L.O.V.E.

Epilogue - Nathan

'Come, Nathan, a few more steps. You can do it. Talk to me!' Susan's raspy voice keeps bringing me to reality.

I am not sure how many times I've dozed off. Every move feels like the skin is tearing off from the bone. The pain is unbearable and I don't know for how long I'll manage to stay awake. Susan's weak body struggles to hold mine, still, she doesn't show any sign of giving up any time soon. The truck, a foggy illusion in the distance, roars abandoned for us to get in. Those monsters have kept their part of the bargain and left us alone. Tears start to pile up thinking about the price she had to pay for our lives. Nerissa, our savior. We leave a trail of salty droplets behind, feeding the scorched land with our sadness. She helps me with my mask, silent and mournful. Any words would be useless right now. I lay hopeless in the back, while Susan steps on it, propelling us closer to safety and to a pointless life. I would have rather died than live a life without her.

I try, in vain, to hide my sobs, but only picturing Nerissa's face makes me break down. Why does it have to me be the one that survives? Despair emerges in the back of my head and I wish I could go back for her. A moment of foolish bravery, that's all it took for me to scream in pain. Just trying to raise my leg an inch higher, sent me directly to Hell.

'Stop!' Susan's hand reaches mine, subduing most of my agony. 'Nerissa bought us another chance. It's on us to...'

Her words are cut off by a supersonic shadow piercing the sky. The spacecraft passed so fast I could have easily imagined it. I am on the verge of losing it. I tell myself, covering my eyes with my bruised arm. Our government doesn't have that kind of equipment yet. Sure, it was considered with my newest upgrade, still, we are far from building a prototype. Then, out of the blue, Susan pulls the car to a halt, forcing my body to move forward and sending me over the edge. This time my screams are all muffled. I don't even have the energy to form sounds anymore. She jumps out of the truck, slowly raising her hands to her head. Not this again. I snap, trying to peek outside the window. Our gazes lock for a second before she is taken away.

'Susan!' I call after her, holding tight to the rugged leather.

The adrenaline is shushing the pain, however, I can still feel the few droplets of sweat sliding down my forehead. I couldn't make out much, but my gut tells me these are not the same monsters from underground. Their jet-black armor is nothing I've seen before. In this light, the metal parts shine with a purplish haze, yet their weapon is all covered in bright swirling lights. I squint my eyes to have a better look, when the door behind me opens unexpectedly. My heart is still racing, and before I could understand what is happening, they are dragging me out. I fight them off as they lay me on a stretcher, in spite of my psyche telling me to calm down.

'If you want to keep that leg, you better stay still!' One of them shouts, his voice distorted by the mask on his face.

'We are the good guys.' The other one utters, fluttering her long lashes in the air.

With her golden ponytail waving in the wind, she looks like an angel. My heartbeat returns to normal and I find solace in her earnest stare. Susan steps inside a four-wheeled rover, twice the size of our truck. I surrender, thinking that there's not much I can do. Besides, the pain is back, fiercer than before. They start tending my wound as my eyes are busily scanning the inside of their vehicle. In awe of the state-of-the-art technology, I completely missed the painkiller they jabbed in my leg. A few moments later and the pain vanishes into thin air.

'Wow! What was that?' I ask, my head spinning from the powerful drug.

'You are welcome.' The girl replies with smiling eyes.

In my euphoric state, I can see Susan talking to the other two soldiers, their lips somewhat delayed from the sound. Her injuries have been taken care of and she looks livelier than before. I let myself get drawn in the curtain of neon lights and beeping sounds, travelling far and losing focus of my surroundings. My brain is fighting against it, trying to stay alert and awake. However, the drug is too powerful and I set adrift in a world of bliss.