Dragon Boy

23: Captured

"Kyle!"

Kyle floated somewhere between conscious and unconscious. His eyelids were glued shut. He wanted to wake up, but he could not.

"Kyle, wake up!"

Something wet brushed his face. He wanted to push it away, but his arm was too heavy.

"Please, Kyle!"

There was a slit of light in the darkness. He knew where to go. He reached out for it.

"Kyle, wake up!"

Finally, he opened his eyes. Runt and Sasha licked his cheeks. His head was in Akora's lap, and she was staring down at him with an expression he had never seen on her.

It was fear.

"Kyle, you're alive!"

He sighed with relief. "Yeah. Guess I am." He looked around. Mr. Connolly, Vince, Mr. Efeta, Cloppin, and a one-eyed giant stood over him. He tried to sit up, but everything hurt too much. "Where are my friends?"

Vince sighed into a fist pressed against his mouth. He opened his mouth, and a few sounds gurgled in his throat before he willed himself to say, "I have bad news."

Kyle shot up. "Wha- AGH!"

"Easy, there," Akora soothed. "You're still in bad shape."

He grit his teeth. "Wh-Where are they?"

"Captured," Mr. Connolly sighed. "It's my fault. We should have evacuated sooner." He then nodded at Kyle and Akora. "Mx. Leichenbestatter will see to your wounds, then you two need to pack up and get out of here. We will contact you and your families when it is safe to return."

Vince hugged himself tightly, wrapping his hands around his thin arms. "Ya know, if we told them about the danger, maybe things would have panned out better."

"You know why we can't do that, Vincent!" Mr. Connolly snapped. "It would cause pandamonium! And let's say a few souls were inspired to charge into battle like Mr. Akfernen and his friends. What then, Vincent? We would have greater losses!"

Vince snorted. "Fine. Whatever. You want them to stay in the dark about their own safety, that's your prerogative."

Cloppin set a hand on Vince's shoulder. "Hey. Calm down, alright?"

Captured? All of them? Why was he the only one left?

"If they wanted me so bad, why did they take everyone else?" Kyle demanded. "I was right here!"

A dark figure rose from just out of Kyle's line of sight. His heart sank. One of the awful beasts had survived! But then it turned its reddish-pink head, revealing a glum vulture. It was Mr. Reaper. "That- was my doing," he grunted. "They said- when I fell out of the sky- I landed right on top of you." He took shallow, gravelly breaths. "Only reason Turncoat couldn't find you..." He coughed, uncurling his talons as he leaned against the giant's leg. In his clutches were two bloody lumps. He grinned. "I took his eyes."

Kyle's stomach churned and his throat burned. He looked away. It reminded him too much of what happened to Sean. "What about everyone else?"

"Already gone," Mr. Connolly said. "We evacuated while you were out. As soon as Vince got the all clear, he, Mr. Draug, and Mr. Efeta escorted everyone back to their rooms, and they all left." He looked down at the boy. "I'm so sorry you were left out here for so long."