The Regeneration Project

~10~

  Aspen—  

When I saw the gun aimed in Risa's direction I was overcome by an unexplained emotion. I had to save her. I would rather die than be here without her. I raced across the room and did the only rational thing I could think of in my time of panic. I tackled her. Wow Aspen, I thought to myself, the closest you can get to a relationship with a  girl is to tackle her to the floor as you protect her from a bullet. Not the most romantic moment but it would have to do. I wonder if this is what love feels like. My friend Bram used to say that loving someone meant putting their life above your own; being willing to sacrifice anything for them, even if that meant you life for theirs.

"Uh, uh..." Risa stuttered looking into my face as we sat sprawled on the floor.

"Oh sorry." I managed to say over the ringing gunshots firing above us.

"No, no It's okay." She assured me, "We just really need to get out of here."

Overcome with extreme panic and a rush of adrenaline pumping through our veins we crawled over to the window. The will to survive in my life has never been stronger than it is at this moment. Not only for me to survive, but Risa too. Just then a bullet was shot at the window shattering it.

"That certainly makes this easier." she says.

"Wait for a pause and then we need to move quick." I said, "You go first and I'll be right behind you."

We sat huddled against a wall for cover and waited until the firing subsided. I have a feeling the intruder would have kept firing but they ran out of bullets.

"Go now Risa." I whispered into her ear.

We got up and crept across the floor over to the window and she shuffled out onto the street, me following close behind her. We sprinted across the street only to be greeted by more hovercrafts following in vain pursuit. 

"Can we ever get a break around here?" Risa screamed exasperated.

"Stop complaining and run!" I yelled after her as I started off in the opposite direction.

Feet pounding against the pavement in unison, we ran for our lives down alleyways, across lawns and over fences trying to loose our pursuers. Of course, we never lost them but it felt good just to be trying. If I was going to go down, it was going to be by my dying breath. I was not going to let a bunch of raving lunatics trying to take my sanity and the only person I have ever loved away from me without a fight. Coming to the end of another side street, we ran straight into a dead end.

"This isn't good," Risa managed through labored breathing from running so far, "This is really bad Aspen, really really bad."

We turned to run back out of the street but it was quickly blocked off by the many hovercrafts following us. I stared in disbelief not willing to accept that our journey had been for naught. I can't have fought for so long and so hard for it to end like this. As I stared, the hovercrafts parted opening up walkway for a figure dressed in all black. It walked toward us at a slow pace and it wasn't until we were a meager twenty or so feet apart that I realized who it was.

"Risa," I stammered, "That is my cousin. It's him."

"It's okay Aspen," she said trying to console me, "It's going to be okay."

"I don't think it is... look what he's holding Risa."

She shifted her gaze off of me and onto Nick and she bristled once her eyes landed on the metal object in his hand. I turned to look with her and was only greeted by the eye of the barrel pointing straight at us. Nick had stopped walking and was now aiming at us. I stepped between him and Risa and looked at her. I suddenly realize that this feeling I have is in fact love. I won't lose her. She is the only thing I have left.

"Risa," I said pulling her chin up so she had no choice but to look me in the eye. "Risa, I want you to know something before whatever is about to happen has the chance to.

"What is it?" she asks as here eyes turn to glass and fill to the brim with tears as she thinks of our fate.

"I love you Ri—" I manage to get out before I hear the gun fire. I feel a burning pain spreading from my back, white hot searing pain, and somehow also cold. It feels like I've been sliced open with an iceberg and a flame at the same time. I scream out in pain, and look desperately into her face only to see something lodged in her shoulder as well...a tranquilizer. Her cries of agony mix with mine as we crumble to the ground holding onto each other with ever last ounce of strength.

"I love you too Aspen." she whispers to me through gasps for air as the world around me fades to a black nothingness where all that matters ceases to exist. The last image I have to hold onto is her beautiful light brown eyes staring back at me in a surreal expression of peace.

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well that was a bit dramatic... sorry it's kind of short but you can't really do anything when you're unconscious so... thanks for reading!