Page 119 of Caged

“Nikolai!”

FIFTY-ONE

MILA

His cheeks are so pale as the droplets of my own tears run down them. I try to stuff my hand against his wound, but the blood just pushes through my fingers.

“Mila, we need to go.” Daniil tugs at my elbow with his good hand.

“I can’t leave him.” I can’t even tell if Nikolai is breathing.

He can’t die.

He’s my robot. My granite statue.

No one can hurt him.

“Mila!” Daniil’s voice takes on an urgent sound. “There’s men coming! We have to run!”

Empty.

I feel so cold, and tired.

Without Nikolai, I don’t know if I have any fight left in me.

“You should run, Dani. I don’t know how to get out of here, but you should escape. Tatiana’s people are out there. They’ll help you.” I find myself lying down, curling against Nikolai’s chest.

I have my seven minutes. I’ll be able to see him again, one more time.

Happy, and healthy.

The man I love.

I’m too weak to run. I did what I came here to do.

Daniil pulls on my arm, but I can’t feel him.

I don’t want to feel anything else.

“I have the diamonds, here.” Pulling that damn velvet bag out of my pocket for the last time, I hold it up to the light.

Everything that’s happened, it was all for this.

Death. For a tiny handful of rocks.

I’d trade the Earth for Nikolai to wake up and pull me close.

“I believe those belong to me.” A woman’s voice breaks through the bleak fog.

“Who are you?” Daniil squeaks.

“She knows.” The click of heels gets louder before a shadow is cast over me.

Tatiana.

“I didn’t think you were coming,” I choke.

Perfectly manicured nails pull the cloth bag out of my fingers.