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He tries again to move. His shirt is soaked, the carpet around him saturated. He feels his vision waver. Romilly knows where I am, he tells himself. When I don’t come home, she’ll know where I am. But he doesn’t have that long. Minutes, maybe seconds.
He tries to lift a leg, to push himself across the floor, but nothing is working. He moves weakly. But there’s no point. What can he possibly do? His chest is awash with blood, he feels it bubbling anew from the holes in his chest. He’s so tired.
Oh, Milly, he thinks. He looks up at the ceiling, the white lightshade blurring in and out of focus. We came so close. I came so close. I’m so sorry.
He feels movement next to him. It’s her, shifting helplessly, the wound in her neck gaping. Her eyes close slowly.
And all he can think is:
two
He sees Romilly’s face. He knows the importance of things now. Clarity. He moves his thumb on his right hand to the ring on his finger, feeling the hard platinum through the slick of his blood. I’m sorry. I tried. I love you. I’m so, so sorry.
He hears a noise. A thud, bashing. Voices. Is it real, or is he imagining it? He’s not sure. The pain fades. Sleepy. So sleepy. The banging is closer now, he feels movement around him. Green uniforms, faces, people. Barked orders. Soft hands.
He thinks of Jamie. His friend, reviewing the prison visitor logs. Finding Catherine. Making the connection.
Maybe too late.
Panicked shouts. Paramedics. Pain.
The room disappears. He closes his eyes. Her smile. Her eyes.
A voice next to his ear: “Adam, if you can hear me, squeeze my hand.”
Adam. The first man. The last to die.
Warm fingers close around his. A slight shake to his shoulders. Those words again. “Squeeze my hand.”
But everything is gray. He’s weak, so weak.
I’m sorry. I can’t.
one
Images flash. He sees her. Her hair tousled, against the white pillow. Her mouth, laughing as she kisses him. Her hand in his. Warm fingers. Entwined.
I can’t, he thinks. I can’t let it end like this.
His fingers close around the hand in his.
And he holds on tight.
He will survive. He will live. He has to. For her.
