[Ashley's 1st PoV]
She was pushing herself too hard. I could feel it in the way her breath hitched, in the way her movements grew sluggish and uncoordinated.
Her control was slipping, and with it, the fragile thread of hope she clung to.
'This is good. Just a little more, and I'll win. I have to win.'
The thought echoed in my mind, but it felt hollow, like a lie I was telling myself to keep going.
My body screamed in protest—broken ribs, a ruptured torso, and a heart that felt like it was being crushed under the weight of my own desperation.
I couldn't bring myself to smile, not even at the thought of victory. Why? Because I knew the truth.
'If not for my broken rib cage, if not for this pain… maybe I could've done it. Maybe I could've won.'
But it was too late. The realization settled over me like a shroud, cold and unyielding. My vision blurred, and the world around me seemed to slow.
'I'm going to die…'
