Page 56 of Alamort

The interior quickly ignites, sending plumes of smoke into the air. A shiver runs down my spine as I stand in awe, goose bumps prickling the back of my neck. My body goes slack as soon as the fire spreads, the tightness in my chest gradually eases, while the tension in my shoulders disappears. The weightlessness of every burden I carry vanishes. Bliss, even if only for a fleeting moment. This brings a sense of steadiness to my heart, as if all the chaos of the world has faded away.

Peace, that’s what this foreign feeling is. Maybe.

This is what I would expect it to feel like, so that’s what I’ll call it. I send a silent thanks to Addi for giving me this. If anyone is looking out for me, it’s her.

The car’s interior is a fiery inferno. The heat radiates and scorches everything in its path. The flickering flames, escaping through the broken window, eagerly lick the exterior of the car. Damn, this is a masterpiece. Baldwin’s SUV seats have nothing on the way this makes me feel. My eyes search out River, who is as entranced as I am. She must feel my eyes on her because she looks at me immediately, coming to stand by my side.

“You really did it.” Her voice drips with awe. Of course I did. This is a win-win situation for me. Revenge is best served with a blazing hot appetizer. Something like that.

Her hand links in mine. I squeeze hers and in return she squeezes it back. I’d like to think my sister sent someone here to help stave off the loneliness I’ve felt for so long. That even in death she would take care of me. I would for her. When I go to hell, I’ll still find a way to her and make sure she’s okay. Tell her I love her one last time. A small smile graces my lips. I’m happy I could know unconditional love, because that’s what I was able to give her.

River’s grip turns painful, her knuckles going white.

“We’ve got to go.” Urgency laces her voice. My eyes flick to the fire and then back to her. I want to see this through. There’s still so much left.

“What? Why?” My brows wrinkle as she looks behind her. I strain my ears, searching for even the faintest sound. A guttural roar comes from the other side of the gate we came through, making me jump.

“Run!” She yells.

My legs are carrying me before I can register what’s going on. I gain on River just as she cuts through the dense woods, our footsteps crunching on the fallen leaves. Despite the treeobstructing our path, we maintain our pace without missing a beat. Undeterred by the branches smacking me in the face, I push forward with more determination. My breaths are quick and uneven, a stark contrast to my usual steady rhythm as I struggle to find my pace. Oh fuck, a cramp.

Leaning against a tree, I take a moment to catch my breath and scan my surroundings, my ears tuned in for any faint footsteps. My pounding heart is the only thing I can hear, which doesn’t help. The effort I put into running makes my lungs burn, each breath is a stab in my ribs.

The forest is alive with the sound of snapping branches, every footstep leaving a trail of destruction in my aggressor's wake. A squeak escapes me as I bolt like a rabbit from one tree to the next, hoping to lose him. Would I have time to climb it? I’ve never climbed a tree in my life, but I’d try right now.

The thrill of successfully evading my pursuer dissipates as I unexpectedly trip over a protruding tree root, excruciating pain shoots through my twisted ankle. The pain is fleeting, overridden by the adrenaline. I scramble to my hands and knees. A fierce roar tears through the forest, followed by the jarring impact of a bulldozer slamming into my side, leaving me breathless and dazed. My diaphragm spasms. This is going to be the longest minute of my life.

“Pause.” I wheeze, grabbing my stomach.

The pressure of hands wrapped around my throat, their firm grip around the warm metal collar making it increasingly difficult to breathe. Obviously, he doesn’t know what the word pause means because he fast forwarded, and I wasn’t ready.

“I’ll fucking kill you, you stupid bitch!” Spittle hits my cheek while baring his teeth. Oh, it’s Bennett. Not really the most ideal for this situation. My eyes focus on what they can, since his hold isn’t loosening on my neck. His nostrils are flaring and his chest heaves, his breath hitting me directly in the face. Seems I’m notthe only one out of shape. My dad has choked me harder than this. He’ll have to try harder to impress me.

In the dark, his eyes appear as deep, black voids, reminiscent of the Demon he’s rumored to embody.

My voice comes out as a squeak. His grasp loosens and I cough, drawing in a much-desired breath of air. With his hatred solely focused on me, I reach out my hand for something I can weaponize. My chin lifts as I hold my head up high, easy considering his hand placement.

“You fucking deserved it, you piece of shit! Tossing my sister’s death out there to a pack of hungry piranhas for the latest gossip. Like she wasnothing. She will be remembered by how she died because of you. Not for who she was.” My hand finds purchase on a stick. I spit at him.

Unfortunately, it falls flat, landing on my chin. Not what I was going for, but a distraction all the same.

“You’re a fucking murderer. You deserve to die and I’m going to be the one to grant you that mercy,” he growls in my face.

Oh, I want to die. But not by this asshole’s hand. I’ll go outmyway and not a second sooner. My Shadow’s words niggle in the back of my mind.

“Death would never be so kind to you.”Not today. My Shadow’s words echo through my head.

Using all my strength, I raise up the stick and strike him in the head.

Smack!

“Piece of shit!” I repeat.

Smack!

“Keep my sister’s name out of your filthy, lying mouth!”

Smack!

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