Outnumbered
304 Words
Jack was laughing, tossing an apple at Shaw, his horse. The peaceful hum of the evening was broken by a violent snort.
Shaw reared. Eyes wide. Something was wrong.
Then—
A thud.
Jack turned. His heart dropped.
Blue.
Covered in blood.
Coughing. Gasping.
He rushed to her, knees hitting the ground hard.
“Blue!”
Her lips trembled. “They’re… coming…”
She passed out in his arms.
Then came the sound that turned blood cold.
Horses. Many. Fast.
Black shadows galloped in—assassins, swords drawn, eyes locked on the unconscious girl.
One raised his blade.
Jack laid Blue gently on the ground… and stood.
“Back away,” one assassin said. “She’s ours.”
“No,” Jack said, pulling his sword free, his voice low. “You’ll die here.”
“Fool. We warned you.”
“Then come see what death looks like.”
They attacked.
Jack’s sword danced—steel against steel, blood against bone. He fought like a man possessed. He cut down four—fast, ruthless.
But it wasn’t enough.
A blade slammed into his ribs. Another cracked across his jaw. He fell to his knees, then to his face. Blood streamed from his nose and mouth. One assassin yanked him up by the throat, squeezing, lifting.
Jack’s world dimmed. Sounds muffled. Pain surged.
Then—
Thwip!
An arrow slammed into the assassin’s head. He dropped.
Jack collapsed again.
Blue stood behind them—bow in hand, trembling, barely breathing.
“Get… away from him,” she snarled.
Another arrow flew. Then another. The last two assassins tried to run.
Too late. Arrows found their backs.
Blue dropped the bow, legs giving out.
Jack crawled toward her.
They lay side by side—broken, bruised, but alive.
Their blood mingled with the dirt beneath them.
- Writer
