Logar, Afghanistan;
Rakhatal, 01:40;
About two hours later, Rong Xinghe clenched her fists at her sides, her breathing shuddery. With her eyes shut, every bone in her body screamed in protest, a relentless ache that settled deep within her. Tears flowed down her cheeks as she struggled to process the suffocating quiet around her. Finally, with great effort, opened her eyes, wincing as the world came into blurry focus. The silhouettes of trees loomed like dark monsters above her; she was still in those woods.
Ahmed Ali Fadhil must have left, she concluded, as the eerie silence welcomed her to consciousness. No sign of human presence, whatsoever.
"Arghhh!", a cry of shock escaped her lips as another wave of pain crashed over her, originating from her core. The sensation radiated sharply in her lower abdomen, a torment unlike anything she had ever experienced. It felt agonizing and ceaseless, a stabbing reminder of her vulnerability that stretched on.
