The footsteps grew louder.
I heard them before I saw them.
The crunch of snow.
The slow, deliberate movement of people who weren't rushing because they already knew where I was.
My breathing became shallow.
Not because I was scared of them.
Because I knew what was about to happen.
Lila knew too.
I watched her face change.
It was subtle.
Anyone else probably wouldn't have noticed.
But I did.
I knew her.
The fear disappeared first.
Not because she wasn't afraid anymore.
Because she pushed it somewhere deeper.
Somewhere she could ignore.
She slowly moved away from me.
My eyes followed her.
"Lila…"
My voice barely came out.
She stopped.
For a second, I thought she would turn around.
She didn't.
"Stay here."
The words were quiet.
Almost gentle.
And somehow that made it worse.
Because I could hear what she was really saying.
Don't die.
Don't leave.
Please.
I tried moving.
My hand.
My arm.
Anything.
Nothing.
My fingers barely twitched against the snow.
