“Hah-” Chire gasped through the burn of his lungs, pulling back the dark, wet hair that was plastered to his face. The quiet, almost nonexistent sound of the footsteps was getting closer.

He shot through the forest, trying to pick up the pace, sliding under the big, forest branches and twisting around rusted metal.

Boots, one after another, slammed after him, enthralled in the chase. He darted to the left, trying to throw off the people behind him, heart beating out his chest.

They were close, so close, he could feel the laser of their guns start to fixate on his back.

His hand shot up to wipe at the rain that pelted down his goggles, hoping in vain that the action would help him see through dense jungle fog.

No such luck.

A shot went off. Chire only saw the bullet glide right past his head, almost hitting his ear as a strong, muscled arm pushed Chire down to avoid it.

“Umph,” Chire hit a nearby tree, crunchy leaves softening his fall. That same hand that had pushed him was now harshly pulling his wrist to get him off the ground.

“Hurry!” he shouted in my ear.

They were sprinting again, faster this time - as fast as their exhausted bodies would allow.

It was all for naught. 

Chire remembered the vivid sensation of the whiplash from passing branches catching the loose collar of his uniform. A split second of pause.

Widened green eyes met Chire’s brown ones. “NO, DON’T!” Chire shouted as he rushed to snap the branch that ensnared him, but it was too late.

A few steps were all it took for them to be tight against each other. Those strong arms surrounded him like they had done millions of times before as rainfall thudded down on their figures.

Chire felt the soft lips of the man kiss his forehead. Goosebumps littered his skin when the muted sound of a gun echoed through the air.

His body went limp and they fell together on the forest floor.

His body was cold already - probably from the chill of the rain and their faces were so close together. Their eyes were still locked and Chire witnessed the exact moment when his brilliant green eyes glossed over with death.

Chire heard the voices of his fellow humans and a bright light blinded him, but he didn’t flinch. The men glowered. “Looks like he’s staring right at me,” one mumbled and they all cracked up. The one who spoke kicked the side of Chire’s head and he let it roll to the side. 

When the crunch of their step faded away, Chire still lay there, staring up through his blood-stained goggles into the abyss of the night sky.

His eyes turned red with unshed tears. Chire bit his lip and pushed the heavy body off of him. He sat up and felt the cold body of his kin.

The last of his kin.

Gone.

“Heh,” Chire choked out broken laughter, “Hahahahahahahahaha.” Now it is all gone. Everything he had worked for. Just like that.

Chire’s body tensed at the sound of crunching leaves in the distance.

No.

He can’t die. Not yet.

Chire’s movements were frantic as he scrambled up and ran - further and faster than he had run before.