Chapter 57 - - 57 : Returning the favour
Leyla ran through the thick vegetation of the forest, eyes frantically darting from one branch to the other. The thick leaves allowed only small rays of the sun through, letting her see clearly whether or not her precious bird was safe and sound.
She could feel the thundering beat of her heart against her chest, her heavy breathing as she grew more frantic at finding her missing bird. Her baggage clattered along with every stride she took. She was the only one disturbing the natural stillness of the forest.
She was practically heaving by now. The wind was chilly, but the temperature was quite humid, an indicator that the autumn season had finally reached its peak and winter would soon begin to set in. Leyla was beginning to feel the chill in her bones, making her body stiff, draining her strength quicker than usual.
But she couldn't stop, not when the continuous gunshots echoing in the forest only served to remind her that she was still yet to find Phoebe, her beloved pigeon.
With every gunshot she could hear, another blood-soaked image of Phoebe would run through her mind. Each one worse than the last, breaking her sanity bit by bit.
'What if she'd already been shot? What if I'm already too late?'
She couldn't help but think, her chest aching at the thought.
You would think that with every step she took she'd be more confident to find her bird alive, but it only made it worse. Her steps began to falter as exhaustion was making its way into her joints, and the air running out of her lungs. The faint scent of gunpowder wafting in her nostrils as the smoky scent surrounded her as she inhaled huge bouts of air.
Matthias had promised her he wouldn't touch Phoebe, that he would not shoot the bird. And she had foolishly accepted his word as it is. Looking back now, she should have thought of the possibility that perhaps he was only promising it to appease her. Now she can't help but imagine him breaking that promise as he aimed his gun and shot at innocent birds, Phoebe included, just to get her to pay more attention to him.
'How could I have blindly believed him?!'
She thought incredulously to herself as she kept running,