The Crash

Chapter Seventeen

5 more hours.

I didn’t know that 5 hours from this moment I would have my chance at rescue.

I sat sitting up.

Joel and Hazel were now trying to get me to eat something but I couldn’t. I shook my head as they sighed. Finally they would stop trying to shove food in my face.

My fever went down, I was staying hydrated, and my hallucinations had stopped.

My physical state was good but I was more concerned about my mental state.

Joel gave me a water bottle and told me to drink it, so I did.

“I’ll go get more water” Hazel said and walked out.

I looked at Joel and held my stomach. I really just wanted to get up and walk around but I was lucky Joel was letting me sit up. My leg was still hurting like hell. “Alright nath tell me what happened. You can’t keep it bottled up.” He said.

They have been trying to get me to talk. After a few hours after everything had happened the adrenaline had warn off and now it has really hit me of what happened.

I shook my head and looked down.

He sighed and looked at me. “He is still out there somewhere and I bet he is waiting for the right moment to try and get you again.”

Wow that made me feel a lot better. Thanks Joel. I lied back down.

Hazel still hasn’t come back after an hour. Joel was walking in and out of the tent and other people would come in and say things to him. Something was wrong and they were trying to keep it from me.

I looked at Joel and whispered, “mate where is Hazel.” He looked up and put on a fake smile, “she was passing out water.”

I shook my head “for an hour?”

He nodded and turned around avoiding the conversation. But then I heard a gunshot and quickly sat up. I looked at Joel then heard another gunshot. I stood up but my knees started to give in. I screamed in pain and held onto the bed.

I couldn’t stand because it hurt so much. I lifted up my broken leg and tried to stand on the one. My stomach was now burning in pain.

Joel helped me stay up and I looked at him. “Where is Hazel?” I tried to say through the pain again letting out another scream.

“Nathan just lay down your going to hurt yourself.” He tried to put me down on the bed but I pushed him away.

I looked at him and held my stomach, “where is Hazel” I said more aggressively.

He sighed. “Mate she’s been missing for the past hour now. I didn’t want you to worry.” He tried to sit me down again but I pushed him away with what little strength I had left.

Another gunshot.

I tensed up at the loud sound and tried to walk out of the tent. But my leg wouldn’t have it.

“Nathan stop.” Joel said.

I looked at him holding back tears “just help me. Please.” He paused and nodded. I put my arm around Joel and he helped me hobble out of the tent.

I looked around frantically.

People were running around scared. Tents were on fire. A little girl was crying. Screaming.

Another gunshot and everything went quiet.

I then heard a voice “everyone stay calm! Now..” But I couldn’t hear what else he was saying.

I looked at Joel “mate please.” He nodded and we got a little closer hiding behind a stack of supplies.

“Everyone just stay calm. I don’t want to kill her okay. But i will kill all of you if I have too. Turn in Nathan Sykes and no one gets hurt.” He said. I could recognize that voice. Ryan.

There was a scream. “No! Nathan don’t!”

That was Hazel.

I looked at Joel and tried to move forward but he shook his head. I went to say something but heard Ryan speak. “You have till sundown.”

I looked at Joel and whispered “I have to”

He shook his head. “We have till sundown to figure something out okay. That’s a good three hours.”

I looked at him and sighed. I held onto my stomach and closed my eyes in pain. I pulled my hand away feeling something wet and saw something red and sticky on my hand.

Blood.

My stitches had come out and was now bleeding. I looked at Joel and he nodded. “Keep your hand there.” He looked around.

He sat me down and lifted up my shirt. “Okay just keep pressure on it.”

I nodded and held my hand there. I looked over at the medical tent and other survivors were going into it. Probably looking for me.

Joel grabbed two backpacks from the supplies pile and looked at me. “Mate I’m going to help you stand back up but you can’t scream okay.”

I nodded not sure if I could do it or not. He put his arm around me and helped me stand up. I bit my lip and groaned. Fuck that hurt.

I looked at him covered in my own sweat and panting. “What now?”

He sighed and we started walking into the woods “we get you out of here and fix you up.”

I nodded and blinked a few times as black spots covered my vision. Joel kept going forward further into the woods. I shook my head “mate I need to stop.”

He shook his head. “Just a little further nathan.” I didn’t know how much longer I could stay awake. I think Joel felt me getting heavier and sat me down against a tree.

“It hurts.” I managed to get out.

He nodded and lifted up my shirt.

He looked through the back hoping to find something to help. He took out a water bottle and poured some in my mouth then looked at me. “Mate this is going to hurt.” I nodded and bit my lip. He poured the water on my wound and I held in a scream. “Fuck.” I said.

He looked through the bag and laid out everything he could find. A blanket, a knife, 2 water bottles, a small cloth, an extra shirt, and something we were both happy to see. A small sewing kit.

He helped me take off my shirt and laid me down on the towel. He took out the kit and cleaned off my wound with water and the cloth.

He took out the kit and sighed in frustration. I looked at him “what? What’s wrong” I said in between pants.

“There is no fucking needle” he said.

I layed my head back. Just fantastic.

He sat me leaning against the tree again and took out the T-shirt. He pressed it against my wound and looked around.

“Just turn me in mate” I said.

He shook his head then looked back at me. “Nathan I have to go back and get medical supplies.” He put a water bottle next to me and covered me with the blanket “I’ll be in and out.”

I shook my head “they know your with me Joel.”

He nodded and smiles weakly trying to make me feel better “no one will see me okay.”

I shook my head and tried to stay awake “don’t. Please. I’ll be okay.” I looked at him “either way I’m going to die. Its okay.”

He looked at me and shook his head “you’re not going to die nathan. That’s a promise.”

That was the one promise I hoped that he wouldn’t break