51

The sound of gunshots woke me up. With my heart pounding, I sat up suddenly, placing my hand over the stitches I felt.

an exclamation of pain.

The sound continued and I froze. I was hearing gunshots. Shots and some screams. It was dark and the only light was coming from the monitors connected to me.

I was on the bed, which was in the middle of the room, the first thing someone would see when opening the door. It occurred to me that it was like sitting with a target painted on your forehead.

Trying to control my irregular breathing, I pulled the needle out of my arm and got out of bed. I felt pain when walking, but I ignored it. I was sure bullets would hurt a lot more.

Stumbling barefoot to the door, I opened it slightly and peered into the hallway.

I felt a wave of fear. There wasn't a single bodyguard in sight. The hallway was completely empty.

Shit. Shit, shit, shit.

Looking around frantically, I looked for a place to hide, but the only closet in the room was too small. There was no other place. Staying there would be suicide. I needed to get out as quickly as possible.

Pulling the hospital gown a little tighter around my body, I carefully stepped out into the hallway. The ground was cold beneath my bare feet, adding to the chill I felt inside. There, I felt even more exposed and vulnerable. The urge to hide grew stronger. Seeing some doors at the other end of the hall, I chose one of them at random, opening it carefully. To my relief, there was no one in the room.

interior. I walked in and closed the door quietly behind me.

The sound of gunfire continued at irregular intervals, getting closer and closer. I stood behind the door, against the wall, trying to control my growing panic. I didn't know who the shooters were, but the possibilities that occurred to me were not pleasant.

Ravi had enemies. What if it was them out there? What if he was fighting them at that moment, alongside his bodyguards? I imagined him injured, dead. The internal cold spread, penetrating deep into my bones. Please, God, no.

Please, anything but that. I would rather die than lose him.

My entire body was shaking and I felt a cold sweat running down my back. The shooting stopped and the silence was even more frightening than the deafening noise from before. I felt the metallic taste of fear in my mouth and realized I had bitten the inside of my cheek hard enough to make it bleed.

Time passed painfully slowly. Every minute felt like an hour, every second felt like an eternity. Finally, I heard voices and heavy footsteps in the hallway. It seemed to be from several men, who spoke in a language I didn't understand, which seemed harsh and guttural.

I heard doors opening and realized they were looking for something or someone. Barely daring to breathe, I tried to melt against the wall, make myself so small that I would be invisible to the snipers in the hallway.

When the door suddenly opens, I feel like my heart stops beating for a second and then starts beating again, as soon as I see José.

- We have to get out of here now - he says, grabbing my arm at the same time, pulling me out of there.

- Where's Ravi? - I stutter the words, as I was pulled down the corridor, then out the back. José doesn't respond, remaining focused on his task, he was soon pushing me into the backseat of a car.

As the engine purred in a monotonous tone and the landscape quickly passed by the windows, my heart beat wildly in my chest. I was in a car, on an unknown path, heading to a place I had no idea what it would be like. Anxiety enveloped every fiber of my being, but it was a different concern that occupied my thoughts.

My eyes constantly darted to the empty seat next to me. There he should be sitting, with his reassuring smile and eyes full of tenderness. But instead, he was far away, somewhere I couldn't reach. The lump in my throat tightened even more with each kilometer covered, and uncertainty about his well-being invaded my mind like a gale.

The road stretched out in front of me, winding through winding curves and unfamiliar detours. I gripped the steering wheel tightly, seeking some comfort in its cool touch. Every second that passed without hearing from him fed my imagination with dark possibilities. My stomach turned, and anguish seemed to gnaw at my insides.

Every phone that rang next to me was a potential relief from my distress. I clutched the phone, fearing the worst, but hoping to hear his warm voice on the other end. However, the silence persisted, and the anguish grew exponentially. My trembling fingers typed text messages, begging for a response, for a sign of life. But the answer never came.

As the miles passed, my mind was like this Shadowed by memories of the happiest moments we shared together. His tight hugs, his soft kisses and the sweet words he whispered in my ear. These memories tormented me and, at the same time, gave me hope that everything would be okay.