the screech of tires squeal into the pitch black of the night , raw and shrill , taking the dark shadows of masked men with them , leaving behind only the echoes of chaos and the fumes of burnt rubber and gasoline curling into the air . breath comes in shallow , ragged bursts , cheeks flushed and heart pounding fiercely against her chest , as if trying to punch its way out of her ribcage . her body is still wired with adrenaline as it becomes just the two of them . she remains pressed close to his side as the van disappears out of view , clinging to his frame as if she's still trying to find her balance , the fabric of his shirt clutched between her fingers , knuckles white with effort . “ w - what . . . — , ” she tries to speak , but the words are caught in her throat , stuck behind the lump that's quickly taking form . wide eyes blink rapidly as if trying to filter though the chaos ; trying to process , to piece together the last moments . she detangles her fingers as she becomes aware of the pulsating throb blooming at her features , and the back of her hand , still trembling , instinctively reaches for the corner of her upper lip , stained crimson as her gaze drops to it . eyes immediately dart back to him , flickering over his frame as she looks for cuts , scratches or blood — any sign of injury . “ y - you okay ? ”