Page 25 of Bishop

"Yeah, go!"

"I can't, my feet," Uma whimpers as she sucks in huge mouthfuls of breath.

"You can make it. Just give me a little more. Just a little more." I urge her forward. The guards aren't more than a few steps behind us. Bullets fly by every few seconds, but luckily the trees are in their way.

Finally, we make it to the ledge, but it's a climb up. There's no way for us to get over. It's not as steep as the drop down, and I know that if we turn back, it'll be right back to the cell we all just came out of, or we'll be dead.

"We have to climb." I push Gabrielle and April forward, and they quickly do their best to climb up from the forest floor. My eyes focus on the trail of blood their bare feet leave behind.

One step at a time. It's all I can do.

"Come on, I'll be with you every inch." I push Uma toward the rocks, and we start to make our way up.

"Oh God, I'm going to fall." She cries out as her foot slips out of the hold.

"No, you won't. There's another rock right there. Just push." I find my next foothold and go up the rocks a little more so she can see there's a way up. She follows behind me, and I nearly whoop in excitement when I see both April and Gabrielle pull themselves over the ledge.

"Come on! They're right behind you!" Gabrielle yells out, pointing behind me.

"Get down!" Right now, standing, the guards will have a clear shot.

Realizing the danger their in both April and Gabrielle drop down to the ground and out of sight.

"It's right there Uma. We're so close." I say doing my best to ignore the pain in my arms and back.

"We're going to make it." She wheezes out.

I'm the first to get to the ledge and make quick work pulling myself over. I lean down as far as I can go and reach for Uma to pull her up.

I see the desperation in her eyes as she reaches up for me. All we need to do is get over this ledge. Freedom is right here.

With one final grunt, Uma juts her hand up enough for me to grab hold.

Using the last bit of my strength and with a shout I pull.

Time stops.

I see the guard aiming before I have a chance to do anything. I will my arms to move faster. Will the gun to jam. Anything.

The guard fires three rounds in quick succession and before I can get Uma all the way over the ledge, the hot lead pierces her body.

"No!" Gabrielle screams and tries to scramble forward but April holds her tight.

"Bishop?" Uma coughs, splattering my face with blood as I finally get her body over the ledge and out of linesight of the guards below. "Bishop." She cries as she gasps, trying to catch her breath.

"Uma, I'm so sorry. I'm so fucking sorry." I cry, my tears mixing with the blood on her face.

"Please, take me home. I want to go home." She begs.

Throwing my head back I howl with grief. A sound that would drive any predators awake.

"Bish-" My name dies on her lips, her eyes open wide in fear and her heart silent.

I lay her body down in the dirt and I focus on those bright green eyes. The ones that are losing their luster with every passing second. She didn't deserve this. Didn't deserve to die like an animal in the middle of the woods. She had so much more life to give. Goals and dreams she'll never get to achieve.

And it's all my fault.

She's dead because of me.