Time stood still as my world silently shattered. I screamed but heard nothing as I was suffocated by reality. Somebody had plunged a knife deep into my world. Said person was coming for me. The silence closed in on me and it was freeing. He had to die. They all had to die. I cut off a piece of my clothing tying it around her waist to put pressure on her wound. With a gun in my right hand and a knife in my left hand, I weaved through anything black that looked remotely threatening. One by one, I shot and cut until there was no one left to come. I waited a beat catching my breath before retracing my steps back to my bleeding world.
That was when I remembered we had not come alone. The rest of the members were plastered along the wall gaping at me. They all uselessly stood looking like confused fish that had never seen a woman fight before. I thought for a second about asking for help from them. The thought was quickly shot down as renewed gunfire started downstairs.
I picked up her crumpled body as carefully as I could before slinging her over my shoulders hoping to good my manhandling would not be what killed her. I turned to make my way back down refusing to be talked to by a seemingly male-dominated criminal organization. Over fifty bodies and none of them female. I gave myself a minute to adjust to her weight ignoring any pain I felt. Once again we went back through hell this time carrying my heart on my shoulder. Against all odds, we made it back taking no prisoners. I drove out as soon as I placed Monica in the car, not willing to waste one more second. At the very least she deserved a bit of first aid. I remember seeing a pharmacy a few minutes back. I could get some supplies there.
She had been distracted by my presence. Although I did not catch her staring at me even once, she must have been constantly aware of my presence. I would never forgive myself if anything ever happened to her because of me. I stopped at the pharmacy and was tempted to bring her along so she could be tended to by a semi-qualified individual. The temptation was only temporary, the disadvantages outweighing the benefits by far. I bought a first aid kit and disinfected her wound before bandaging it properly. It was a crude job but hopefully, it would further stem the blood she was losing.
A few minutes later we were back on the road. I was operating purely on memory and I hoped to god she would be safe. With any mortal danger to my life gone, the goddess was equally absent. I wasnt sure what difference her presence would help with Monicas predicament but my mind kept wandering back to the comfort and slight terror her presence brought me. I drove carefully and fast not willing to waste any time and equally not willing to cause further harm to her.
When I finally got to the compound we were held back by the guards. None of them seemed familiar a fact that solidified when they continued to hold us at gun point while confirming our identity.
Ruben finally appeared arms and face swatched in bandages his messy ponytail his only identifying feature. He leaned into his crutches forcing one of the guards to also lean in meeting him halfway way. A whispered confirmation and a few of the guards created a path for us. I drove forward forcing one of them to dive out of the way. I halted infront of the building, jumped out of the car, but did not get the chance to yell as a stretcher came into view. Monica was loaded into the stretcher and carried away from me.
"You also need to see a doctor." Ruben said guiding me through the door. The sun disappeared behind the steel doors as we made our way through the artificially light hallway. That was when I felt the blood dripping from my arm staining the halls, followed by intense pain. It was then that I noticed the big gash on my arm. I stifled the need to collapse supporting myself against Ruben grateful for the support. Our combat boots echoed in the still hallway each step echoed like gunshots, ominous sounding as if they were foreshadowing our doom. I was ushered into a brightly lit room that had an examining bed and table. a beautiful nurse with a disarming smile gently nudged me forward onto the bed. I felt the sting of the needle followed by blessed numbness.
After the nurse finished up with me, I went in search of Monica. She had been allocated a bed for the night. She had not yet regained consciousness, but the doctor assured me it was completely normal. I pulled up a stool setting it down near her bed. I placed her limp hand in mine squeezing it for all it was worth. A few minutes or it could have been hours, passed by as I studied her face while holding her hands. Seeing her lying there, helpless, tugged painfully at my heart. I felt anxiety riddled with terror at the thought of anything bad happening to her. It was a suffocating feeling that robbed me of my breath and peace. So I held her never leaving her side for what choice did I have.