CHAPTER 1 – HEARTBEAT ON A MINEFIELD.

Click!

Her boots landed on something.

She looked down—then a shout tore through the air.

“HEY!!! DON’T MOVE! STAY WHERE YOU ARE!”

The voice came from far away, but the footsteps were closing in fast.

Arya turned her head, confused. “Why do I have to stop? Is something wrong?”

A man in a military uniform appeared, breathing heavy, eyes sharp.

“Yeah. Why are you even here? This is a restricted area. Didn’t you see the signboard?”

“I’m a doctor,” she said quickly. “They said someone needed medical attention here, so I came. Why?”

He stared at her like she’d said something impossible.

“Because this area’s filled with landmines. And you—” he pointed down, “—you’re standing on one right now.”

“…What?”

Her whole body froze. Sweat gathered on her forehead. Her legs trembled.

“Don’t move,” he ordered. “Freeze. Try not to breathe too hard.”

“Okay… okay…” she whispered, voice small, shaking. Even her breathing slowed, as if air itself had turned dangerous.

He knelt beside her, fingers carefully digging through the dirt. The soil shifted grain by grain until wires appeared—tangled, waiting.

Arya’s lips trembled. “Go away,” she whispered. “Save yourself. Please. The mine—it’s right under me…”

He didn’t look up. “Can’t. Doing my job. It’s what they pay me for, you know?”

She blinked. “Huh? But… isn’t it useless?”

He gave a short breath of a laugh. “Maybe.”

“Does it hurt?” she asked softly. “To die like this?”

He glanced up. “Yeah. It hurts. So don’t move.”

“Oh.” She swallowed hard. “I’m scared of pain.”

He said nothing—just kept working.

Seconds stretched into eternity. Then, finally, he stood up.

“Well,” he said, brushing off his gloves, “you’re safe.”

She blinked. “What? Done? I’m safe?”

Then it hit her all at once. “Oh my god—I thought I was gonna die!”

She laughed—half relief, half hysteria. Her gaze flicked up: helmet, dirt, half his face shadowed. The name tag reads ALEX FERNANDEZ.

“Thanks… Alex?”

He nodded slightly. “Just doing my duty.”

Before she could say anything else, a group of soldiers arrived—boots pounding, voices sharp.

“Captain! Everything okay here?” one called.

Alex nodded. “All clear.”

Another soldier grinned at Arya. “Well, hello, beautiful.”

She froze, blinking, still half in shock. “…Hey,” she muttered, offering a small, awkward smile.

Laughter followed—tired, not cruel.

“But why were you even here?” one of them asked.

Arya sighed, brushing dirt off her sleeves. “I told you, I’m a doctor. Someone said there was an injured person here, so I came.”

The soldier frowned. “We didn’t call for a doctor.”

“Well… maybe it was the NGO,” she said. “I’m a volunteer with the children’s clinic. So if it wasn’t you guys, maybe it was them.”

Alex studied her, expression unreadable.

“Children’s clinic?” he asked. “That’s the one near the east border, right?”

“Yeah,” she nodded. “Mostly refugees. Local kids.”

The flirty soldier whistled. “You got guts walking through a minefield for kids.”

Arya rolled her eyes. “Didn’t know it was a minefield, genius.”

The group chuckled—wearily but warmly.

Alex motioned toward the road. “Alright, Doctor. We’ll escort you back. This area’s off-limits for a reason.”

“Yeah, no kidding,” Arya said, still shaky but smiling. “Guess I’ll stick to treating bruises, not bombs.”

As they walked, the wind softened. Arya glanced at Alex beside her—silent, composed, carrying that quiet storm behind his calm.

“Hey,” she said softly. “You ever get used to this?”

He didn’t look at her. “No. You just stop pretending you will.”

And for a moment, neither spoke—just the sound of boots on gravel, and two heartbeats still surprised to exist.

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