'll always protect you and if that means you having to go on your own, you'll do it."

I shake my head, denying what he is saying, "I-I can't..."

"You're so strong," He continues to run his thumb over my cheeks, "You changed my life completely, and I can't thank you for that. I just wish that we could have met somewhere else, that we could have a chance to be ourselves. I was never one to be romantic, but fuck, I would do anything to take you on a normal date, buy you flowers and cuddle with you while watching freaking Netflix."

My eyes are covered with unshed tears at this point and I can see that he is trying to hold himself too, "So, please... promise me that you'll do everything you can, and you'll continue without me."

I continue to shake my head my bottom lip trembling, he looks me straight in the eyes, "Please..." and with that last word, and an incredible force I shake my head again but this time in a nod.

An incredible pain takes over my chest and my heart, knowing what I just agreed on doing, "Say it." he mumbles against my lips, "I promise." And I haven't finished my words yet when he joins our lips, it's a short kiss, but the feelings are all there.

A scream breaks the air and next thing I see is Beth running like a madwoman in the direction of Danny that seems to be holding something, his eyes are locked on us but when Beth screams he turns to her but doesn't have enough time to avoid her before she is on top of him, trying to hit him, "You son of a bitch!"

"Keep that promise, now!", I nod and I'm about to continue to run when he grabs my arm and whispers on my ear, "I love you."

I can't move, my legs seem to go jelly and my heart seems to skip a beat... did he? However, I can't be sure of it because he stalks away from me to help my friend. I'm out of my trance when I see Danny throwing Beth against the trunk of a tree, her back colliding with it and a snap is heard, the sound makes me cringe, but Nathan shout from me to leave makes me act.

I sprint, with all I have in me, I order my legs to go faster and faster. I know for a fact that if our mind want us to do something our body will do it, so I may be feeling pain, I may be out of breath, but I want to run away from this, I want to live.

To live... Nathan stayed behind to save me.

You're a coward, my mind whispers to me countless times. I shake my head, no, I promised I would leave.

But the taunt continues and no matter what excuse I come up with they feel just like that... excuses.

I stumble on a few roots that are on the ground covered with snow, clumsiness never got me more frustrated as now. I want to go fast but my jelly legs and crossed feet aren't letting me. I can't hear a sound from behind me, but I keep going.

I don't know for how long I run, I don't know if I'm going in circles or if I'm going straight ahead into a cliff, I just know that I have to keep moving.

Nathan is a present constant in my mind as I keep running, sometimes a good present because it makes me push myself harder, but other times it just slows me down when I remember myself that I left him alone, and now I'm paying that price.

Now I'm feeling pain, guilt and loneliness... I should have stayed with him, I should have helped him, and maybe we could beat him up together.

I'm so focused on my thoughts that I don't realize that I have reached a meadow except when I'm on the verge of it. I look around, the view is beautiful I give it that, all covered in snow, but it has one thing negative. There are no trees to hide me from being seen, I look back at the woods, maybe I should go back and stay on the shadows, but if I do that what tells me that I won't go face to face with him?

I look at the meadow once again and see the outline of the trees on the other side, it's a large distance... really large, but it's my best shot I guess.

I start to sprint once again and try to be as silent as possible while I run, not waiting to call unwanted attention. I'm reaching almost the middle of the meadow and I hear a sound from the trees... Shit.

I turn around and run faster, I'm careful where I place my feet, I keep my attention on this activity itself but it seems that something is pulling me to look back, something is telling me to look behind me and when I do, almost afraid of it, I see Nathan jumping from the woods and entering the meadow.

"Nathan!" I scream, he makes a hand move that tells me to keep going and so I do, but always looking back, after probably turning my head to look at him for the fourth time I see Beth on his shoulder, her head bobbing up and down and she seems to be unconscious.

It doesn't take long for him to reach my side and when he does I can't stop myself from coming to a stop and hugging him, "I was worried sick. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry I left you." I whisper out of breath.

He gives me a short hug, obviously still aware of what is happening around us. I can see his chest moving up and down at a rapid pace and he slowly lets Beth fall from his shoulder and lets her rest on the ground, the bun on top of his head is almost falling and coming lose, some curls are even stuck on his forehead because of the sweat.

I'm admiring him when a movement caught my attention, I focus my eyes there, but I see nothing, I grab Nathan's hand ready to tell him that we should go when I see Danny appearing from the line of trees. He is far away from us and I can tell that if we start running now we still have the advantage but instead he remains quiet and stoic.

He doesn't make a single movement to reach us and that's when I see him pulling something from behind him, I don't know what it is, but it seems like a stick of wood, he smirks at me before putting the wood on his mouth.

Realization kicks in and I move to stand in front of Nathan, when I do I feel something piercing my neck, I let my fingers wrap around it and pull it, only to see a tiny arrow, almost the size of a toothpick held between my forefinger and thumb, next thing I know dizziness and nausea hits me and I fall to the ground.

I don't know what happened, I don't know what is happening or will happen.

The only thing I know is that before darkness engulfs me, the only thing I hear is Nathan shouting my name, and the last thing I see is the sun moving.