Chapter 9 - The Final Seconds
Vanessa proudly announced that the entire foundation of the cabin was wired with military-grade explosives. She pressed the red button, activating a digital timer that began beeping rapidly beneath the wooden floorboards. She laughed hysterically and sprinted out into the dark forest, fully leaving us to die in the impending blast. Luca did not waste a single valuable second chasing after her fleeing figure into the night. He rushed to the panic room door, unlocked the heavy steel deadbolt, and quickly pulled the twins out. He handed a crying Ash directly to me and scooped Lena securely into his strong and protective arms. He pointed toward the completely shattered window at the back of the kitchen, shouting over the loud beeping. He fiercely ordered me to run into the dense woods and absolutely never look back at the cabin. I frantically asked him what he was going to do, terror completely paralyzing my ability to move my legs. Luca kissed me fiercely, pouring three entire years of desperate love and deep regret into a single beautiful moment. He said he had to stay behind to permanently disable the primary explosive charge hidden under the foundation. If he did not successfully stop the main blast, the massive shockwave would instantly kill us even if we reached the trees. I begged him to come with us, hot tears streaming down my face as the electronic timer beeped faster. He gently pushed me toward the window, completely promising that he would always find his way back to me. I climbed quickly through the broken glass, holding Ash tightly against my chest as we ran into the cold night. I sprinted blindly through the dark forest, the sharp branches violently tearing at my clothes and my skin. I reached the edge of the property line just as a massive, absolutely deafening explosion rocked the entire mountain. The beautiful wooden cabin completely vaporized into a terrifying fireball of bright orange flames and thick black smoke. I collapsed to the wet ground, screaming Luca's name directly into the chaotic and burning sky. Through the thick veil of smoke, a tall silhouette slowly emerged from the fiery and completely destroyed wreckage.
