Chapter 3 This Is Where I Die

• The putrid scent of petrol and smoke wafted through my nostrils, suffocating my lungs. My eyelids fluttered open, and darkness surrounded me.
• Where am I?
• Maera’s voice rang in my mind, “Get up! Aria. We don’t have time.”
• Memories flooded my mind, and panic shot down my spine. We’d had an accident. I looked around me and realized I was suspended in the air, my dark hair hanging loosely underneath me.
• I tried to twist my body out of the seat, but a searing pain shot through my spine, down to my leg, and I winced. I reached for my dangling leg and froze when I realized it was broken. It wouldn’t take a lot of time to heal, but the sound of petrol dropping onto the ground and the puff of smoke told me I didn’t have much time left.
• “Greta!” I called out desperately, but I got no response.
• Suddenly, I heard a sound, like someone choking on liquid. Straining my eyes through the darkness, I searched for Greta around me.
• Something wet dropped on my face and trickled down my cheek. Confused, I looked above me, and that’s when I saw it.
• A sharp gasp escaped my lips.
• Greta was suspended above me, her body twisted at an awkward angle, with a metal rod lodged into her skull. Her eyes were hollow, the light slowly fading away.
• No. No. No.
• Terror gripped me, but I had to move fast. She was barely alive, but I could still save her.
• “I’ll get us out of here,” I choked out, my voice quivering in terror.
• I took in a deep breath, then freed my broken leg in a swift motion. I collapsed to the foot of the car, my back striking hard against the metal. Excruciating pain shot through me, and a guttural scream lodged in my throat.
• I had to get a hold of myself. There wasn’t time.
• Quickly, I used my good leg and kicked the door at my side. It didn’t budge, so I kicked harder, grunts escaping me as the force sent waves of pain through my whole body.
• The door suddenly burst open, and a short-lived triumph warmed my heart until Greta’s choked sobs fueled me, sending a surge of adrenaline rushing through my veins. Ignoring the pain in my broken leg, I bit down hard on my lip to curb my cries and crawled out. Desperation and the urge to survive pushed me through the door.
• As I lay on the cold asphalt, my chest heaving as I took sharp breaths, I pushed myself to my feet.
• A cry slipped out of my mouth as the pain in my leg doubled. My head spun, and my consciousness was slowly slipping away, but I remembered Greta and fought through it.
• I reached for her hand, and the cold feel of her skin sent panic and terror clawing at my chest.
• A tear slid down her cheek as she squeezed my hand tight as if using her last energy.
• “Stay strong, Greta... Please,” I breathed out desperately as I reached for her body with all the strength I had mustered in me.
• In a painful attempt, I succeeded in dragging her out of the car and placed her against my back, wrapping her limp arms around my shoulder.
• I could feel the pain thumping against my back, but I didn’t let that deter me. I was already so close to saving her.
• With her weight pressed against my back and limping with one leg, I could only take a step at a time. Exhaustion weighed heavy on my lungs as hefty breaths escaped me.
• Suddenly, I felt Greta’s fingers dig into my shoulder, making me freeze.
• “L-leave… m-me,” she managed to let out, and my gut wrenched.
• “What happened to following me wherever I go? So save your breath, okay?” I replied, each word a strain on me.
• She showed her disapproval by digging her fingers deeper into my shoulder, and hot anger rushed through me.
• How could she even consider such?
• She’d stuck by my side all these years, and somehow, she expected me to run away and leave her to die.
• “Fight me all you want.” Tears uncontrollably flowed down my eyes as I snapped. “I’m not changing my mind.”
• Suddenly, I felt my body being pushed with a force that sent me sprawling out of the road, and a sharp pain shot through my broken leg as I ground my teeth.
• When I looked back, Greta was sprawled on the ground, her teary eyes holding mine.
• Realization dawned on me, and my stomach sank deep into my guts.
• She pushed me.
• Refusing to give up, I started to crawl towards her, but in a flash, the car was engulfed in flames and exploded, the loud bang quaking underneath me.
• A piercing scream erupted from my chest, perforating the night’s silence as tears streamed down my face, soaking the ground underneath me.
• I didn’t have time to process the moment before I felt a dark presence around me. I looked around, and all the blood drained from my body when I realized there were wolves surrounding me.
• Their barbaric scent wafted through my nostrils. Rogue wolves.
• Maera instantly took control of my body, my bones snapping into place as we shifted. My broken leg remained broken as I ran away from them, limping and whimpering as pain throbbed in my chest.
• I’m sorry, Greta. I’m sorry I couldn’t save you.
• The wolves chased after Maera, gaining on us due to my leg, but that didn’t stop her from pushing further with all the strength and speed we had left.
• Her paws pounded against the ground as she dodged trees. She reached a high obstacle and jumped to avoid it, but didn’t land well.
• Her body landed on the ground, with her jaw knocking hard into a rock, and blood spluttered underneath her, causing our consciousness to waver. She tried to push herself up, but her body was weak and defeated.
• “I can’t hold back any longer,” She cried out.
• She immediately shifted back into my human form, naked and mangled on the ground. My eyelids fluttered shut as my consciousness slipped off and on.
• A large wolf with a coat as dark as midnight materialized before me, and I choked, my body shaking with sobs.
• “Get away from me!” I tried to scream, but my voice lodged in my throat. Other rogue wolves surrounded me, and before i could get myself back on my feet, teeth latched on my broken leg and a piercing scream escaped me.
• This time, I didn’t fight the darkness pulling me under as teeth bit ferociously at my limbs, tearing me apart.