We stood hand in hand, though trembling, our grip was firm. Reassuring.

“This all will soon be over.” I gleamed a hopeful smile to Henry. War is all he has ever known in his short 12 years of life and here we stand on the front line of it all. A future of peace was just a few conversations away…

Henry’s eyes slowly gazed over at me, a cold fear displayed across his face. I managed to follow his eyes directly to my chest.

The glow of the red dot rested right over where my heart would be and as if my heart knew the danger it was in it pounded with a thunder that could beat right out of my body.

My throat ran dry and reluctantly I guided my eyes up the path of the sniper’s direction. This is not how this was supposed to go.

He stood on the far right corner of the old worn down prison’s roof. His aim locked in and he didn’t dare make a move. I tried to make out if his finger was on the trigger yet but couldn’t see with the distance between us.

“Mal…he’s going to kill us. What do we do?” Henry’s voice trembled. I couldn’t bare looking at him knowing his hope was lost.

A few more red spots appeared but this time clung to Henry. I confidently said,

“We won’t retreat. Just follow my lead. Kaiza’s men have us surrounded but they aren’t going to waste all their ammo on us. It’s a bluff. They’d be stupid not to hear us out. It’s us versus the dead. It’s time they learn that lesson.” And with raised hands, intertwined with Henry’s still, we walked towards the prison’s rusted doors, not daring to take an eye off the sniper that sat on the roof. All I know is, I hope my negotiation skills are better than I think.