Aza and Natalia: An Unbreakable Bond of Hope

"Why? Why in the name of all that is good and holy did we just do that?" Aza glanced over her shoulder, looking for any signs of movement. Nothing but trees and shrubs in sight. Natalia had taken off running like a maniac, leaving Aza behind to catch up.

Aza found her footing on the rocky path and continued her pursuit. Natalia didn't seem affected by the late hour or the difficulty of the terrain. She was still running full tilt. Aza wasn't sure if they were being pursued, but judging by the way Natalia was running, she must have thought they were.

It took Aza a moment to catch up with her lover, who was now doubled over with his hands on his knees trying to catch his breath. He looked at Aza with a mixture of alarm and confusion.

"What is it? Are we being chased?" Aza whispered to him as she came up beside him.

Natalia shook his head frantically without looking at her. It took him a moment before he could speak again. "I- I don't know." His breathing was heavy and labored. He took another deep breath before continuing "Someone... someone was following us... I'm pretty sure." He looked up at Aza and she saw fear in his eyes as well as tears streaming down his face; he was terrified. "We need to keep moving." He said turning around and setting off at a fast pace once more.

Aza hurried to follow him, looking back every few seconds over her shoulder to scan their surroundings for any signs of pursuit. The ground started sloping upwards sharply, making their ascent even more difficult than before.

Natalia climbed up towards a ridge, taking cover behind some thick bushes which offered some protection from view from below as well as from above them. He turned around facing back towards where they had come from, peering into the distance through the branches of the shrubs that hung down from the ridge like a curtain obscuring his view of anything beyond them. He waited with what seemed like bated breath for something or someone to emerge from the darkness below them that separated them from where they had been moments ago and where they now stood staring out into nothingness into blackness so complete that it seemed like it extended forever into infinity; it was unsettling - almost suffocating and claustrophobic - huge mountains looming high above them surrounding them in all directions, keeping them boxed in like insects trapped inside a bottle - unable to escape or expand beyond its confines as they would have no energy left inside them to try anymore after trying so hard already just to get this far - this was their prison now; there was no way out and no light at the end of any tunnel waiting for them either - this place would be their tomb if they stayed here too long or worse if they made any sudden movements or noises while being here amongst these barren mountains and valleys dotted with sparse vegetation clinging desperately to life clinging onto these rocks for dear life not realizing how easy it would be for one of those rocks to become their killer instead of their savior; how easily one could slip during an ascent or descent causing them to lose balance and plunge down into darkness never able to see light again; not even knowing when death came knocking at their door as all sense of time seemed to disappear when one was surrounded by purgatory-like conditions such as these ones where everything seemed timeless - unending - magnifying one's feelings about life and living by sending chills down one's spine because one felt so alive at times like these when death could appear anytime without warning; never giving one time to prepare or say goodbye; robbing one of peace or rest before taking away life itself; living everyday wondering when death comes knocking whether you will open your door today or not - having no choice but hoping that death finds someone else today while you are safe inside your home waiting patiently until death decides otherwise... until you realize too late that you have already opened your door welcoming death inside your home just moments after deciding that today might be a good day after all...

Natalia let go off whatever thoughts he'd been indulging himself with when he heard footsteps approaching along the trail leading away from them downhill towards wherever those footsteps were headed before, voices muffled by distance but clear enough for Natalia and Aza's ears to pick up despite how quiet those voices were; maybe because those voices weren't meant for anyone else but themselves: two men talking about what sounded like women they knew who were probably enjoying themselves somewhere with other men... talking about how beautiful women were especially when naked... about how nice it must be for men who were allowed by those women to touch them... about how lucky those men must feel compared to men who weren't allowed such pleasures... how much those women must love those other men if they allowed them inside their bodies... not understanding why it had taken them so long already in a perfect world like theirs where everyone could sleep around whenever they wanted as much as they wanted without worrying about disease or unwanted pregnancy... wishing that all women would just accept sex whenever offered so that everyone could enjoy themselves equally instead of making people feel guilty or ashamed about wanting things in life which others felt disgusted or disgusted by..."Natalia!" Aza shouted catching herself quickly realizing that she'd spoken too loud "Shh!" She put her fingers against her lips suppressing a giggle escaping past her lips on accident "You're supposed not to make noise." She said shaking her finger at him "Or else..."

Natalia looked back at her without saying anything before resuming his previous position staring out over the valley below trying hard not to make any more noise than necessary lest someone hear him and find out about their hiding spot here high atop this ridge which would make it easier for others to ambush them if they wanted...He hoped whoever was pursuing them hadn't caught up with them yet because he couldn't afford doing anything right now other than watching over whoever's coming up slowly trying hard not make any sound at all so whoever he heard wouldn't hear him either if he moved while crouching behind this bush while staying perfectly still...