Writing Prompt Wednesday #56

TW: Blood, Death

​You are a popular book heroine’s love interest. You now have 60 seconds to convince them that saving the city is more important than saving you. (@writing.prompt.s) https://www.writtenwordmedia.com/500-writing-prompts-to-help-beat-writers-doubt/

    The metallic taste of blood was in my mouth. Buildings crashed all around me. The cold barrel of the pistol in the villain's hand pressed into my temple. 
    Time seemed to slow as she appeared, her long hair matted and tangled from blood. She was hurt, and I wanted to run to her and comfort her, but the arm around my chest restrained me. Her gaze fell on me and her eyes widened. “James!” she yelled. She scowled at the man holding the gun to my head. “Let him go!”
    “I have an offer, dear Terra,” the man said in a sinister voice. “The town is destroyed, the battle is over. Take your friends and leave and I’ll let him go.”

    I shook my head furiously. “Don’t Terra!”
    The villain shrugged. “You have 60 seconds,” he said, adjusting the gun in his hand.
    “I-”
    “Terra, listen,” I said. “We don’t have much time. This town, this city, is more important than I am.”
    “James-”
    “I told you to listen!” I said. “I’m not worth it; I’m not worth all of the lives that are here. You can still win, you still have a chance to do so much good. Please, you can do it. Leave me, I’m not worth what you’ll be able to do.”
    “But what if I can’t?”
    “You can and you will,” I said. “I believe in you.”
    “Time’s almost up,” the villain warned.
    “I love you and I always will,” I said. “Now go.”
    As tears filled her eyes, Terra nodded slowly and sped away. I felt a sense of relief, knowing that she was safe. The villain screamed out in anger and I heard the explosion of the gun, but I was smiling the whole time. Terra was safe, and she’d save everyone. And she’d be able to find happiness, even if it was without me.
    I smiled and felt the impact in the side of my head. I fell, and my world went black.