Apex

Chapter 16

*NOTE: Hey guys! Sorry about the late update. This semester of university is no joke. I've been writing in between studying and classes. I'll try to post more consistently and wish the best for my fellow students out there. Thanks for your patience! Also, shoutout to Coffeh04 for your kind words! Thank you so much! It means a lot to me. And Lastly, 1.7K READS LET'S GOOO! Enjoy the chapter!*

•Kriss•

"They haven't exterminated us. Some people are still out there fighting this war," The man in the doorway said with his arms crossed. His shirt was stained with sweat and his hair was thick and wavy and stuck up in places, untamed. He was lean, not as big as Asher, but definitely still a threat.

I vaguely remember seeing him before. I was outside the jungle, in the tall grasses. Hunger pains had claimed my stomach, and my throat had been burning with thirst. I saw his face above me as my consciousness slowly faded away. I'd been terrified of this human. My plan had been to find other people, I didn't expect others to find me, especially not in the helpless state I'd been in.

"You brought me here," I croaked the statement. He grinned at this.

"Guilty," he said. He gave me as small wave. "I'm Paxton and you're welcome." I blinked at him.

"What are you all doing here? How did they not find you?" I focused back on Asher. He was crouched next to me, his hands now on my shoulders. "Why were you in the forest?"

"We were looking for people," he started with uncertainty. His eyes flicked between mine as he searched for a reaction. "They were captured; put in cages and carried out of the city by the Syes...have you seen..."

His voice faded out as images flashed through my brain unannounced.

A parking lot. A store. People in shock. People crying. The legs of a giant crashing down before us. The view of the ground, far below us as the monster carried us to our doom.

Heat surged through me so quickly my head spun. My stomach churned. The air became thick, too thick for me to breathe. I gasped, trying to take in oxygen that wasn't there.

"Kriss?" Someone's voice broke through the pounding in my ears. I blinked up at Asher. He was frowning, his brow furrowed at whatever expression I was wearing. "Kriss, what's wrong?" His voice was muffled, and the room was spinning behind him.

I swayed where I was sitting. My body was heavy. Not able to fight it, I slumped forward. Asher caught me before my head could hit his collar bone. He let out a curse. I could barely keep my heavy eyelids from closing. The other man...Patton?...stepped in the room. He kneeled next to me and Asher. I felt a cool hand on my forehead.

"Did you give her fluids," The man demanded.

"We tried," a female voice said, the one who'd punched me. I'd forgotten she was still in the room. "There was only so much we could do with her unconscious."

"It might be dehydration and stress. I don't know how long she was laying out there in the sun by herself. We don't even know the last time she ate something substantial."

"Kriss," Asher his voice was deep and soothing from where my head rested on his chest. I closed my eyes, slowly giving in to the overwhelming urge to sleep.

He pushed me off of him. My eyes cracked open. He held me at arm's length. I still couldn't keep my head from lolling to the side as it took far too much effort to hold it up.