"Where are we heading, Ethan?" I asked while roaming my eyes around the area. I don't know where we are heading since Ethan has been walking and carrying us for about hours now.
Ethan was silent the whole time. His eyes were focused on our path, and I could sense he was alert the entire time if someone might attack us out of nowhere. I glimpse down at Bobby, who was sleeping inside the bag. I was glad the pack was dry so Bobby won't shiver from the cold. I caressed his head, grateful that everything was restful for now.
We're in the middle of nowhere. This time, we lost our belongings, sources, and everything we had. The only thing that remains is our lives. We're basically piteous and emptied right now. I realized a tear escaped my eyes while thinking about our situation when Ethan suddenly dropped to the ground. Since he was holding us, we rolled on the dirt.
"Ethan!"
Bobby barked from the sudden collision. I crawled to get closer to his side. I was taken aback when I touched his skin, and he was burning! Ethan transformed into his usual self, and it made me cry when I saw how bruised his body was. He was enduring everything all this time. I placed his head on my lap, caressing his head slightly.
"Ethan…you have a high fever," I mumbled on his lips. Ethan couldn't even open his eyes due to fatigue. They pushed Ethan too much on edge, and now his body is giving up on him. I looked around, desperate to find something that would help us. We're lost, and no one is around this place besides the two of us.
"It's cold…." Ethan said with a shaky breath, trying to raise his hand to hug me when I let it rest beside him. He doesn't need to move more muscles since his body has been forced too much. I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him closer. Bobby licked Ethan's face, leaning to scoop closer to him.
My eyes suddenly wandered around his wounds. He's been shot multiple times, but good thing that nothing shot his back. I remember the doctor told me Ethan's back has a sensitive spot, and one hit from something with a substantial amount of force would end his life. Ethan was fighting the pain all this time to save Bobby and me.
"We need something to press his wounds, so the blood won't out-pour…." I whispered, peeking down at my dress. I removed the bag pack and let Bobby sit beside his father.
"N-Natasha…" Ethan called my name, but I hushed him. I smiled, then stroked his cheeks, telling him everything will be alright, and I was here to overcome this mess.
"R-rest there, my love. I will treat your wounds." my voice cracked, and my vision became blurry from the emotions that were peeking to burst out. Ethan tried to reach my face even though his hands were trembling and he couldn't make it.
My lips formed into uncontrollable sobs. I looked away, restraining myself from crying. I needed to keep myself together even though I wanted to shout my wretchedness. I balled my hands before ripping and tearing off the hem of my dress.
I grunted in annoyance since the fabric was thick, but I found a spot that could reap it freely. The dress that was reading above my ankle became short, reaching above my knees. My undergarments will peek out if I bend a little, but that's not the case here. Ethan is wounded, and I need to wrap something around it so it won't get infected.
"N-Natasha…your dress-"
"It's okay, Ethan. I don't care about it." I told him, cupping his cheeks while the tears pushed to drop. I couldn't bear to look at his face in this condition. It's shredding my heart in half. I closed my eyes, resting my forehead against his.
"What's important is we're alive. I-I don't care if we're poor, have no house..or anything…I don't mind about all of it. What matters is you alive and kicking. Okay? Please don't blame yourself for this." I muttered, sealing his lips with a kiss. Ethan kissed me back, even when he was quivering.
His skin was burning, and his body was limp. I closed my eyes firmly, waiting for his body to fall to the ground at ease. Bobby barked, probably confused about what happened. I pushed myself to stand up, wiping off the tears on my cheeks. Bobby wagged his tail, barking and standing up, but I hushed him.
"You need to stay here, guard him. Okay?" I exclaimed, pointing at Ethan's passed-out body. Bobby barked, then stuck out his tongue. I patted his head before stepping back, looking at them one last time before running away from that place.
I didn't look back because it might pull me again towards them. I need to find someone who can help us. Nothing will happen to us if we stay out there and wait for a miracle to happen. I gasped when my eyes suddenly teared up. I covered my mouth, restraining myself from wailing.
Natasha! Please! Focus yourself! What you did took a lot of risks! I left them alone, and Allen's troops might follow or track us even though Ethan had already pulled us out of their sight. This is the only way I could think of to survive.
I was running with my bare feet. I didn't stop even though it would take me minutes, hours, or days to look for someone! My feet stepped on something sharp, causing it to bleed. I whimpered, and a tear escaped, but I didn't falter. Just keep running, Natasha! You can make it! Your family needs you to succeed in this plan of yours.
I reached a highway where only cars would appear once in a blue moon. It made me motivated somehow, even though part of me felt hopeless. I waved my hands, screaming and yelling for help even though no one was around.
"Please! Help us! Anyone out there?! C-can you hear me?!"
I drop to my knees, begging and crying. I sat there, waiting for someone to come through. I don't care if I may look horrible right now. I left Ethan and Bobby out there, and I need to get back at them as soon as someone appears here!
I squeeze my knees, hugging myself when the cold wind brushes on my skin. I waited still. My eyes were dense, and my body was about to give up when I heard a screeching engine coming. My eyes jolted, and I looked straight. I tried to stand up to catch its attention. I waved my hands desperately, but my feet were debilitated to even move. I dropped to my knees. My hands were above my head.
"Please…please be a good person who would help us."
I almost jumped in panic when I heard a series of horns. I lifted my face to see what was happening. The driver's head slipped out of the car window, flaring his hand for me to turn away from my spot. I shook my head, and I shouted. I will not leave here as long as no one helps me! He can turn away if he doesn't want to help me!
The driver turned his head inside the vehicle, and suddenly he started running its engine. My eyes almost popped out in repugnance, and I could hear the speed of my heartbeat. I hugged myself, waiting for my fate. The vehicle was getting closer and closer. It was about to collide with me, and my whole body was almost shaking with fear. I had to stand up but could not move in my place because my legs were numb from the pain.
"Stop!" I yelled.
When the car was about to hit my body, it suddenly braked. It made a deafening sound that echoed in my ears. My body suddenly became paralyzed, and I could not open my eyes. I felt something touch my hands, so I slowly opened my eyes to see what had happened.
The car was parked in front of me, and its tires were emitting smoke. I swallowed. I slowly pushed myself to stand up and look at who the driver of the car was.
"Lady!"
I jumped in surprise when the car door opened and a man with a formal suit stepped out. He was wearing sunglasses that protect his eyes from the sun. The man took it off, and his dazzling eyes appeared before me.
"What the heck is your problem! Do you want to die-" he stopped himself when he saw my face covered with blood and dirt. I tried to take a step closer, reaching him, when the man shook his head.
"What are you?" he looks frightened to see me. He probably thinks I am a ghost, and this is just his hallucination. When I grabbed his hand, the man was about to get inside his car.
"P-please…help us. My husband was shot and-"
"Wait, what? Shot? Husband? You're not alone?" he asked, turning his body around to face me.
I nodded in response, and a tear streamed down my cheeks. The emotions that I sealed burst and scattered all over. I dropped to my knees and bowed down until my forehead reached the ground.
"P-please… I'm begging you! Please help me. I know I may look unworthy to look at right now, but please…I need someone to help us. He will die out there!" I yelled, and the man quickly understood.
"O-okay! Sure! I'll call the police-"
"No!" I looked up, grabbing his hands and pulling him closer. The man was frightened, but he listened.
"Just drive us where you live…get us away from here, or they will follow to kill us," I said before dropping to the ground. My head was spinning.
The man was shouting and tapping my cheeks, but I was already losing consciousness. Before I dozed off, I raised my trembling hands towards the path where I left Ethan and Bobby before my vision went black.