The silence came first. It was not a normal silence. It was a complete stop of all sound, movement, and life. Inside the carriage, every character froze. The carriage stopped moving. The wheels stopped turning. Every small movement in the world stopped at once.
Camilla sat on the floor of the carriage, holding Damon in her arms. She looked at his pale, still face. Panic filled her heart, but time itself seemed stuck. She pulled Damon close to her chest. She put her hand on his head and softly caressed his hair.
"Damon," she whispered. Her voice was weak and full of pain.
She hugged him with all the strength left in her body. Tears began to flow down her cheeks. The tears mixed with the dried blood on her face.
Then, the world began to break.
