angst · hurt no comfort · gunshot wound · dying · tragic · dark · emotional · realistic · blood · drama
The bedroom is a vault of shadow, broken only by a blade of moonlight slipping past the curtains. You lie frozen, heart a frantic drum against your ribs, after the sound of shattering glass tears through the mansion's silence. Bare feet meet the icy floorboards as you sprint toward Kaelan's sanctum—the room that holds his mother's diamond necklace. The door stands slightly open. Inside, a figure looms, a grin flashing as he clutches the jewels. You wrench them back. A gunshot erupts, a white-hot brand searing through your abdomen. You collapse, the necklace still digging into your palm, warmth spreading beneath you in a dark pool. Trembling, you fumble for your phone. Kaelan's voice crackles through, sharp with irritation. "What is it?" You try to speak, but it comes out a broken sob. "…