The crimson afternoon sun has salted away into creeping silhouettes of cavernous trees as Rhett leads Neva toward a destination that evades her.
Her heart thrums loudly in her ears amid the silence of the woodland, interrupted by distant gunshots and screams laced with both violence and terror.
It's as if she's back on the cruise, led away from the ballroom moments before innocent blood would paint the walls red.
Frozen as she watches a family being murdered from behind the safety of the panic room.
Chased by the murderers, who would have done far worse than ruin flesh and bone.
Helpless as bullets rain down around them, utterly faithless as her mind shuts down when they nearly hurt him.
Her hand drifts down to the swell of her stomach, where her baby lies still, stirring faintly every now and then.
If something happened… No.
Her Father wouldn't allow it. He wouldn't let any harm come to her child or her husband.
She has prayed and fasted so much to be freed from the torment of that night, for the peace He granted her to last, only for the world to come crashing down around them in the span of a heartbeat.
"We're almost there," he says.
As the hazy light from the fields seeps through the edges of the darkening woods, a lone farmhouse emerges into view, surrounded by tall prairie grasses.
Just as the hope of shelter begins to take root in her heart, he slows and takes her by the arm, easing her behind him.
A loud gunshot cracks across the fields.
Her whole body tenses, and before she can react, he immediately pulls her down behind the trees.
Have they found them—
She bites her lip to stifle a moan as a sharp pain grips her belly.
"We have to move," he says, turning to glance at her.
She flinches violently as another gunshot erupts.
"Come on," he says, helping her to her feet.
He pulls her along, keeping a pace as fast as her swollen feet can manage.
As they push through the thicket, she catches a glimpse of an armed figure stepping out of the farmhouse, clad in black from head to toe, his face concealed beneath a matching balaclava.
Another figure emerges behind him.
She squeezes his hand hard as a sharp tightening in her belly knocks the breath from her lungs.
"What's wrong?" he says. "Angel?"
"I can't—" she breathes out.
His gaze flicks to the hand clutching her belly, concern softening his expression.
"I'm sorry," he whispers, before gently sweeping her off her feet.
Her arms wrap around his neck as he carries her through the shadows of the forest.
Home is far away.
Where will they find safety when every corner of Ziriri is crawling with these violent extremists?
He had probably hoped to find shelter in the farmhouse, but they haven't left a single possibility untouched in their relentless onslaught of murdering and robbing innocent villagers.
She rests her head on the crook of his shoulder, the tightness in her belly easing to a dull ache.
"You can put me down," she says quietly, "I'm exhausting you."
A low chuckle escapes him. "You're light as a feather."
She remains silent, listening to his breathing grow heavier with each stride as he carries her deeper into the forest.
Toward where… she doesn't know.
Crickets chirp louder as the evening dredges, muffling the sounds of violence. Or have they already left after wreaking havoc across Ziriri?
Fireflies glow in the air, shimmering along their path, so at ease with the world shattering around them.
He slows his stride, while fear grips her chest at the shrouded threat lurking beyond the darkness.
He gently lowers her to her feet,
then draws her behind him when she catches sight of the faintest ivory glow disappearing behind the foliage high in the tree.
His hand goes to the gun tucked into the waistband of his cargo shorts.
He scans the trees, listening, while she unconsciously squeezes his arm, a desperate prayer caught in her throat.
A second passes. Then another. Yet no movement follows.
"Who's there?"
Neva flinches at the whisper.
A stranger's voice. Coming from the thicket.
Have they found another villager? One of their own?
Rhett doesn't answer.
"I asked," the voice comes again, firmer this time.
"Who is there?"
"It's Rhett Lei," he replies.
"The technician?" the wary voice comes again.
Before Rhett can answer, a figure emerges from behind a tree, a flashlight held low.
Another figure steps out, stopping him with a hand on his shoulder.
"I know them," a familiar voice says before the man steps beneath the gaps in the trees,
moonlight illuminating the familiar lines of his face.
"Jayden," she whispers.
Jayden smiles and gestures eastward with a nod. "This way."
Rhett takes her hand and guides her forward when another set of footsteps sound behind them.
Neva glances over her shoulder to find another man, a rifle slung around his shoulder just like Jayden's, a familiar face she recognises from church,
emerging from the thicket behind a tree trunk.
These men must be guarding the villagers who escaped the assault.
As she wonders how many villagers managed to escape, and how many still succumbed to the attacks, the shelter finally comes into her sight.
A cave shrouded in green foliage comes into view, amber light glinting against its jagged stone walls, while the silhouettes of survivors gather inside.
Tears burn in her eyes as she silently thanks her Father, for finally granting them shelter, for keeping so many people safe, and for reminding them that they are not fighting this storm alone.
"You will find my family inside," Jayden says, stopping near the mouth of the cave. "Hopefully, there's some spare food and water."
"Thank you," Neva says softly.
Jayden smiles. "I should return to my post."
She smiles faintly as he turns and heads back to guard the area.
"Are you alright?" he asks gently.
"I am," she says.
Except for the dull ache lingering in her lower belly, she feels somewhat at ease now that they have finally found somewhere to spend the night, even if their safety is guaranteed for only a few hours.
He gives her hand a light squeeze before leading her in.
Her eyes drift across the cave, where people are spread about, mostly children and women, with a few elderly people and men who aren't on guard duty.
"Sister Neva!" a familiar voice calls out, drawing the gazes of those nearby toward them.
Further inside the cave, Anna rises to her feet, beaming at her.
Mrs. Barlowe, seated nearby Anna and her uncle and father, smiles towards them.
Neva glances up to meet Rhett's eyes, relief and a strange bliss stirring within her,
despite the looming danger beyond the cocoon of camaraderie in the cave.
A small smile curls at his lips. "We should join them."
"Sister Neva!" Anna exclaims, hurrying toward them. "I hope you and big brother are both unharmed."
Neva smiles as Anna reaches them, immediately taking her hands in hers.
"We're all right," she replies.
"What about the baby?" Anna asks.
"The baby's okay, too," she says gently.
A smile breaks across Anna's lips. "Thank the Lord!"
"Come with me," Anna says, guiding her toward where Mrs. Barlowe and her family are gathered, with Rhett following closely behind.