Luminescence

Forty-three.

HUDSON

I shouted.

A tear rolled down my face. I was paralyzed as I stare down to her bleeding figure. Hands shaking, my fingers slowly reach down to take her pulse.

Nothing was there.

I felt as if someone had opened a black hole in the middle of my heart, and was sucking every emotion out of my body. I was numb--even worthless without her.

"Somebody help!" I cry, my shaky voice echoing off the walls of the desolate throne room. "Please!"

As I held her in my arms, I didn't know what to do. The bond between us was gone. I couldn't feel what she felt, and it scared the shit out of me. I shook her slightly, hoping that her bright blue eyes would reopen in a heartbeat.

"Please..." I whisper softly this time, as I caress her stone cold face, praying that today wouldn't be her day to go.

Her right hip was bleeding out. I wasn't sure what Wes had shot her with. But whatever it was penetrated straight through Mara's forcefield. There wasn't a bullet wedged In her or anything like that. It was one angry-looking burn mark that had scorched her entire side.

Taking off my large top, I wrap the fabric around her softly with my shaky hands. It wasn't sanitary whatsoever. But I was more concerned about keeping her blood in rather than getting the wound infected. We had technology that could take care of that.

I look to the door to see Ryan, Asher, Lucy and a few other soldiers behind them. Their eyes scan the room, as they see Wes and Red both lying unconscious and the rubble everywhere. Then they see Mara lying in my arms unresponsive, as a gasp escapes from their lips.

"Oh my God," Lucy exclaims in horror, running over with Ryan as he slowly shifted from rock to regular human. "What the hell happened? Did Wes shoot her?" She questions, immediately calling for medical assistance over her earpiece.

I tried to respond, but nothing came from my lips but a heartbroken breath. I choked back a sob as another tear fell from my face.

"I don't feel a pulse..." Lucy whispers as the medical troops round the corner.

"No no no..." We all turn to see Asher standing at the door inspecting the gun in Wes' hands. His eyes turn blue, then fade to white as if he were reliving a bad memory. "God damnit!" Asher roars, as Lucy covers her mouth—she seemed to recognize what the weapon was as well. "Hudson, Mara needs to get to a hospital right now," Asher urges. "She's been shot with the Mutant Killer... the same thing they shot Elle with."

All of them must've had experience with this weapon I had never heard of before. It must've taken a toll on them as well, due to the distant looks in their eyes as old memories flood back to them.

"She could survive this," Lucy breathes. "If Elle was able to survive the blast, then Mara should be able to make it with her healing abilities!" She excitedly whispers.

The medical troops take Mara away, as their words seemed pointless to me. I saw her lifeless in the stretcher in another world right now, as I struggled to maintain my sanity.

She was dying.

From my kneeling position, I collapse. My hands were shaking. I didn't know what was happening, as I felt like half of me was crumbling—this time not from emotion.

My other half was dying.

"Hudson?" Ryan asks, placing a hand on my shoulder. His words echoed in my ear as if I were underwater. Instead, I heard the rapid pulsing of my heart through my ears, begging for Mara to come back. I was having a panic attack. "We need more medics!" Ryan shouts as my breathing becomes faster than the speed of sound. "Hudson, you're going to be okay."