81. He's alive

Emily knelt beside him, checking for a pulse. She breathed a sigh of relief and turned to Celine. "He's still alive," she said.

Celine's heart was pounding in her chest. She had never been so close to death before. The room was filled with the sound of their labored breathing.

The minutes stretched on, and the silence between them was unbearable. Celine tried to speak, but her throat was too tight.

Finally, they heard the sound of sirens outside. Celine felt a rush of relief. The police were coming.

Jones was taken away in handcuffs, and Celine and Emily were left alone in the room. They sat on the bed, numb and exhausted.

Emily put her arm around Celine. "Are you okay?" she asked softly.

Celine shook her head. "No," she said. "That crazy guy almost killed us. He didn't care a bit about you."

"It's okay," Emily said. "We'll get through this together."

Celine leaned into her friend's embrace, feeling safe for the first time since the ordeal began. She knew that they had a long road ahe