6

I noticed traces of the presence of wild animals in the bushes and what did my mind decide?

— A good place to camp...—I grinned at my own thoughts.

— Darek, this is bear shit! And there we saw the traces of the wolf's meal! We could be next...—Lizzie said, startled.

— No, we won't be their dinner. Believe me, Lizzie Thomas, you're just as much of a coward as you used to be...—I said, sitting down on the grass.

Lizzie smiled.

— So you remember everything?—

I rubbed my forehead.

— A blow to the head clears the brain very well. I'll have to remember it, otherwise I might forget something... I remember that the world has never seen such a coward...—I laugh at Lizzie blushing.— Your wig fell off when we climbed on that worm, and the voice inductor broke when we fell off that worm.—

— It's funny to you, but you should know how much I thought about how to get you out...—Lizzie sighed.

She seems to be angry that I'm looking at her and I can barely keep from laughing. Raising her fist, she lightly hit me in the chest.

— You idiot! You are still the same as you were, Dariusz Kaminski!—Lizzie said.

I reached out and hugged her.

— I'm sorry. I used to pay attention to you as a ten-year-old girl with stupid pigtails. It's hard to change your own mindset...—I said.

— I know. It's harder for guys to admit to themselves that they're getting old...—Lizzie said.—My father can't believe his own age either... But life is unrealistically long, it's easy to catch the pace.—

— Yeah...— I started making beds for us, as Cornelius taught me when we were hiding from Mariusz.

Make a fire, throw stones there, wait until they heat up, at this time you need to pick herbs and make something like a mattress. Then dig a hole, throw stones in there and cover the stones with earth.

The main thing is not to fall asleep too much and not too weakly.

Too much - it will be cold, too weak - there may be burns.

— Are you going to sleep on this?—Lizzie stared at me.— I'll definitely sleep better on my jacket.—

— It's safer that way. And you do as you want. But if you want the animals to come meet you, that's your business...—I sighed.

— And how will hot stones help scare away animals?—Lizzie asked, puzzled.

— You'll see.— I took out my strategic reserve from my pocket - a bag of dried meat. I always hide one or two bags in the pockets of my jeans, although it's strange that Mariusz didn't pull them out...

When I saw a fox hiding in the bushes, I beckoned it with a piece of dried meat.

— Alas, she ran away...—I popped a piece of meat into my mouth.— Ugh, how hot! The seller didn't even warn me how much pepper there was! Although... It's not bad...—

We couldn't sleep, though, every time one of us heard a noise, even the rustle of branches in the wind, he made us jump up.

I ended up only closing my eyes for a second. I don't understand how I could fall asleep so quickly...

I open my eyes in my dream and see a sweet familiar face in front of me.

— Cornelius!— my heart is beating so feverishly that I can't control myself.

— How are you, kid?—My older brother smiled at me sadly.

— I'm so tired... It's hard for me to be alone... I feel bad without you... When will we meet, brother?— my eyes stung.

Tears streamed down my face.

— Soon... We'll meet you soon... It's hard for me without you too... Darek...—Cornelius sighs.

I'm trying to open my eyes really.

It's so hot...

— ... Stay with me, Darek! When the damn antibiotic takes effect... And your eyes are beautiful.... If you're gone, Darek, why would I live in this world after that?—

I think it's Lizzie crying...

When Lizzie saw that I had opened my eyes, she immediately wiped away her tears.

— You're finally awake... Mariusz injured you when you were in his locked room. There were several needles in the mattress that had been treated with a serious virus. They've been torturing you all over. But it's good that I took all the drugs that I could get...— she began to speak quickly.

— If you speed up a little more, it will be impossible to understand you...—I chuckled.

Lizzie laughed nervously.

I smiled at her surprised face at my laughter.

— I'm always like this. And I don't know what's happening to me...—

Suddenly, a bullet rustled dryly from somewhere above. That bullet almost shot me in the thigh.

I jerked and tried to crawl away.

The second shot made my eyes go dark.

I pinch the wound in my stomach with my fingers. Heat spreads through my body, but I don't feel pain at all from the adrenaline rush.

— Darek! Be patient, Darek... We need to be patient...— I feel Lizzie dragging me by the arms.

Suddenly she stopped.

— And who are you?—I heard her puzzled question.

— I'm a friend...—

Wait, I think I recognize this voice...

— Enrique?—I ask.

— Who else could it be?—He bent down to pick me up more comfortably, and an Indian scythe, nimble as a snake, touched my face.

It was getting dark in my eyes.

The bullet probably hit something after all...

***

... I opened my eyes. I can feel the car's interior shaking.

— Don't turn your head, Dariusz. If I give you a crooked seam, you're going to be mad!—Enrique said, sticking the needle into my skin.

I bite my lip. He seems to have a blunt needle... The thread is stained with blood and the red threads follow it.

— What was that?—I ask.

— Oh, what just didn't get into your body in those seconds...—The Indian sighs.— Why are you such a loser?—

—I... don't... What kind of an idiotic question is that?— I feel that it hurts me a little to breathe.

— If you had slept there for a couple more hours, it's not a fact that I would have saved you...—Enrique tightens the thread.— Now you have to sit down, I'll wrap you up.—

The bandage touches the bloody stitches, I scream.

— Be quiet...—Enrique gently pats my back.

It seems that all the pain that my brain had so successfully blocked before has returned to me in full.

Or even with an extra portion...

— Mariusz will kill you now if he grabs you.—Enrique pulled off the ends of the bandage a little and tied it.

— I know. It's better to die than go back there! To be his dog again... No, not for any riches!—I shuddered.— I am free now... Over!—

I felt incredibly relieved. Now all this has fallen on my mind.

Freedom is intoxicating, but... How long will it last?

— The main thing is that he doesn't catch you...—I say.— I'm used to punishments, but you are... It is not a fact that anyone can withstand the punishment of this soulless monster...—

— You don't know my limits, Dariusz, and we don't know the limits either... Elizabeth??? Only knowing what a person is capable of withstanding can judge this.—

I pulled on a T-shirt.

— It's never burned so much before...—I sighed.— Did you use something? What did you put on the seam? —

— Antiseptic. A little old, but good... I should have been safe when I opened you up.—Enrique closes a bag that looks like a doctor's bag.— Oh...—

— What's the oooh?—I froze.

— Can you shoot? If so, grab your rifle, but don't try to lean out of the window! The windows in this van are just made for shooting...—Enrique turned to Lizzie.— And you turn up the gas, Elizabeth! You have the speed, we have the defense!—

The tires are making a loud buzzing sound.

It seems that some moments Lizzie is just pounding her foot on the pedal.

— Who taught you how to drive? We'll be thrown out like that at any turn!—I said, opening the window with the barrel of my rifle.

The first shot hits the door of the helicopter. The door knocks down the shooter, but I was aiming at the pilot!

— Is the ghost getting old?—Enrique laughed, taking off the helicopter with the Mariusz symbol with the first shot.

I stamped on the floor of the car.

— Getting old? Me?— I aimed at another helicopter.— I'm really old, haha! —

Continuously shooting, I shot down four propellers and the helicopters collided into one big mess.

I laughed, looking at the result of my work.

— I will remove the danger on the ground, and the air is on you!—Enrique told me.

Bullets sparkle when they come into contact with metal.

Enrique sometimes twitches his arm and shoulder when shooting, but for me, recoil is familiar.

I can't shoot down all helicopters, however...

— I don't like to say this, but I can't get in!—I shout. Enrique laughs.—Don't even think about saying I'm old again!—

The Indian laughed loudly again.

— Lizzie, slow down!— He shouted.— We need to give our old ghost a chance to shoot!—

I'm laughing, even though I feel a slight sting of resentment in my soul.

I understand what Enrique hopes to do and probably there is no other option.

We need to wait until they are lower and only hope for your own accuracy.