In response, she dashed away, her heart pounding against her ribcage like a hammer against a nail. Swinging her arms violently, she swerved left and right in an attempt to throw off the guards, but these maneuvers were futile; their eyes were stuck on her—tracking her.
They ran deeper and deeper into darkness, and one of the guard’s heavy footsteps gaining on her from behind sent waves of terror rippling through her body. Closer … closer … until he grabbed her shoulder with a strong grip—his fingers dug deep—and threw her face-first to the ground.
The guard’s eyes were wide, either in disbelief that someone had found the nerve to trespass or out of concern for her safety.
“You shouldn’t have come here,” he said in a raspy voice. “You … you should’ve stayed away!”
Claire noticed the equipment on his belt and reached for his gun holster. He then grabbed her firmly by the throat, strangling her.
“It’s too late!” he shouted. “Far too late!”
Reaching with all of her strength, she grabbed the gun, fumbled it, and shakily pulled the trigger.
Thank you for reading this excerpt from my recently published short story, Our Terminal Heart. It is available on Amazon and Barnes and Noble in eBook and paperback. I would deeply appreciate any feedback. Thank you, and happy reading!
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