The Price of Mike's Lies

“The coppery taste of blood was a phantom memory, chilling me to the bone as I jolted awake. I knew this day; it was etched into my soul, the day Red Rock burned and I died at Mike's hand, a forgotten casualty of his reckless ego. This time, I wouldn't just watch; I'd save Red Rock, starting with the town alarm, a desperate wail echoed by my pounding heart. But the school bus, our only way out for the women and children, was gone, along with the men and our best guns. Mike had taken them, miles away, for a lavish birthday party for his new girlfriend, Lila, completely abandoning us. He'd stripped us of our last hope, dismissing my desperate warnings as cheap jealousy, leaving us vulnerable to the marauding Vulture gang, who were already tearing our town apart. Even his own sister, Chloe, was slapped by him and sent back when she tried to warn him. Later, fiercely pregnant, I rode out alone for help, only to be intercepted by Jake, Mike's blindly loyal deputy, who, brainwashed, believed my pleas were lies. He dragged me, bound, to their drunken desert party, where Mike publicly humiliated me, forcing me to watch while our homes turned to ash. How could Mike be so blind, so cruel, sacrificing everyone for a frivolous celebration? My agony intensified when Red Rock lay in ruins; Mike, feigning shock, turned the mob's grief and rage onto me, blaming me for everything. They descended, a blur of fists and kicks, until a searing, tearing pain in my belly confirmed my worst fear: my baby, violently ripped from me. But this time, I wouldn't die in silent despair. As life drained from me, Chloe appeared, a small, defiant beacon, exposing Mike's selfish lies and turning the tide of vengeance. This time, Mike, you wouldn't get away with it.”