Suburban Island V

I Went Swimming in the Ocean (Rescue)

I Went Swimming in the Ocean (Rescue)

He wasn't expecting this. What the hell was a kid doing out here underground? Where did she even come from? How long had she been wandering down here? How did this kid even manage to make it down this far? Good thing he brought some counterpoison with him. This should hold for now. Still, he had to get her out of here.

This was not how he wanted his night to go.

He shook the girl awake.

"Hey," he whispered. "Wake up! Wake up!" The girl slowly fluttered her eyes open.

"Oh, good," he said. He grabbed her by the cheeks.

"Listen to me," he said. "Are you listening to me? Look at me. Look at me! Can you hear me?"

"Yes..." the girl mumbled. Good, this would have to do for now.

"Okay, listen to me," he said. "Don't fall asleep down here. You fall asleep, you are done. Do everything you can to stay okay, you hear me?" The girl's eyelids struggled to stay open. He worried if she was gone already.

"Yes," the girl slurred out.

"Good, good," he said. "Can you stand up?"

"No," she mumbled. He sighed to himself. Of course she couldn't. They couldn't hang around here for too long.

"Here," he said. He picked her up and put her on his back.

"There," he said. "Hold on tight, okay?" The girl made a whimpering noise.

"Right," he said. They began walking down his path. He stuffed a breathing device in her mouth.

"Hang on tight, okay?" he asked. "What is your name?"

"Annie," the girl managed to say.

"Annie, huh?" he asked. "My name is Jim. You have to stay awake for me, okay?"

"Okay," she said back.

"Right," Jim said.

----------

This was supposed to be an easy job. Now, he had to carry both the cargo and this dying girl. This was not how he did things. But he just couldn't leave her down there to die. Jim only had one anti-poison shot left. He hoped that he could get her back to where she needed to be or else they would both be screwed.

"Are you still with me?" Jim asked.

"Yes," Annie mumbled.

"Good," he said. "Now, what are you doing down here, Annie? You know it's dangerous down here."

"I know that. I'm not a child," she said, slurring out that last part.

"What?" Jim asked.

"I'm not a child!" Annie said, louder. She started coughing in her breathing device.

"Take it easy," he said. "You are still recovering with the anti-poison I gave you." The girl narrowed her eyes, confused.

"Anti-poison?" she asked.

"A Chinese man in Canada made it. I injected you in the neck when I found you. It's killing away the worst of the virus. But it will only do so much. Let's focus on getting you out of here, okay?"

She didn't say anything. Jim sighed.

"Right," he said to himself.

"The hatch," Annie said. He glanced over his shoulder.

"Hm?" Jim asked. The girl lifted her head.

"A hatch. There was a hatch in my backyard," she said. "I went down it to see what was down here." Jim frowned to himself. He cursed under his breath. Of course someone be careless to not hide the hatch.

"Where did you come from, Annie?" Jim asked.

"Golden Leaf," she said. Something clicked in his savior's head.

"Golden Leaf. Golden Leaf. Golden Leaf," he said to himself. That island sounded familiar.

"I think I know where that is," he said. "Stay with me and don't fall asleep."

"Okay," Annie said breathlessly. Jim adjusted the breathing device in her mouth and held her tighter to his back. He held his delivery bag by his side. If he was correct, they should be back in Golden Leaf in under forty minutes. Jim looked over his shoulder.

"You okay back there?" he asked.

"Yeah," Annie managed to say a little bit louder.

"I'm going to keep talking to you to keep you awake, okay?" he asked.

"Okay..." she said, trying her best to fight off sleep. Jim sighed and shook his head.

"Right..." he said. He sighed and carried on with hiswalk down the fastest path down to Golden Leaf. This was supposed to be an easyjob tonight. So much for that hope.