𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐬

~Pain~

Ariella's POV

I left.

Like a coward, I left.

Because when I saw that red laser aimed at his head, I realized that I finally had something to lose besides Lucas. I realized that I actually have someone to fight for. 

And I realized that I would put him before me. 

His life before mine.

I would save him first.

And I would let myself drown just so I could get him to a life raft. Even if his survival wasn't guaranteed, I could go peacefully knowing there was a chance. 

Him before me.

Always.

~~~~~

The taxi driver seemed hesitant to drive this far out of the city. Where there weren't many lights or tall buildings to guard us. But I made sure he got a glimpse of the few Franklin's in my pocket. 

I made sure he dropped me off a few blocks from where he told me to be. I walked the rest of the way, my head down and the hood of the jacket up. It was colder than usual today. The sky was overwhelmed with gray storm clouds, the bullet-like lightning lurking and waiting to strike again. My fa-

Malakai

Malakai picked a small town where not too many people stayed out after dark and only a rare few buildings stuck out past the treelines. 

And trees.

There were trees.

I'd imagine you'd see the stars at night.

I can't remember the last time I saw the stars. One of the downsides of living in the city I guess. 

Even now, only a few people walked on the clean sidewalks. No litter. No homeless. No perverts waiting. Barely any cars on the small 2-lane street. 

And no witnesses.

My footsteps were the only ones as I walked far out from any residential range. A good two miles from the closest house. 

I lifted my head from my phone that was losing service, looking up at the place that I was supposed to meet him. 

I felt my stomach knot into tangles and my throat clasp close. 

He made it exactly like the home we once shared. The home that was on 891 Jenson Lane, Boothbay Harbor, Maine. The home that looked so quaint and innocent from the outside, so incredibly average to the unsuspecting neighbors and foolish people that resided in that damned town. Even the chipped white wood of the patio was the same. The white wood and navy blue door that I had nightmares of. 

I didn't move from my place a few feet away from the white wood steps. 

I didn't need to when the door creaked open.

His face was painfully just as I remembered, the face I tried too hard to forget.

His rusty brown hair.

Those dark, menacing eyes.

That ominous, sinister sneer.

6 years of hiding...all thrown away now. 

Just his presence was like ice, so brutal and cold. It seemed like the thunder quieted, it too scared of what he was capable of. The trees stilled, frozen in place of his haunting aura. It even stilled my own heartbeat. I could feel my stomach drop to the ground, my own soul leaving me alone. My throat began to close and my mouth went dry, dooming my chances of not stuttering when he would speak to me.