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Chapter 8

I, as gently as I possibly can, hoist him on my back and pocket the heart. As nervous as I am about moving him, Jesse can't exactly get help all the way down here. It might be really slow climbing up with only one hand with glass impaled in it and with all this weight, but I won't rush. I won't hurt Jesse even more.

Every time Jesse twitches, every time he takes a deep breath, and every time he utters some intangible mutterings, I instantly stop. Wait there for a few moments to see if it's a problem before continuing. Hopefully the townspeople are doing better than Jesse right now, I've never seen him so weak.

Although there's a growing concern about myself. I'm sure I'm still in shock and still have a lot of adrenaline in my veins. But hot pins and needles dance all over my limbs. Not exactly painful, but after we care for Jesse and ourselves, we should be getting a rest. A really long one after we eat something.

Petra's arm will have to be treated first, it would be devastating to her if it never healed right. It's feels like days since that happened, but it really was only a couple of hours ago. I don't think Ivor has any serve injuries, but he will have to be tended to as well.

"Where's Lukas and Jesse?"

Petra's urgent shout spurs me to climb faster. I'm panting too hard and too fast to stop to say something. A nervous voice floats down, but is drowned out by my heartbeat to properly hear it.

I make sure Jesse is secure on my back before jumping up and grabbing the platform with my hand, the glass shards still embedded in it. I feel the other's footsteps run over, but thanks to adrenaline, I already have my elbow up.

"Ivor, grab Jesse." Petra orders, unable to do it with her broken arm. Harper leans down and hoists me up, and the moment I roll onto the ground, I spring onto my feet again.

The world speckles black, my knees locking in place as I scramble for my balance. Perhaps I need more rest than I thought, but I'll heal quickly. Jesse is the primary concern here, we have to help him.

Ivor is already kneeling next to Jesse, and Petra gets down too. I stumble next to her, whispering pleas under my breath. Now that I'm not completed panicked about his survival or fighting him, I can see he does look different.

In a horrific way. Dark gray bags droop from his eyes, his normally pale skin is ghostly now, and even though he's hasn't hit twenty years of age, Jesse could pass for someone in their thirties. Maybe even older.

"Guys? You should know-"

Petra snarls at her. "Not now Harper!"

My fists curl, yet I still pleadingly stare at Jesse. If P.A.M.A. knew how weak he was, then why did it break him even more? How could he have been lightning fast when chipped but shattered once released?

Jesse groans and his eyes flutter open, only to immediately close. We all hold our breath, anxiously waiting for him to wake up more. Although, his eyes aren't the same. They started as bright emeralds, transformed into lifeless red ones, and now have faded into pasty green ones. The energy sucked right out of them.

"Are you..." Jesse mixes a whimper and a cough, and I plead a litter harder for him. "...all okay?"

"Don't worry about us Jesse." Petra's mouth tightens determinedly. "We need to make sure you're okay. What hurts the most?"

Jesse smiles, but still doesn't open his eyes. "My pride. I can't believe I was some pet to a machine."

He opens his eyes and tries to get up. Before any of us can stop him, Jesse's face twists in pain and falls back, panting heavily. This is... We won't be leaving Crown Mesa for a while, not until Jesse is back at full strength.