SARIYAH MARTIN North Carolina

The cabin was eerily quiet, save for the soft crackle of the dying fireplace. Blood was smeared across the hardwood floor, and Sariyah sat frozen on the couch, her knees pulled to her chest. Her hands trembled, stained with red as her eyes stared into nothingness. Kaelix crouched in front of her, his hands lightly gripping her shoulders.

"Sariya," he said gently, trying to get her attention. "Look at me. You hear me? You gotta come back to me, alright?"

Sariyah's lips quivered, but no words came. She was usually the one steady in situations like this. The one who helped him stay calm. But now? She was unraveling, and Kaelix had no choice but to pull her out of it.

"Baby," he said again, his voice more insistent this time. "We gotta move. I can't do this without you, ma. I need you to get it together."

She blinked slowly, her eyes finally meeting his. But nothing came out, it was as if she didn't know what to say.

He looked back at the bodies as she did, before leaning into her and saying "we had to. They came for us, and we handled it. But now? We gotta clean this up, or it's gonna get worse."

He stood up, pulling her to her feet. "Come on. You gonna sit in the car. I'll take care of this."

Kaelix ently guided Sariyah toward the door, his hands steady on her trembling arms. He grabbed her coat from the back of a chair, draping it over her shoulders as she followed his lead like she was moving through water. Her breath was shallow, and her steps were hesitant, but she let him guide her outside.

The early morning air was icy against their skin, and the world outside the cabin was eerily still. Kaelix walked her to the passenger side of the truck, opening the door and helping her in. He knelt in front of her, gripping her hands, his eyes locking onto hers.

"Stay here," he said firmly. "Lock the doors. Don't move. I'll be right back."

Sariyah nodded faintly, her fingers clenching the edge of her coat as she watched him through glassy eyes. Kaelix lingered for a moment, brushing a stray curl from her face. Then he stood, closing the door gently before turning back toward the cabin.

Kaelix stepped back into the cabin, the smell of blood thick in the air. The sight of the bodies on the floor made his stomach twist, but he pushed the feeling down. He couldn't afford to fall apart now—not when Sariyah needed him to be strong.

He grabbed an old blanket from the couch, shaking off the dust before wrapping it around the nearest body. His movements were quick but deliberate, his mind running through the steps he needed to take. He'd seen a clearing off the trail behind the cabin during their walk the other day. It was isolated enough. No one would find them there.

Grunting with effort, Kaelix dragged the first body toward the back door, leaving a faint trail of blood behind. His muscles burned as he worked, but he didn't stop. His mind kept replaying the events of the night before: the fight, the panic in Sariyah's eyes, the moment he pulled the trigger.

Eventually he got all the bodies in the truck and he drove them to a small trailer that was close to the cabin.

The woods were silent except for the crunch of Kaelix's boots against the frosty ground. He dumped the first body in the clearing, then doubled back for the second. By the time he was done, his shirt was damp with sweat, and his hands were shaking from exhaustion and adrenaline.

He grabbed the shovel he'd thrown in the back of the truck earlier and began digging. The cold air bit at his skin, but he didn't stop. Every scoop of dirt felt heavier than the last, but the sound of Sariyah's trembling voice echoed in his mind, fueling him.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Kaelix stood over the shallow graves, his chest heaving. He stared down at the earth, his thoughts racing. This wasn't supposed to be their life anymore. They'd left Atlanta to escape this kind of chaos, to start over. But now? It felt like the past had followed them, refusing to let go.

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@NYLAATIME THOUGHTS ON THIS CHAPTER?

ngl yall better get ready for the next two chapter because they gettt wild. I will give a VIEWER DISCRETION ADVISED just so that everyone knows that their could be things in the next chapter that could be a trigger.