“-Ey-hey, where did ol’ Tommy go?” Slurred the man next to me. The smell of a cheap bear wafting out of his mouth and spewing all over my face. I feel my features twist into a grimace and push the large man away from me before responding. “I’ll go get him for you, in the meantime maybe you should take it easy.” 

I get up from the bench and start to wobble and weave through the small crowd of people within the camp. The small amount of beer I had making me tipsy. I call out to the crowd around me “Anyone seen Tom!” and get directed to the small hut on the outskirts of our camp where we kept our loot. Tom is our trap expert: he knows everything and anything about rigging and dismantling traps, from the smallest blow dart to the larger explosive trip mines. He is usually at the front of our group where the danger is greatest. It's always a surprise when people notice that he doesn't carry anything to protect himself with. 

A small light blares through the darkness and I reach the hut on the outskirts of our camp. Shadows move from within, it is most likely Tom. I meander over to the hut and open the door, it creaks quietly as I do. I freeze at the sight in front of me. Tom is shovelling our money into a small, black bag, the sight of the green papers scattered around the room haphazardly brings me back to the moment. 

“W-what are you doing?” The alcohol instantly drains from me, my blood runs cold. Tom is frozen in front of me, sweat is dripping down his face, his hair is soaked with sweat, his eyes crazed.

Tom swallows deeply, the sound is deafening in our silence. Tom gingerly picks up the bag, money spilling everywhere as he tries to put it on his back. “W-w-why are you here Samantha?” he breathily asks while shivering, his whole body is shuddering at the sight of me.

“Jack wanted to know where you were…” I trailed off, I didn't know what to say, things like this don’t happen, people stealing from us doesn't happen. I notice Tom's fists clench and  then he rushes me.

Like an arrow, Tom shoots at me, his fists raised to hit me. I stumble back out of the doorway and he takes the opportunity to shove past me and run. I catch myself and chase after him. Tom is fast, he is sprinting along the plains and I can barely see his back in the darkness. 

Support the creativity of authors by visiting Royal Road for this novel and more.

“Stop!” I call out, but my voice does not seem to reach him. Up ahead I see some flickering light, it’s the cave we just recently explored; we set up some torches earlier in the day. Tom sees them as well and is running toward the cave, it seems like he thinks that he will lose me in there. We enter the cave. Tom continues to sprint down into the cavern with me on his heels like a bat out of hell. The sound of our feet echo as we clip through, the stalagmite and crystals glow faintly in the dark as we run past. In front of me, Tom is coming to a stop, he is panting heavily, each of his breaths causes his whole body to shudder as he struggles to take in air. 

Tom’s back is turned to me. I take a pause as well, I don’t know what to say. What do you say to someone who betrays you, someone you trusted your life to only to find that they are untrustworthy.

“Why did you do it, Tom?” My voice is trembling. 

“You don’t understand!” Tom shouts at me. “This would help me more than it would ever help you!” 

“Just-just calm down, give me the money and I can help you with whatever you need.”

“You always had everything! And I had nothing!” his voice is harsh. His back is still turned to me, he is fiddling with something in his hands. 

I manage to calm my voice before speaking again“ Just give me the money and we can both walk away Tom. This doesn't have to end badly.” 

Tom spins around and outstretches his arm. In his hand is a gun. “Fuck! Where did you get that Tom?” 

“It’s insurance, one that I never expected to need.” Tom’s voice is even, no inflection is present in his voice. 

My hands are in the air, my feet slide forward in preparation. Tom stares me down. The only sound between us is our breathing. My eyes zero in on the gun in Tom’s hands, his finger twitches. I move.

Bang!

My ears ring with the gunshot. A piercing, burning, intense pain flares in my right shoulder. My legs lose their strength as I try to jump forward and grapple for the gun. I topple, Tom is no better, he is beneath me, his eyes wide, his pupil's pinpricks. I close my eyes and tears stream down my face as I try once more to stop Tom, my eyes open, there is a gun in my face, his finger twitches.

Bang!