Noise of the Past

Elena's point of view:

The chamber echoes a mechanical click then a weak beeping.

My blood freezes as my eyes fix on a little gadget flickering red on the far wall.

Orion adds hoarsely, "It's a bomb," his expression pallid but resolved.

"What length of time do we have?" With my voice shaking, I ask.

"Not long enough," he says bitterly, pushing me away. You have to leave here now.

With a strong grasp of his arm, I reply, "I'm not leaving you.

Elena, pay close attention to me, ”No, you pay attention to me! My eyes blazing with unshed tears, I yell.

"We get out of this either not at all or together.

"Like a pulse at its culmination, the beeping gets louder and quicker.

As the countdown gets near zero, Marie's laughing stops.

Tension, terror, and unsaid words abound in the air.The beeping then stops.

The room becomes white as a thunderous explosion shocks it.

"Do you suppose running would fix everything?" Orion's words cut into the stillness, his fingers grabbing my wrist before I could withdraw farther into the starry garden.

I muttered, "Let go," with a shaking voice.

"You don't get to stop me after what you did.

"He moved forward, his body's heat overwhelming the frigid night air.

His dark, strong gaze fixed on me.

You find me wanting any of this? You want me not to despise myself for every lie I have told you? Tears filled my eyes and my chest clenched.

Not only are the falsehoods, Orion.

Their cost is what I pay. What do they cost us? Though his hold eased, he held fast. Elena, I cannot turn back the past.

But I am fighting for the future.

For you as well.I burst out in a sour chuckle.

And once the next shadow from your past materializes? Are you expecting me to merely survive it? as usual?

He yelled, "I'm trying to protect you!" and the rawness in his voice sliced through me.

"Protect me?" I spat. "By hiding the truth?" Keeping me in the dark while you play hero behind my back helps?

He closed his eyes momentarily as though my words were physical blows. Quietly, his voice cracking, "I can't lose you."

Then quit pushing me away, I said, approaching closely.

"Stop believing you have to do this alone.

"Story: Captivating Feelings and Growing Stress.

There was an electric tension between us, a thread just at breaking point.

His palm slid to my face, his touch light as if I might evaporate. She seemed terrified.

The sensitivity in his eyes hurt my heart; this aspect of him I hardly saw.

Before I could say more, though, a rustling in the bushes drew both of us in. The mood changed, the warmth of the occasion replaced with a frigid anxiety.

"Did you hear that?" My voice just above a whisper, I asked.

Orion nodded, his jaw clenching as he looked toward the shadows. Leave behind me.

My hands balling into fists, "No," I said.

"I am not leaving you in this alone.

"Elena, for once, just listen to me!," he said in a stern yet terrified tone.

And let you negotiate whatever is out there by yourself? Not happening, I shot back, moving to his side.

Pulling a knife from his belt, he said, "You're stubborn.

"Though my heart was pounding, I said, "Come with loving you.

"Chills ran down my spine as a deep growl reverberated across the yard.

The closest weapon I could locate was my fingertips lightly brushing the edge of a neighboring garden shovel.

Orion murmured, his voice low and steady, "whatever happens," "stay close to me.

"The growl got louder and more direct until someone emerged from the darkness. Its bent, monstrous shape and brilliant eyes made it obviously non-human.

"Marie's pets," Orion coldly said.

I looked at him, the knowledge of the extent of danger he had been sheltering me from suddenly eclipsing my terror.

My voice shaking but steady, I continued, "I'm not going to let you die for me.

And I'm not going to let you face this alone," he answered, his eyes softening even in the face of impending danger.

The beast surged, and everything fell apart.

Creating suspense with a sudden threatWith lethal accuracy, Orion moved, his knife slashing across the air.

With all my might, I swung the spade; the force traveled up my arms.

"We have to leave this place! I yelled, evading still another strike.

"No," Orion said, his voice like steel.

They will pursue us if we run.

We will finish this right here.

As much as it calmed me, the will in his voice frightened me.

But another growl, this one deeper, more menacing, sounded behind us as the beast dropped at our feet.

I said, "Orion," with a shaking voice.

" There's more." Turning, his body stiffened as three more creatures entered the area, their shining eyes locked on us.

Still, it was not the animals that made my blood freeze. Clutching shadow, the figure behind them had a menacing look on her face."Marie," I said, my voice equal in parts dread and wrath.

She taunted, her voice dripping with contempt, "Did you really think you could escape me?"Orion moved in front of me, his knife lifted.

"Tonight marks the end."

Marie laughed, a sound so terrible it seemed as if the night itself turned away.

"Oh, Orion," said . "Just now is the beginning.

The earth shook before I could respond; fractures developed from the middle of the garden as a bright light burst forth.

As the earth around us kept shaking, Orion's fingers securely seized mine. The abrupt flash of light had blinded us both and left just shadows and echoes in its wake.

His body was tense, his heartbeat racing as quickly as mine.His voice almost heard above the sound of breaking stone, he muttered, "Stay close.

"Fear twisting my words, "Close won't save us if the ground gives out." I muttered back.Abruptly, from the darkness, a harsh, guttural scream emerged, nearer than ever.

My fingers clenched naturally around the garden spade I had gripped, my improvised weapon providing little protection against the unidentified hazard.

"You hear that?." My breath caught as I muttered.

Not just one, Orion said darkly. "They are circling."I saw a flutter of movement, a shadow sprinting between the shattered bits of the garden.

As adrenaline shot through me, my heart .

"I can't see anything," I said, worried starting in my voice.

“Trust me, Elena. I see plenty, Orion said, his voice low but steady.

Joined by a second and eventually a third, the growling got louder.

The animals were closing in, their brilliant eyes clear now like evil flames floating in the darkness."What's the scheme, Orion?," I insisted, my voice trembling but resolute."Stay alive," he urged a short distance, his tone heightening the edge.

Marie's laugh rang once again, slicing through the tumult like a razor.