#1 - Nick Webster

5. Falling Out

            We both took off running together in the opposite direction of the helicopters. There weren't very many places to hide, and we were caught off guard.

Eventually, we heard the helicopter land somewhere on the island. We were running out of time. Minutes passed, and we still couldn't find any places to hide. Both of us were starting to panic by this point.

Nikki eventually said, "We're going to need to try the other plan. I think they'll have mercy on us if they see us both wounded."

"That's..." I started to say, "...crazy!" I really didn't know whether it was a crazy genius plan or a crazy, crazy plan, but I kept talking anyway. I was too nervous not to talk. "These people are ruthless and tried to kill us both! What other choices are there?"

"I know, but trust me," she invoked those words again. "We don't have many other options at this point." I didn't say anything, but we both kept running and trying to figure something out. The only thing I could feel was fear. Fear that I would be captured again, tortured, or even killed. Was I destined to only live three days in this god-forsaken world?

After a minute, Nikki said, "I'm sorry, Nolan. I truly am." In one swift motion, she tripped me, threw my head against the ground, and pulled my arm behind my back. I had a sudden sharp pain in my in my arm, and I cried out, "Aggghhh!"

With one arm handling my arm, Nikki grabbed a stick with her other arm. She stabbed it right through the side of my stomach. I don't know how such a dull, stupid instrument could inflict so much pain on me. Nikki was a wonder with these types of 'weapons.' It was in this moment I realized how dangerous and deadly Nikki was. I again cried out in pain.

"I'm leaving the island. I'll come for you again, Nolan. Please don't hate me. This is the best option we have." Her words would be more reassuring if she hadn't just stabbed me with a damn stick. There was such a discrepancy between what she said and what she did. As I laid on the ground, I thought... this is really the best option??

I was on the ground in pain without looking in her direction or saying anything to her. I could hear her footsteps slowly disappearing. I kind of just wanted to lay here and die with no questions asked. But no matter what I thought, I kept breathing... waiting for whatever was the next step.

I wondered how long I would lay here before they took me away. Several minutes had passed, but it seemed like hours or even days. If I didn't bleed to death, then my mind was going to eat itself alive. For a while, all I could hear was silence. I know there was a helicopter noise somewhere on the island, but I think my senses started to fail me. I couldn't feel, smell, or hear anything. It was the weirdest feeling I ever had. It reminded me of when I was in the incubation chamber. I couldn't feel anything. I could hardly hear anything or see anything. My mind was my only sense, and it slowly wanted to eat me alive.

Eventually, several men approached me. By that time, I was starting to fall asleep. Or unconscious. I'm not exactly sure which. There were two men. No, there were three. No, wait. I think there were twenty of them. It's hard for me to focus and think. My eyes felt like they lied to me every time I opened them. But I at least tell the men were wearing dark green. It's a good thing that Nikki and I didn't fight these people. They all had big guns. Bigger guns than what the cops had. They shouted at me when they approached me, but I couldn't understand what they were saying. I could feel them starting to move me, but then everything went dark...

***************************************

I woke up in a familiar environment. Well, it was a different environment, but it felt familiar. The last two times that I had woken up as a captive, I was either in a liquid chamber or strapped down to a table. This time I woke up in a cell while being chained to the wall. My neck, both arms, and both legs had chains around them. It was very uncomfortable.