Live For It

|17|

The fact that you're not breathing doesn't matter, the fact that you're floating doesn't matter, and the fact that you could die doesn't matter. 

It's the five seconds of pure euphoria induced in the brain that makes one want to do it over and over again. 

The world is falling, burning to ashes, but it doesn't matter. 

Nothing matters, and no one exists...not even you. 

It's just silence. But not even silence. It's nothingness. 

It's almost like the feeling when you can't breathe, but without the panic and the pounding of your head. 

And as my world was dying in front of me, and I tipped over into the hands of a mystery, the air I couldn't breathe was trying to steal me away from that five seconds. 

I didn't let it. 

Until I heard yelling. Until the pain came back. Until I realized I was still something, still living and still breathing. Until I was ripped of my paradise, only to be put back into the life I had worked through just for that feeling. 

And maybe, if I was lucky, I would be able to experience it again. 

{THIRD PERSON}

Everyone watched in silence as the Golden Raven looked truly defeated, falling through the air in spite of the look in her eyes. 

She didn't hit the ground, someone had snapped out of their shock quick enough to catch her. 

Flynn's eyes landed on the man who still had a gun propped up slightly, laying in the same position she put him in. 

Zion felt the blood on his palm as he cradled her back, stopping her before she hit the ground. His gun clattered to the floor, and the noise echoed off of the empty halls. Her eyes almost fluttered shut, but he shook her figure to keep her awake. She was still breathing, slowly, but enough to keep her alive. Zion didn't notice Flynn when he breezed past him. He didn't notice when Flynn picked the guard up by his collar and continuously punched him and shouted at him for hurting his friend. 

"Inan," Zion said, voice hoarse from a shocked dry throat. The name was enough to get everyone moving, and Inan rushed forward to use his training and help the girl. 

Off to the side, Rico had pulled Flynn off of the guard, and ringing was no longer filling their ears. Santiago checked the guard's pulse, feeling something just slim of a healthy one. 

It seemed to all move in slow motion to the men, and no one really knew or understood what to do. That girl may have been their only shot at this mission, but also the only one that could change the outcome of this war. 

They were clueless and starstruck in this situation, and it was frightening the risk of this woman's death actually may be. 

"Zhara. Zhara can you hear me? I need you to breathe," Inan breathlessly checked the girl's body, trying to keep her eyes from closing. Inan looked over his shoulder and said something to Xavier, sending him into action. Xavier took off in an unknown direction through the halls, leaving the rest of them to figure out a way to halt her limited time. 

She blinked, feeling most of her body go numb. It was a struggle to stay awake, so Zhara continued focusing on Inan's voice and the people in front of her. She was known to blackout in these situations, the healed stab wound on her thigh reminding them. 

She felt her chest heaving, aching for air. Her eyes were glossy and blurry as she tried to make out the faces in front of her, but all she could focus on was the horrific pain flashing through her lower back. She hoped he hadn't hit her spine or any major spot inside, she didn't think she would want to live if that happened.