I was about to leap to their rescue when Hester grabbed my collar and forcefully pulled me back into the house. In the process, she stumbled, and a bullet intended for her leg caused her to roll outside.
"Hester!!!" No, not her too!
Under a relentless hail of bullets, Hester skillfully dodged and weaved, evading each projectile. However, the shooters this time were skilled marksmen. Hester was struck twice, once in the thigh and once in the stomach.
I kicked the door down and used it as a makeshift shield. While not bulletproof, it provided some cover, obscuring me from their line of sight. If they couldn't see my head, they couldn't shoot it.
Gingerly, I grabbed Hester and began dragging her toward a nearby house. She winced in pain. "This reminds me of the time you helped me. Honestly, I didn't expect you to do that. I mean, we weren't even in the same group. What made you help me?"