The world seemed to blur around Blake as searing pain radiated from the gaping wound in his chest. Each breath felt like shards of glass scraping against his lungs, and every heartbeat sent waves of agony coursing through his body. He could taste the metallic tang of blood on his lips.
When Elena's hand withdrew from his chest, Blake felt a cold emptiness settle in the pit of his stomach. The world around him seemed to fade into darkness, and he found himself slipping into a void of despair and regret.
His thoughts turned to Rose, his beloved Rose. In that moment, she was all he could think about. Was this how it was meant to end? Dying alone on this desolate island, far from the one he loved? His heart ached with regret, knowing that he would never see her again, never hold her in his arms or hear her laughter or her plain stone cold expression, the futile attempts she made to hide her true emotions.
