Vladimir's POV
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"Ugghhhh.........."
I woke up groaning from the immense pain I felt stabbing into my head. At least, I think I did. My face was buried in something cold, and for a moment, I couldn't figure out where I was. All I knew was that everything was cold. Very cold.
*Cough**Cough*
'Fuck! Why the fuck is there muddy snow in my throat? It tastes like shit' I cursed under my breath for my lack of luck these days.
I tried to move, but my body felt like it was frozen to the ground. Or maybe... I was being dragged?
Yeah, probably.
"Huh? Wait, what?"
My voice came out more like a weak cough. I turned my head, well, more like I tried to. It felt like I was being pulled by a force of nature.
I looked up with my hazy eyes and frozen white eyelashes that threatened to fall off, looking like an old geezer. A black rope was tethered around my waist, stretching taut. And the one pulling it? My boss.
He was walking steadily ahead, his expression as blank as always.
Just dragging me through the snow like I was some kind of luggage he couldn't be bothered to carry properly. Great.
My life's ambition was apparently to be human sled. Not so bad I guess? I heard once that there were Arctic dogs that pulled sleds in the north pole. Except I had his two suitcases tied to my waist threatening to turn me into a human popsicle.
Apparently I became a dog a long time ago. Sigh....what a sad life.......
Pity me! Ahem, ahem.
"Excuse me sir!" I rasped, but all that came out was a pitiful gasp. Snow was clogging my mouth.
Boss didn't even flinch. Not a single look back. He just kept tugging on the rope. Please show mercy on this fool!
"Cold," he muttered. "Very... cold."
I blinked, trying to make sense of things. I turned my eyes towards his blood red arms that looked like they would fall off any moment. I wasn't sure if he meant the weather or if he was commenting on my current situation.
Either way, the snowstorm was like a giant hand trying to suffocate me.
"Yeah, no shit, Sherlock," I muttered under my breath, but the boy was already a few steps ahead.
Pull, drag, pull, drag.
It was like a never ending march through hell with a devil.
Only... a frozen one. My legs were numb, and the two suitcases strapped to my waist felt like they weighed a ton each. Why hadn't he taken them off? Didn't he realize I was practically dead weight?
I swear one of these days I'll day a miserable death like this!
"Suitcases... still there" the boy mumbled, as if that was important information. "Good... not lost. Not so useless Vladimir. Good dog."
'Suitcases?' I blinked slowly, unable to process.
'Dude, I'm about to freeze to death and you're worried about the—ugh, forget it.' I chose to ignore the term used to label me as a 'dog' since I was one. Or maybe a sled. I'm not sure which one I am. Well, I shouldn't waste my energy on useless thoughts I guess......
The boy didn't react. Of course. He was too busy concentrating on the snow. And the rope. And probably something else completely unrelated to my suffering. His gaze was as unfocused as his words, like he was in another world entirely.
"Not lost," he repeated, his voice flat. "Still there. We... keep them."
I was about to scream, but that took too much energy.
Instead, I resigned myself to being dragged through the snow. At this point, I had accepted that my entire existence was reduced to nothing more than a human sled. I might as well make it a bit more fun.
"Hey, boss" I wheezed, my words becoming a cold fog in the air, "You ever think of, y'know, maybe stopping to take a break?"
The boy didn't respond. He didn't even acknowledge me. Just pulled.
Fuck.My.Life.
Pull. Drag. Pull. Drag.
We kept going, and I tried to at least focus on something other than the endless snowstorm. Boss didn't seem phased by anything. Not the cold, not the fact that I was half-frozen and still attached to him. He was just... walking.
'Scary'
Most of the time, boss is expressionless, but usually answers my questions. However, when he doesn't answer....well pray you don't have to see him when he doesn't answer. My fragile and maiden-like heart can take it.
I couldn't figure out what he was thinking. Probably not much, based on the way he moved. Maybe it was like his brain was a hamster on a wheel. It's always going, but it never really gets anywhere.
After what felt like hours, could've been minutes, honestly, who knew anymore—the storm seemed to lighten just a little. I managed to lift my head, if only for a second, and squinted into the distance.
"Wait a minute," I muttered. "Are we... near an airport?"
I thought I saw a building in the distance. Or maybe it was a mirage. Given how my brain was practically on autopilot, I couldn't be sure. Boss didn't even seem to notice. He just kept pulling me forward, still expressionless, like we were on a leisurely stroll through a park. How is he still not tired? From our original location where the cool SUV met its creator, the airport was around 5 hours using a vehicle. Wait, does this mean we walked at least for half a day? Ridiculous!
"Are you even aware of where we're going?" I asked, my voice thick with sarcasm, or at ;east trying to. I looked like a hamster trying to scare off a lion.
"I'm pretty sure this isn't how you're supposed to treat your tool, boss."
The boy glanced over at me for the first time. It was brief, just a flicker of his eyes.
"Airport... there?" he asked, breaking his speech into fragments, his face still blank.
I stared at him, blinking. "Uh... yeah, genius. It's an airport."
He didn't respond, but he pulled me a little faster. Great. Now we were practically speed-walking through the snowstorm.
"Can you, like, ease up a little?" I tried to ask, but my body was still numb, and my words barely formed. "I'm not exactly... built for being dragged."
The boy was unphased. "Ease up?" He repeated, almost like he was trying to understand. "We... get there... fast."
He tugged again. Harder. Faster.
And just like that, we were practically sprinting through the snow, the suitcases clanging loudly as they bounced against my sides.
I could barely keep up, but I wasn't going to let this kid get the last laugh. So I raised my head with all the strength I had left, eyes half-closed.
"Listen, I swear, if you drag me through that airport like this—"
A few more steps and, boom, we were at the gates. Soldiers. A whole squad of them. They stared at us, blinking in confusion.
Even though the planes were so close. The engine could be heard from a mile away. Sniff.....
Some of them took a second to process what they were seeing. A kid, expressionless, of course—dragging an unconscious man through the snow like a cargo sled, dragging two heavy suitcases, no less.
The boy stopped. A pause.
"Well," I said, trying to sit up, but failing miserably, "Guess we're here. Nice of you to finally let me meet the welcoming committee."
I wasn't sure whether the soldiers were going to shoot, but I didn't want to stick around to find out. Not that I could really do anything about it, of course. I was more or less a human punching bag at this point. What are we gonna do anyways?
Actually, now that I think about it, doesn't this look suspicious? There are way too many soldiers not only at the airport, but at other locations. It just....seems weird unless.......
Vladimir gasped as he came to a realization which seemed impossible.
"Don't tell me.."
One of the soldiers took a step forward, his rifle trained on us with a hostile gaze. "You better explain yourself, or we'll—" They spoke in better English than Nikola at least. Thank god. Maybe we can actually make it out alive if we explain our story.
I looked towards boss with hope in my eyes before it was completely shattered.
Boss, without a word, raised his hand.
It was a simple gesture. One hand up, palm facing out. But it was enough to make the soldiers pause. They narrowed their eyes, watching him carefully, like they were weighing their options.
Something about the way he held his hand calm, steady, but demanding made them hesitate for a moment. Maybe they recognized something. Maybe they didn't want to deal with a kid with a death wish.
Well, that moment costed them their chance.
Boss pulled the rope.
Then he ran.
It wasn't a sprint. It wasn't graceful either. It was a blur. One second, he was standing there, palm out like he was in charge of the whole damn snowstorm, and the next-
Boom!
He was tugging me behind him like some kind of sled dog, pulling with all his might.
The soldiers didn't react immediately. By the time they adjusted, Boss was already pulling me away, my boots kicking up snow, the suitcases bouncing against my sides like a pair of unruly toddlers.
I didn't have the energy to shout or protest. I was too busy trying to breathe, trying to make sense of what was happening. But Boss didn't care.
He didn't slow down. He just kept running, pulling me with him, my body trailing behind him like some pathetic piece of luggage.
We ran through the snowstorm, pushing through the wind and the cold, and I honestly couldn't tell how long we'd been running. Maybe minutes. Maybe hours. Time didn't seem to exist anymore.
And then, through the blinding white, I saw it.
A dock. A sea deck. The kind of place you find in old war movies, where people stand around waiting for boats to take them away. It was a massive concrete platform, jagged and weathered, stretching out over a sea I couldn't even see. The sound of the waves crashing against the deck was almost drowned out by the wind.
The sound of gunshots and vehicles approaching at a fast speed resounded in the empty snow plains as Boss made his choice, looking towards the rope and the sea before sighing.
"Fuck"
Subconsciously I realized the choice boss was going to make.
I was no hero.
I was no villain.
I wasn't even a coward.
I was........
A disposable, human sled.
Splash!
They both submerged into the cold, ruthless sea.
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I'm sorry, i'm sorry everyone!
Once again I apologize!
This time, I have an actual excuse.
Yes.
An actual one this time.
My laptop's screen shattered! Literally shattered.
Wuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.... I had to write it on my phone..
This chapter may be rushed, dunno what you think. Please tell me.
But, please, and I am emphasizing, please forgive this foolish man!
It's all about love, love!
Truly, what a wonderful world!
Or not....
Anyways, sorry ya'll a see ya next time.