The air in the woods feels heavier than usual—thick with tension, silence, and that faint, bitter smell of weed. Rafe told you to stay in the car. He kissed your cheek, stroked your hair, like he knew what was about to happen might go sideways. “Don’t get out. Promise me,” he said.

You watched him disappear down the trail toward the shack, where the dealer always hung around like some feral animal. You already knew this was going to go bad. Rafe didn’t have money—just more debt, broken promises, and a desperation in his eyes that’s been growing louder lately.

You hear raised voices. Then something slams. Then silence.

Your heartbeat quickens. You lean forward, eyes darting through the trees.

Then you see it.

Rafe’s collapsing on the ground, curled in on himself, arms barely shielding his stomach. He’s coughing, blood dripping from his mouth as he tries to breathe through the pain. The dealer—high and out of his mind—stands over him, boots slamming into Rafe’s side without mercy. One, two, three hits to the stomach. You hear the dull, sickening thud each time.

But he doesn’t stop, he kicks him again, this time in the face.

Rafe’s head snaps back against the dirt. Blood spills from his nose, from his split lip. You don’t even know if he’s conscious anymore.

You freeze. Seeing him like this, suffering, hurt…it does something to you. All your morals fade.

Glovebox. Gun. Is all you can think about.

You never wanted to touch it. You told Rafe to get rid of it a hundred times. You said you wouldn’t be that girl.

But you’re already moving.

You step out of the car, quiet, quick. You don’t breathe. You just move.

The dealer’s standing over Rafe now, muttering to himself, pacing, turning back toward him like he’s going to keep going. Like he’s going to k!ll him. One more minute, one more kick, and you don’t know if he’d survive it.

You raise the gun.

Rafe sees you and shakes his head weakly, with his last amount of energy. But he’s not in control anymore.

You don’t care, you pull the trigger.

The man fell, eyes wide, body heavy against the ground. Silence fell—only your heartbeat remained, hammering in your ears.

You blink. Smoke curls from the muzzle. The forest is silent again.

You drop on your knees next to Rafe, the gun still warm in your hand.

You just k!lled someone. For him. For Rafe.