Chapter Seventy

Chapter Seventy
Kacy
I didn't expect Bryan to say those words. How he could easily leave behind the money just to keep us both safe. He was right, though: money can be earned; what's more important is our lives.
I don't exactly know who or where those men came from. I thought Bryan and I could finally live a peaceful life, but it seems like I missed something. We are both always in danger. Being Bryan's girlfriend is like being a mafia queen.
"You okay?" Bryan asked as we stopped at the forest.
"I'm fine," I replied, pressing the bridge of my nose. "How about you? God, you're bleeding! You've been shot."
"It's okay. It's just a scratch," he groaned while sitting down on the log, his hand covering the wound on his shoulder.
"You always say that." I know he isn't fine, and I have to do something. But we don't have a first aid kit or something I could use to treat his wound. "We should go to a hospital."
"I'm really fine. Don't worry about me. Besides, we don't know where we are or where a hospital is," he said, though he was sweating profusely. "It's not that I'm going to die."
"Come on, Bryan. I'm worried about you. You've been shot, and you're bleeding. You'll die if you run out of blood." I couldn't help but start pacing back and forth in front of him.
But he just grinned with blood in his teeth like a mischievous little kid. He truly has lost his mind. He treats his bullet wounds as nothing but a scratch. This is what I hate the most about him. He's always acting strong despite all his pain.
"Come on, Kacy. Just relax and sit down, or those guys will find us. I know you're worried, and you don't have to be. I've gone through this many times in my life, and I'm still alive. This pain might be too much for ordinary people, but for a gangster like me, it's nothing," he said.
"Pretty convincing." I sat down beside him.
Bryan ripped the edge of his shirt and covered it in his wound. I could see the expression of agony on his face as he wrapped it around his shoulder and neck, forming a sling.
"Damn! Let me do that." I helped him wrap his wounds. He's like a little boy having a circumcision without anesthesia. Quite painful. He's groaning and whimpering. "I don't know why you have to catch those bullets for me."
"You're my future wife, Kacy, and you're pregnant. I can't let you and our baby die here. If you die, then let's die together," he said.
I sighed. I felt the urge to go to the bathroom and make coke just to numb everything, but I know what I feel is nothing compared to what Bryan felt. He should be the one to use anesthetic and not me.
"Can you still walk?" I asked.
"Why? Are you going to carry me?"
"Nice try, Bryan." I gave him a nudge. "Nice try."
"Aw! What's that for?" He groaned.
I helped him stand up. Thank God the wounds are on his shoulder and not in the leg, or I'd have to carry him. He's young but tall and probably heavy. "Come on, let's get out of here. Those men are coming."
Just as we were leaving, those men were shooting at us. Thanks to the trees, it was not easy for them to hit us. We ran as fast as we could. But Bryan's wound started bleeding again, leaving a trail of blood droplets behind.
Soon, we reached the mouth of a cave. "I hope there's not a snake here," I said as we entered the cave. It's dark inside, but we continued deeper until we heard the echoing sound of dripping water.
"Thank God. I'm so thirsty." I lay Bryan down on the flat rock and scoop a handful of water from the underground stream. This place is so quiet and peaceful, away from the noise, gunshots, and disputes of the world.
"Water, please," Bryan said, his voice echoed in the cave.
"Shhh... Don't speak, or they'll find us." I used my hands to scoop water and helped Bryan drink. He's drinking it like a kitten. "How's your wound?"
"No longer bleeding, but damn it hurts like hell," he said.
"I can see that. Why won't you get some rest for now? We'll leave here later once we're sure that those men are gone."
"How can I sleep like this?" he complained. "It's just so painful that even though I'm so tired, I still can't sleep."
"Just close your eyes; I'll be here." I sat beside him, and he lay down, his head on my thigh. Looking at his condition, I couldn't help but worry. He's so stubborn.
"Thank you. That's the sweetest thing you've ever told me." He smiled and closed his eyes.
I blushed. I know a lot of things happened between us, but we are always too grounded, too rational, barely expressing our feelings to each other, knowing that emotions can cloud judgments, but I'm trying to realize that it's okay to be vulnerable and be emotional sometimes. It makes us human. Only robots don't have feelings.
"Aren't you sleepy? You should get some rest too," Bryan said.
"You can sleep. I'll keep watching. Those men might come, and we'll have to run again." I gently stroke his hair. "Sweet dreams, little boy."
"Thanks." He smiled and stopped talking.
Silence. I sang a lullaby, that song my mother used to sing to me when I was a child. I can't believe I'm singing this for the man who killed her.
A few moments later, I heard some heavy footsteps approaching. "Bryan, wake up. Something's coming!"
Bryan opened his eyes and asked, "What is it?" He sat up.
"I don't know. Did you hear those heavy footsteps approaching? It must be something big." Then the ground started shaking as if there was an earthquake. "We should get out of here, or we'll get trapped."
I helped Bryan, and we made our way through the dark, looking for a way out as rocks and soil started falling down. We stumbled but immediately got up and continued walking.