I Am Fallen.

The strength of my instincts had faded now, I didn't need them now that I knew what the danger was.

I rose slowly to my feet and turned around, remaining at Erica's side. I could feel her arm shaking against my own.

The danger? It was a middle aged man with long, black greasy hair and a look of impatience on his face. So this was going to be the end of us? That was cruel, to tear us apart using this...this man!

'I said don't move!' he spat, eyes darting up and down the street before they landed back on us again.

He pulled out something and held it at us...it was long, black. It looked malicious.

'It's a gun!' Erica whispered to me, she was trembling even more now.

'Give me whatever money you have, now!' he ordered, shaking the gun at us once more.

It seemed like he was having trouble holding it together. I shot a look at Erica, she was shaking her head fast.

'We...we don't have...any...any money.' she said faintly, her eyes never leaving the gun.

'Don't lie to me! I know you have something!' he screeched a little desperately.

I had to think of a plan, I had to think of something! The man was losing whatever patience he had left rapidly, he was taking a step closer to us.

Erica flinched at the side of me and I could hear her sniffling. She was crying, she was scared. This man was doing that to her, I had to stop him.

'Money!' he snarled again, holding out his hand, gun still aimed at us.

'We really don't have any.' Erica sobbed. She was pleading with him now.

The man had finally lost it. He glanced down the street once more and his eyes turned steely. He was focused now and something told me that he had done this before. He wasn't frightened of any consequences.

Gun in hand, he stepped towards Erica...which is when my instincts kicked in again. I could sense what was going to happen, my mind went blank and suddenly, it was filled with a premonition. I could see Erica getting shot, see her falling onto the floor, crumpled...broken. A hand was pressed against her stomach, it oozed red...blood.

I snapped back to reality and followed my instinct. I knew then that I would do whatever it takes to save Erica and I would put my life on the line for her in a heart beat.

I moved in front of her as the gun was shot, the crack of the bullet breaking through the air. At first, I didn't feel anything...I was in shock. Then, as I glanced down, a red stain was spreading across the front of my shirt and I buckled, falling to my knees.

I could hear Erica screaming but it sounded like she was far away, echoing. I saw the man take off down the street, diving over the fence to the park. Vanishing.

The pain was intense, my mind clouded over and I struggled against it to keep my eyes on Erica. I wasn't going to fade without looking at her.

My hands were clutching at my stomach, I felt myself sliding down to the ground from my knees but it was as if I was falling slowly.

Still, my eyes never left Erica's face for even a minute, not even a second.

She was crouched over me, her face twisted in pain despite the fact that she hadn't been the one who was hurt...at least, physically. Her tears splattered on my cheek and I could feel them creeping into my hair as I lay on the ground.

Erica's mouth was moving but I couldn't hear what she was saying. It looked as if she was saying my name, again and again. I tried to comfort her but the words got caught in my throat.

My own tears mingled with Erica's as she started to fade from my vision, instead a blackness was seeping in front of my eyes.

The only thing that kept me with her was her hand, tightly clutching at my own. It was the last thing that I felt as I lost consciousness.