The water was still and beautiful as the breeze shifted slightly across the lake. Behind me, the shouts of men and gunfire screamed across the otherwise beautiful, idyllic morning. Birds scattered across the trees.

My heart was hammering in my chest as I ran. I stumbled over some roots, caught myself, and kept moving. I knew I could be shot by a stray bullet any moment, but I couldn’t slow down. I had to get away. I crashed through some brush and felt scratches run down my body, but I just kept going. Soon, I made it to the edge of the lake.

I stomped down the sandy bank and stepped into the water, feeling the freezing rush against my toes. I looked around at the open space, panicking, trying to find a place to hide.

Then I spotted it. Maybe fifteen feet away was an old canoe, wooden and painted red, chipping from old age and disuse. I sprinted over toward it and grabbed one edge. It was slimy and smelled like mildew.

I flipped it over then quickly crawled under. The outside world was suddenly shut out as darkness engulfed me.

Spiders, moss, and dampness. I could still hear the gunshots from the house, and I had to try to keep myself calm. Gates could handle himself. I wasn’t any good to him staying in the cabin, he’d just have to worry about me.

How did they find us again? I couldn’t understand it. There was no way that they knew about the General’s cabin. Tony wasn’t smart enough to follow that trail, just no way.

It had to be the General. He had to have sold us out to the mafia as soon as we left. The General knew guys, mafia guys, and clearly wanted to get some favor with them in exchange for giving us away. It was just so obvious.

That bastard sold out his own soldier. I wasn’t surprised that he was willing to give me away, but he was supposed to be this big mentor to Gates. I understood that he was upset over Gates’s decision to go back into Syria, but that shouldn’t have been enough to have him killed by the freaking mafia. That was just insane.

Clearly, we didn’t know General Maron like we thought we did. Or at least Gates didn’t. He was exactly who I thought he was, that bastard snake.

It took me a few minutes of terrified anger to realize that something was different. I couldn’t hear the sound of gunfire anymore. The whole place was terrifyingly silent, and that made me even more uncomfortable and scared.

I didn’t know what to do. If Gates had won, I should go out and let him know that I was okay. But if something bad had happened, I needed to stay hidden. He would want me to try and get away.

I couldn’t think that way. I couldn’t assume that he was dead. The thought drove me insane and sent a spike of grief through my core.

Then I heard something. It was a twig snapping. Maybe it was a deer or something, but no, every animal in a mile radius would have run away by now. No, that was a person. I could hear the footsteps, uneven and jagged, crunching down along the sand and stones.

Then the person started to whistle. A cold chill ran down my spine as I recognized that sound

It was Tony.

“Come out, come out,” he said. “I know you’re around here somewhere, Pipes.”

I closed my eyes and didn’t move a muscle. I didn’t even breathe, terrified that he’d somehow hear it. I knew he was bluffing, he had to be bluffing. He couldn’t know where I was.

“I saw the broken twigs, even a little blood. And there are footprints all over here. Did I tell you that I was a really good Boy Scout when I was younger? Of course, the Scouts wouldn’t be happy with what I do now, but fuck those pedophiles.”

I heard him walking around and the whistling began again, terrifying and strange.

“You know, Pipes, I really do love you. I thought we could have something together. But then you ran away from me, and now look where we are. Your little protector is dead, or at least he’s about to be dead, and I got shot in the fucking arm. This has been very, very annoying.”

Gates couldn’t be dead. He just couldn’t be. A man like Tony couldn’t stop a man like Gates, they were just on two different levels. My heart was hammering so fast that I thought Tony could hear it.

“I know, you’re probably wondering what’s going to happen to you. Well, don’t worry.” I heard his footsteps stop nearby. I gripped the wood. “It’ll all be done soon.”

He flipped the canoe off me. Sunlight flooded into my eyes, blinding me for a moment. I felt him grab me by the hair and pull me to my feet.

Tony was grinning like a maniac with blood slowly moving down his arm. He laughed as he held my hair, pulling some out, yanking me around. He threw me to the ground and I cried out in pain.

“There you are, fucking cunt. I caught you, sneaky bitch.” He laughed. “You probably thought you could get away from me, but no, you were mistaken. I have a lot more power than you could ever have dreamed, you stupid bitch.”

“Fuck you,” I said, and spit at him.

He kicked me in the stomach. I doubled over.

“Smell that?” he asked. “That’s smoke. Your little boyfriend is back in that smoky cabin, about to burn to death.” Tony bent over and grabbed me by the hair, pulling me to my feet. “Come on, bitch. We have some work to do.”

We began to walk. He led me back up the bank and past the cabin. I could smell the smoke and see some flames through the windows. I wanted to scream and cry out, but I knew I couldn’t. Tony shoved me into the passenger seat of his car then went around and got in on the other side.

“If you give me trouble, I will beat you to within an inch of your life. Then I’ll let my men have their way with you. Understand?”

I nodded, eyes wide.

“Good. You stupid bitch. You’ve been a lot of trouble, you know that?” He sighed, starting the engine. “I might let my men have their way anyway, just because.”

We pulled out and started driving. I stared back at the cabin until it disappeared around a bend.

Gates was back there. Gates was in that cabin, burning to death. And I could do nothing to save him because I was weak and pathetic.

I held the tears back. I couldn’t give Tony the satisfaction. I wouldn’t let that maniac see me crying.

He reached across the seat and put his hand on my leg, a creepy smile spreading across his face. I couldn’t believe I used to want him to touch me like that.

“Don’t worry, Pipes,” he said. “It’ll all be over soon.”

He started laughing, and I had to force myself not to vomit.