What if We Don't Die?

Chapter 8

Lexie started to panic and tears flowed down her face as she felt every sob painfully in her chest. The bittersweet taste of blood rose up her throat and filled her mouth, leaving no room for clean air to get into her lungs. She coughed, spitting the red liquid out to the side since she was trapped lying on her back and would choke on it otherwise. Her chest tightened with every hitched breath, and she knew the reason for that. She had a hemothorax. And judging by the amount of pain she was in and the huge metal piece on top of her, she figured it was a massive one.

The doctor in her couldn't help but calculate her chances of surviving this. Her collapsed lung alone would kill her soon if she didn't get medical attention. But they were far away from any hospital, deep in some woods between Boise and Seattle where no search team could find them soon enough to get her the help she needed. And she wasn't even sure if any of the others were still alive so she couldn't count on them to come up with something. She was doomed.

Tears welled up in her eyes and she started to freak out again. She was going to die. All alone, trapped under a damn plane. But as her breathing got faster, she stopped herself from hyperventilating, the pain being too unbearable. She gasped for air which was even more hurtful.

She forced herself to take a couple calm breaths, even if they were painful. She let a few single tears roll down her cheeks without giving into the helplessness she was feeling. She at least had to try to keep it together, no matter how hopeless the situation seemed.

She looked around to see if there was anything she could use to call out for help, in case anyone else was alive. But then a weird smell got caught in her nose. It smelled slightly burned. The plane had been burning and there were most likely still some parts that were smoking so it was no surprise to her. But the smell was mixed with a sense of something else, something she had smelled before.

It took a moment before she figured it out, probably because she didn't want to know. It was burned flesh. Maybe hers, maybe not hers. She wasn't sure what state her legs or left arm were in, so for all she knew they could be in a horrifying shape. She had to choke back her sobs again as she thought about the odor originating from her own destroyed body. If that was actually the case, then at least the blood loss would make her pass out before she'd suffocate from the injury to her lung. That would mean less pain.

Lexie's eyes ripped open and she woke with a gasp. It was just another dream. Another stupid, annoying, torturous dream. However the slight smell of something burned was still sneaking up her nose. She tried to shake it off and turned around to face the big window in the bedroom. The bright light of the sun shone through a crack in the curtains and directly into her eyes, making her squint them shut. Even though it had been like this for the past few weeks, it still felt strange to wake up in the daylight. She used to always have to get up at least at five a.m., when it was still pitch black outside.

She looked to her side and noticed the empty space beside her. Before she had time to think about where he was, Mark came through the door, balancing a tray with two plates and two cups in his hands. "Morning." he smiled, seeing her awake as he got back into bed next to her, almost dropping the tray.

She chuckled as she helped him set the tray down steadily and quickly spotted a stack of pancakes with loads of toppings. There was a big drizzle of both chocolate sauce and peanut butter, and they were decorated with a variety of berries. Next to the plate stood a cup of coffee with a huge amount of milk foam and a pinch of cinnamon on top, just the way she liked it.

She couldn't contain a big smile as she greeted him back, "Good morning." She felt as if she was in a luxury five-star hotel and not in their little apartment.

"I made breakfast." Mark said proudly, handing her the plate and cutlery. He grinned like an idiot at her.

"You made this? Since when have you known how to cook?" she chuckled, eyeing the food closely again. It looked perfect, like a chef cook had made it. And for all she knew, Mark had never bothered much to cook. He always ordered take out or went out to eat at some fancy place, because he didn't have much time to make a meal himself anyway. If anyone had ever used the oven in that apartment, it had been Lexie.