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"John!" she cried out, her voice grating her throat. A sickening crunch echoed through the room, and Fiona's breath caught in her throat. She turned the corner into the kitchen and found Harrison shoving a spray wand down John's throat, his eyes wide with terror.
"Stop!" Fiona yelled, launching herself at Harrison. Her limbs felt like lead, but she managed to grab a pan from the counter and slam it against the back of his head. The impact reverberated up her arm, leaving her fingers tingling.
John sputtered and coughed, his body crumpling to the floor like a discarded ragdoll. Fiona's stomach churned, uncertain if he was dead or alive, but there was no time to check. Harrison roared in anger, recovering faster than she'd anticipated, and lunged at her.
"Stupid girl!" he snarled, grappling with her in the cramped kitchen. "You should've stayed away!"
"Like hell," Fiona spat, her nails digging into the flesh of his arms as they struggled. She knew her training was limited, but it wasn't anything, either--Jake had been teaching her well.
She had to fight.
Or at least try.
"I won't let you hurt anyone else!" she shouted.
"Your interference will cost you your life," Harrison growled, gaining the upper hand. His grip tightened around her wrists, forcing her to release the pan. Fiona's mind raced, searching for a way to escape his grasp, but her thoughts were scattered and frantic.
She could die here, she realized, her blood running cold at the thought. But she couldn't give up. Not when there was still a chance to save John and put an end to Harrison's murderous rampage.
"Get off me!" Fiona screamed, desperation lending her strength as she tried to break free. The seconds stretched into an eternity, each moment a battle for survival.
Fiona's breaths came in short, ragged gasps as she fought against Harrison's crushing grip on her wrists. Her heart pounded wildly in her chest, her mind scrambling for any advantage that could tip the scales in her favor.
Then, a spark of inspiration ignited within her.
"Wait!" Fiona choked out, her voice barely audible under the strain of their desperate struggle. "I...I'm an entomologist! I know you care about bugs. I do too!"
Harrison's eyes narrowed, his grip faltering ever so slightly. His passion for insects had driven him to the edge of madness and murder, and Fiona hoped that by appealing to this twisted obsession, she might be able to turn the tables on him.
"Let me help you," she continued, her voice gaining strength as she saw the flicker of doubt in his eyes. "I want to protect them too. We can work together."
"Protect them?" he muttered, his voice barely audible. "You...you really think we can?"
Fiona's mind raced, trying to come up with something convincing to say. She knew she couldn't let this opportunity slip away, but she had to be careful. One wrong move and Harrison would be back on the attack.
"Yes," she said finally, her voice calm and even. "I do. But we have to stop this first. We can't keep hurting people."
Harrison's eyes flicked to the crumpled figure of John lying on the floor, and Fiona saw a momentary flash of regret in his expression.
But it was quick to fade.
"No... he's a murderer, a pest, an infestation. We all are."
"No, we aren't, Harrison," Fiona said. "Humans can be good. You have to know it. Hasn't anyone ever been kind to you?"
Harrison's grip on Fiona's wrists faltered even further, and she saw a glimmer of something in his eyes that gave her hope. She pressed on, her voice gentle but firm.
"I know things haven't been easy for you, Harrison. But there's still time to make things right. We can work together to protect the bugs and each other. But we have to stop hurting people."
For a moment, Fiona thought Harrison might relent. But then his expression hardened, and he pulled her closer, his breath hot against her ear.
"You think you're so smart, don't you?" he snarled. "Trying to get inside my head like this. But it won't work. I'm not like you. I'm not like anyone."
Fiona felt a cold sweat break out on her skin as Harrison tightened his grip on her wrists, his fingers digging painfully into her flesh. She knew she was in grave danger, but she refused to give up. Not when there was still a chance to save John and herself.
"I'm not trying to get inside your head, Harrison," Fiona said, her voice barely above a whisper. "I'm trying to help you. You don't have to keep hurting people. You don't have to be alone."
For a moment, Harrison hesitated.
