Simon Riley — Shot

The ranch was calm under the golden light of the sunset. You walked along the fence, lost in thought, the wind barely stirring your hair. In the distance, Simon Ghost Riley watched you, attentive as always, without making it obvious.

—"Stop staring at me so much," you said, without turning around, with a slight smile. "You're making me nervous."

—"Then stop doing things that justify it," he replied, dryly… though with that gentle nuance that only you knew.

The silence between you was warm, almost like home. But something broke it: an unusual creak. Simon tensed immediately, alert… though there wasn't time.

The shot cut through the air.

The impact hit you without warning. The air left your lungs, your hands tried to hold on, but the world tilted and you fell.

—"NOOO!" —Simon's scream sounded broken, desperate.

—"I told you I would take everything from you." —The attacker fled, leaving him behind.

Simon ran towards you without thinking, ignoring everything else. He fell to his knees beside you, trembling, not knowing how to touch you without hurting you.

"Hey... hey..." Her voice cracked as she tried to react. "No... no, no..."

"Look at me..." she whispered, moving closer. "Look at me, please..."

Your eyes no longer focused on him the same way. Life was slipping away from you, and he understood it in that instant.

—"Don't go…" —her voice broke completely—. "Not like this… not with me here…"

He took your hand tightly, as if he could hold you back.

"Stay..." he murmured. "Stay with me..."

He rested his forehead against yours, trembling, feeling everything crumble.

—"I don't know how to breathe if you're not here..." —her voice was barely a whisper—. "I don't know... how to go on..."

The world disappeared around him.

It was just the two of you left…
You, fading away in his arms…
And he, breaking down with you.