LOVER

when everything falls apart

a/n: okay so first of all, i've never cried while writing, so this is just a heads up. it's going to be one hell of an angsty ride lmao so get your tissues ready. and lastly, please read the notes at the end. enjoy!

26 February, 2019

I guess life never stops. The world doesn't stop turning just because you're struggling. It doesn't wait for you. It keeps on going, and it leaves you behind. No matter how hard you try to get up, you continuously fall down to your knees. You feel helpless. Catastrophe after catastrophe, you fall. There's no end, there's no light. Just darkness, and fear, and pain.

And unfortunately, I've learned this in the worst way.

Six months before
27 August, 2018

I don't remember falling asleep. I was sitting comfortably beside my best friend, my head on her shoulder, her eyes focused on a crossword. I guess her voice lulled me to a deep slumber, because when I opened my eyes again, all I could see were the blue sky and the branches of oaks above me. I heard the noise of a metallic object hit the ground, before everything around me faded and the sound of my screams filled my surroundings. I was lying on a hard surface, and — was it grass? — because of the pain slicing my lower body in half, I reached down and gripped the side of my thigh. The faint smell of blood invaded my nostrils like it was some kind of venom. With all the strength I had in me, I sat up and leaned my body against the nearest tree. Its bark scratched my weak back, as I moaned and finally had the courage to look down.

Blood. That was all I saw. Hot, crimson red liquid spilled out of a wide cut, showing a bone that wasn't supposed to be broken. My head started spinning, but was it because I was losing blood? Or was it because of the disgusting sight I had just seen?

Nevertheless, I didn't have the time to ponder over my injuries, because soon another voice reached my ears and made me widen my eyes. Karlie? The voice echoed like a broken record, running around the trees like it was some kind of kid chasing the wind. Karlie? It became clearer with each second that passed, the ringing in my ears disappearing as blonde hair and green eyes materialized in front of me.

"Taylor? Are you—Jesus, you're bleeding,"

She knelt beside me, placing a hand over the open wound on my calf. I knew she wanted to help me by stopping the incessant flow of blood, but all she did was cause pain throughout my entire body. I writhed, groaned, and tried to push her hands away.

"Stop, we need to stop this bleeding otherwise you'll die!" she exclaimed exasperatedly, pinning my wrists to the soil. I let out a silent whimper, biting my bottom lip as she took off her shirt and wrapped it around my injured leg. "Damn it, your bone is broken," she muttered quietly. Still, she fastened the clothe around my cut, applied slight pressure, and successfully stopped the bleeding. The pain was there, but I could deal with it.

"Kar—what happened?" my words were slurred, and I looked up at her as she stroked my cheek lovingly.

"I—I don't—," she glanced around helplessly, and that was when I did too. "The plane crashed and we—I don't know where the others are, I don't—,"

Judging by her erratic breath and frantic gaze, she was freaking out. She was losing it. And if there's one thing you shouldn't do while there's a catastrophe happening around you, not losing control is one of those things. "Karlie, listen to me," breathing hurt, but I held on for the sake of my best friend. "Everything will be okay. Alright? We're going to get help and we're going to be okay. You hear me? Everything is going to be okay."