Washed Up ≫ A.I

Chapter [5]

[Charlotte Kendall]

"What are you doing?" Tyson yelled after me.

"Emma!" I screamed again, ignoring the fury in Tyson's tone of voice. My ankles twisted every time I stepped in larger footprints that were sunken in too low.

"Charlotte!" I heard Tyson heave loudly again. I finally reached the group and crashed gracefully into Tyson's arms which held my unconscious other half.

Tears were hot on my skin as I pulled the two down into the sand to sit finally. There were no longer these shots of burning pains in my hip. I was too overwhelmed with reuniting with my best friend to care. It was a miracle.

"Emma, wake up." I coughed a happy noise while wrapping my arms underneath her wet coasted figure. Her arms fell limp to her sides as Tyson gently adjusted her into my own arms. "Why is she unconscious? Is she breathing?" I begin to quietly panic as I shake her gently some more.

"She's fine." He assures me while wiping the bangs from across her face.

"Emma?" I ask again quietly hoping to get her to open her eyes just once.

"Hey-" Ashton finally caught up to us three with the older man dragging about behind him. "You know this girl?" He asked me before taking the man's tired arm and throwing it up over his shoulder.

I look up at the two and silently nod my head while squeezing onto Emma's chapped palm. The old man Ashton was helping stand up straight had his head hung low and his lean shoulders slouched over. I could still hear his heavy puffs of air. "Is he alright?" I ask nervously as Ashton fights to keep the man upright by himself.

He struggled in response until Tyson backed off from Emma and me to stand up and help. The boys mumbled over different scenarios before Tyson gave up and took the man for himself this time. "Help Charlotte, I've got him." He said once pulling the old man's arms completely up and over his shoulders.

Tyson squatted once before standing up and tossing the man over his shoulders perfectly in place. I heard the man grunt softly as his stomach slumped over Tyson swiftly, looking very uncomfortable. I looked up at Ashton who was chalk white with embarrassment. Once he caught me looking he groaned rolling his neck to the side before following over to where I sat. 

"Fucking show off I tell ya." He mumbled under his breath. I tried not to snicker or smirk as he scooped Emma up into his arms nicely. As he did so, we both received a grumble of breath from a sheepish Emma.

"Emma? Are you awake?" I immediately jump at her, holding my hands on her arm as Ashton cradled her in the air.

Emma's eyes rolled before slowly peeking out tiredly. Her pale lips curled to the side before pulling up into a weak word. I leaned in closer, holding her weight down in Ashton's arms in order to hear her as she began to open her mouth.

"Em. . ." I whispered while hovering above her. Her eyes rolled over again before blinking out the sand from her long golden lashes. Suddenly I was greeted by bright grey eyes and dark black pupils.

"I'm. . . alive."

I laughed under my breath as tears blurred my vision. Even in the most sincere moments, she still humors me unconditionally. I was so overjoyed to be with her again after all the disasters that have happened. I brought in my chapped underlip and leaned in more to kiss her on the forehead before pulling back for Ashton to adjust her falling weight again. I backed away and wiped under my burned eyes with the back of my hand as Ashton begin to walk her off towards the lifeboat. Tyson and the old man were already off in the distance where the sun was now available to shine around them.