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Chapter 13
Chapter 13
For a moment, my hearing vanished–the world plunged into absolute silence. It felt as if a searing giant hand had slammed me into the ground. I coughed up blood, my organs seeming to shift from the impact. Thick smoke filled the air, obscuring everything. Something warm trickled down my face. When I touched it, my palm came away crimson.
The blast had thrown Joseph several feet away. I tried to stand, but my legs wouldn’t cooperate. With trembling hands, I crawled toward him, knees scraping against the rough earth. Reaching him, I checked for breath, praying desperately. Thank God–he was still alive.
Gunshots echoed again, faint but drawing closer. Fighting back panic, I hoisted Joseph onto my back
and struggled to my feet. I stumbled forward, but armed men were everywhere, their shadows
looming. Forced to change direction, I plunged deeper into the forest.
I lost track of time as I ran. My legs gradually went numb until I could no longer feel them. Finally,
my strength gave out, and I collapsed.
Joseph stirred then, struggling weakly to rise but finding himself unable to move. His voice came
faint but urgent. “Zoey… leave me. Go!”
Tears streamed down my face as I sobbed, shaking my head violently. “No! We leave together! Both
of us!”
He grabbed my ankle, his grip weak but insistent. “Go… get help. You can’t carry us both out of here.”
I broke down completely, crying so hard my chest ached. “Joseph! We made promises! You can’t lie
to me! If you die, I’ll never forgive you!”
A faint smile tugged at his lips, only to be interrupted by a coughing fit that brought blood to his
mouth. “I’m not lying… Liars… become puppies…”
Choking back tears, I forced myself up, helping him lean against a tree. Even as I wiped my face, fresh tears kept falling. He squeezed my hand gently, his gaze steady but pleading. “Go now… you
won’t let me die, right?”
I nodded fiercely through blurred vision. “Wait for me! I’ll come back for you! You’ll be okay–I
promise!”
He smiled weakly and waved me away. “Alright.”
I turned to flee, but before I could take more than a few steps, a deafening gunshot split the air. A
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Backup Girl No More: Adios To My V Card and My First Love
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Chapter 13
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