“Have you ever used this thing before?” The elf asked as she raised her gun. Sherry, elf, along with the rest of the children, made a run through the forest.

“No. I’m just a poor bystander. Shooting and murdering are not one of my skill sets. How about you? You’re an elf, right? You guys shouldn’t kill living beings, right?”

“That’s an understatement.”

A light came to their sight. Sherry gestured to stop and crouched, hiding in the thick bush.

“Fuck, fuck.”

Sherry swore repeatedly in a low voice as she controlled her breathing to a minimum.

“What should we do?” The elf asked.

“I don’t fucking know. It’s not like I regularly kill people.”

She looked at the children and her conscience stung her. She glanced back cautiously at the enemy. They were spread out across the forest which favors them.

“It’s wise not to engage them. We must continue to hide until we’re far enough away from them.” The youngsters look so confused. “We’ll play hide and seek, okay. Don’t worry, I won’t let them touch you again, never again.”

It seems that they’ve to get the gist of the game’s notion and followed Sherry. Advancing discreetly, there were times that Sherry stopped them. Sherry would have to go out and find a way to distract, it’s either by throwing rocks or knocking them down by swinging the rifle at their head. It was long and tiresome hide-and-seek.

The elf and the children were ordered to sneak and hide behind the large rock before Sherry unnoticeably walks behind the enemy. She held the rifle high and amid it, a snake jumped on her. She rattled and accidentally threw it off to the thug.

The thug shouted and the rest were alarmed.

“Shit!” Sherry swore as she glances at the elf location.

The elf already knew what it meant as she led the children, sprinting away from them.

Sherry kicks the ground and followed them behind. She looked at the rifle and frantically aimed at the enemy and pulled the trigger. It won’t fire. She swore more.

“Fuck. Why won’t you fire?! Useless piece of shit!”

At that moment, her vision changes. The machinery in her chest stutters. There’s a change in her eyes. Her eyes glow red. Data and numeral directories, foreign words, and such strange mechanics were embedded in her sight, becoming an annoying framework to her surroundings. Still, her body instinctively moved on its own as she was able to decipher it.

She unloaded the jammed bullets and replaced them; her hands held, aiming at her side while running. Her hands switch off the safety and pulled the trigger.

Her aim is perfect, the smoke smoldering in the air as the bullet pierces through, piercing sharp in the air – straight to the thugs’ heads. A small soft lump of brain struck on his comrade’s vest.

She decided to roll over as the bullet grazes her cheek and hide in the shadow of the tree, leaning against it. The enemies hide as she fired against them. The enemies stopped. She took a risk to take a glance. They’re currently reloading.

Sherry sprinted away. The enemy yelled and they too dashed. Her breathing is heavy and yet her feet didn’t recognize tiredness. She stopped and walk slowly as her feet suddenly numb and loses their strength. The adrenaline may be the reason she couldn’t feel the pain that the bullet piercing through her calf.

“Shit.”

She crawled behind the tree. She loaded her rifle and fired in return. The others hide while some didn’t worry about the risk and sneak on her left. A single thug managed to blind spot her as she is busy firing back while sitting down and leaning in the tree with her legs spilling blood on the ground.

Sherry could feel the gun cocked behind her. She remained motionless. Her lips were sealed and dried. She closed her eyes, waiting for the moment for him to pull the trigger. Seconds passed; she can’t feel anything. She’s still breathing.

She slowly turns around. The thug is now impaled by vines gripping every part of his body. His neck is twisted as the vine crept and engulfed his body. It was the elf that saved her. She raised her hand, fisting it. The vines grew, and impaled the enemy, killing them instantly.

“What the fuck are you doing?!”

“I’m not gonna leave you behind.”

“What about the kids?”

“They’re fine. For no—” Her words cut. Blood splashed out of nowhere in her sight. She trembled when she realized that it was from her abdomen. She fell to her knees. Her lungs are aching as she coughed blood.

Her sight is slowly fading. She’s losing every sense that catenates her mind in this world. Sherry catches her and caressed her head to her lap. She looked at her wound and wailed. Tears well and began to stream down to her cheeks as she restrained herself from letting out a cry by covering her mouth.

She whimpered and hug the elf.

“I didn’t even know your name.”

Her doleful eyes stare at the moon brightening up the forest. The wind hummed and feathered – fluttering the leaves and they rustled as they finally fall, softly swirling in the wind. She closed her eyes, waiting for the short crunch of footsteps approaching.

The calmed breathing has turned into a short-term breath. She didn’t want this, she didn’t ask for this, she doesn’t want to die. There is so much she wants to know. There’s nothing more painful than to die without knowing her identity. She doesn’t know if there’s anyone that will mourn for her. Permanent death is the befitting description of her thoughts, she will be trapped in a cycle of thoughts in what-ifs until her death without knowing herself.

The gun finally inclined on her head. Her heart beats faster and her tears began pouring on the elf’s face. She clicked her tongue and tried to get rid of the tears, that’s when a shadow came across – flickering in the moonlight. Her eyes narrowed to the figure. She is not sure of it, whether she’s hallucinating or not.

The shadow shows itself again, this time – a sharp object flung through towards her direction. She embraced herself – prepared for what was going to come, but it was not meant to her. Instead, the blade pierces to the grunt.

“Can you move?” He asked. His baritone voice was befitted to his silhouette manly stature.

Sherry inspects her ankle and tried to twist her feet. She stands up and hangs the elf’s hands to her neck and carries. Although her right ankle is hurt, she’s able to bear the pain.

“I think I can.”

“Good. I’ll cover for you. Don’t look back. Go straightforward.” Finally, he steps out in the shadow and revealed his identity. He wore a brown leather coat with sharp teeth that are laden as a necklace. His eyes brim in violet as his long silver hair sways softly in the wind.

He pulled out his knife and chanted magic. Sherry began to walk slowly opposite his direction. She could hear the terrified screams of the enemies as a turbulent wind came that dulled her senses.