Page 71 of Devlin

Enock stood at the back of the truck, feet planted wide, arm steady as he leveled a pistol at them. He must have been riding inside the cargo hold, hearing them when they had climbed down from the back of the truck. His broad frame was lit by the sunlight, sweat gleaming on his dark skin. His expression was pained, but his intent was clear.

“Balakeli mabe, Mia,” Enock cursed.

Mia flicked a glance at the jungle to their side, her heart pounding so hard it drowned out all other sounds. The truck’s engine idled a few feet away, its exhaust curling into the humid air. The driver was still inside, unconcerned, probably thinking this was just another routine problem to clean up.

Charlie shifted beside her, his breathing heavy, his fists clenched.

Enock’s dark eyes burned with something close to regret. He looked at Mia, his fingers tightening around the gun. “You weren’t supposed to be part of this.” His voice was rough, nearly breaking. “I never wanted it to come to this.”

Mia swallowed hard. “Then let us go.”

Enock shook his head. “I can’t.”

Charlie took a step forward, his hands still raised. He was afraid—Mia could feel it in the way he moved, the way his breath hitched—but for the first time, he wasn’t running as he placed his body slightly in front of hers.

“Enock, this isn’t who you are,” she said.

“You have no idea who I am… who I’ve had to become,” he bit back.

“Then we can fix this,” she begged. “We can… can… I don’t know, but there has to be some other way.”

Charlie spoke in a low voice that was as shaky as hers. “You think you’re trapped, Enock, but you’re not. You still have a choice.”

Enock scoffed, but there was no real heat behind it. “Like you? Like you had a choice? You did this just to go back to your homeland with money in your pocket so you could act superior to your father? You don’t know what you’re talking about.” His face twisted in a sneer aimed at Charlie. “Me…” he yelled, his free hand slamming into his chest. “Me… I have no homeland. My father was killed. My mother and sister were raped before having their throats slit. I was forced to fight alongside the ones who did this. Then I make it over the border in a boat with the clothes on my back. I’ve spent ten years in this country working and learning. I got married. I have children. So when they came for me to help, they threatened my family. You? You did this for money. I did this to save my family. Don’t talk to me about choice!”

Mia stared at the hatred pouring from Enock’s eyes as he stared at Charlie. The air felt so thick it was hard to suck in oxygen. Spots formed before her eyes, but terrified of passing out, she forced her lungs to expand.

She finally opened her mouth and gasped, “I know you don’t want to kill us.”

Enock flinched. Before he could respond, the truck’s driver leaned out the window, voice sharp. “Enock! Hurry up! We need to get them to the boat.”

Mia’s stomach turned to ice at the mention of the boat.

Enock’s jaw clenched. He didn’t turn around. “Just leave them.”

The driver snorted as he climbed down from the truck cab. “No. They’re worth something over there. The pretty girl will bring a pretty price.” He laughed. “So will the pretty boy.”

Mia’s breath caught, and she heard Charlie whimper.

Enock hesitated as he looked back toward them. The driver narrowed his eyes at Enock, but the damage was done. Mia saw Enock shift his shoulders, and his grip on the gun faltered as his arm lowered slightly.

Charlie must have seen it too, because he inhaled sharply, then turned to Mia. His voice was urgent, desperate. “Run.”

Mia’s eyes widened. “No?—”

He pushed her, yelling, “Run, Mia!”

A gunshot shattered the air. She felt rather than saw Charlie stagger next to her. For a heartbeat, he just stood there, his expression frozen in shock before his legs gave out beneath him. He collapsed onto the dirt, his breath a shuddered gasp. Blood bloomed across his chest.

Mia screamed as she dropped to her knees on the ground next to him. She glanced over her shoulder, the idea that she was next flashing through her mind. The truck driver still had his gun raised, but he wasn’t smiling. His expression seemed almost blank, as though he had expected compliance, not this mess.

Enock didn’t hesitate. He swung his gun up and fired. The driver barely had time to react before the bullet struck him in the forehead. He slumped by the truck wheel, his body jerking once before going still. Birds squawked as they flew from the trees, taking wing to escape the loud noises.

Enock’s chest heaved, his expression carved in stone. Slowly, he turned back to Mia, and she held his gaze for a few seconds. Terror filled every fiber of her body, knowing she was next. Death would be better than being taken by the smugglers to be sold along with the stolen food. Devlin’s face filled her mind, and tears threatened to choke her. He would find her body lying near Charlie’s. Suddenly, everything she felt for him that she’d suppressed for ten years hit her as fat tears rolled down her cheeks. Still crying, she lifted her chin as she stared at Enock.

His face fell, and a sob left his chest. He exhaled shakily, then lifted the gun to his own head.

Mia barely had time to whisper, “No—” before he pulled the trigger. His body crumpled, falling lifeless near the back of the truck.

---