The Survivors Trilogy

BOOK ONE || CHAPTER FOUR

A white-hot pain rips through my entire body, snapping my eyes open. The world around me seems to slow down. The air around me starts to turn thick as I struggle to breathe—in, out. A flash of light crosses my vision, but I take no notice of it.

"Xander!" Vicky shouts from below me. Her voice sounds distant, like she is deep underwater, trying to shout my name, but it only comes out a mere echo. I think she says it again, but I can't tell.

Darkness has almost taken me fully. I fight hard to keep my eyes open just a few more seconds, but as the seconds tick by, I can feel myself dropping, dropping, drop—

A blurry figure is crouched next to me.

A cold hand touches my face, but I hardly feel it.

The sun behind the figure makes it look like a silhouette, staring down at me.

Vicky.

Vicky has come to help me.

I think she says my name again, then again, but everything sounds distant—even my own thoughts sound like an echo.

She grabs my face between her hands, keeping my eyes on hers. I don't want to look anywhere but at her—I can't; her grip is too tight.

I can just make out the blue irises of her eyes, before darkness takes over.

* * * * *

I go in and out of consciousness. My head lolls to the side, then to the ground. I can see that I am moving, but I am unsure how; my feet appear stationary. It is all very confusing. I'm half being dragged, and half moving myself, but I can't feel my legs.

An arm is wrapped tightly around my waist, and another arm is clutching my wrist, tightening as I start to tumble slightly.

Vicky.

Vicky is moving me.

Vicky is saving me.

The pain in my side throbs to the sound of my heartbeat.

Thump... thump... thump...

Each thump gets louder every time I take a step forward, then another.

I look down at my side; a thin piece of metal is protruding out of my body, dripping with blood. It blurs as I continue to stare at it.

My eyes close. The pain is too much to bear. Too much. Too much of everything.

Stop.

I want everything to stop.

"Xander." Vicky's voice still sounds a thousand miles away—away from me. "You need to stay awake. You can make it. Please. I can't lose you."

Those were the last words I heard before the darkness took over once again.

* * * * *

I jolt awake from a sharp pain in my side.

Everything around me is starting to come back into focus, but my head still feels groggy. Every single sound feels ten times louder than it usually does. My limbs feel like lead, keeping me down even when I fight to get up.

I can tell that I am lying on my bed in my room. How did I get here? I think, cautiously, but then I suddenly remember: Vicky saved me. Vicky is the one that got me back here.

A hand pushes me back down on the bed, and I tiredly comply. I look over to see who the arm belongs to; Drew. One of the two Medics. Drew's ash blond hair hangs loosely over his forehead, almost covering his dark brown eyes. He looks tired, clearly hasn't slept in ages.