PANIC ROOM • KENJI KON

LVI. I'll Do Whatever It Takes

Yasmina picked up multiple mini bottles sitting on a table, muttering, "It's not here. It's not here." She slammed her fists against the table, scaring Eva. "It has to be here!"

She knocked over a white board, pushed an equipment piece away from her, threw a dozen loose papers into the air.

Eva slowly approached her, "Hey. Talk to me, Yasmina. Talk to me."

"I told her we weren't friends, and now she might die knowing that's the last thing I said to her..."

Eva nodded, pulling the athlete into a hug. "Come here. Shh, shh, shh. We are going to get the antidote, and get it to Sammy in time. I promise you. I'll do whatever it takes."

"Then where is it?" she cried, rubbing at her eyes.

"It has to be here," Eva assured. "Let's just take a deep breath, and then find it. Yeah?"

Yasmina nodded.

Eva and Yaz each took a deep breath, then went back to searching for the antidote.

A moment later, Yasmina gasped, showing off the antidote.

"Let's go."

~~~

They reached the raptor pen, only to stop at the sound of the Scorpios Rex snarling nearby. They turned, looking around in every direction, only for Eva to finally spot the beast eating a parasaurolophus behind them.

Eva softly tapped Yaz, motioning towards the hybrid dinosaur, that had yet to notice them.

Suddenly, the Scorpios Rex looked up, eyes caught on the two teenagers, and roared.

Eva scrunched her eyes shut, palms against her ears to block out the loud noise. Yaz dropped the antidote in an attempt to cover her own ears as well.

The Scorpios moved slowly, claws digging into the parsaurolophus, inching closer to the two girls.

"You need to get that to Sammy," Eva whispered. "I'm gonna distract it."

"What?" Yaz whispered back, "Are you—"

Eva slid her pointer and middle fingers into her mouth, and whistled as loud as she could. Yaz gasped, while the Scorpios trained its attention on her.

Okay, so I'm really going through with this...

Eva took off in a start, running in the opposite direction of camp.

She could hear the Scorpios on her tail the second she bolted, it's heavy footfalls chasing her down.

~~~

"Come on, Yaz."

The antidote case clutched tightly in her hands, Yaz took a step. And then another. A third. Her foot caught on a root, and she tumbled to the ground.

"Go, Yaz!" Sammy shouted.

"You brats!" Tiff snapped, wrestling with Sammy.

"Go!"

Yaz stood to her feet, took a step, and collapsed again. Panting, she pushed onto the balls of her feet again. Enduring her weak ankle, she stumbled closer and closer to Camp Cretaceous.

"I'm gonna distract it."

I'm gonna distract it.

Yaz leaned against a tree for support.

Sammy brought Yaz into a hug.

She pushed off again.

"Come here. Shh, shh, shh." Eva brought Yaz into a hug, letting the brunette's chin rest on her shoulder.

She panted, her ankle causing her to wobble forward. To limp.

"I've been trying to find a good time to tell you this... You're my best friend, Yaz, in the whole world. And I'm really glad we got to know each other."

Finally, Yaz spotted the bridge leading over the creek next to Camp Cretaceous. Finally, she spotted Sammy, Kenji and Brooklynn.

"I'm here, Sammy. I'm here." Yaz shoved the case in Brooklynn's hands. "Everything's going to be okay..."

Brooklynn drew the red liquid into the syringe, then picked up Sammy's arm. It was difficult finding a vein, but Brooklynn was too scared to give up. Straining her eyes, she found the inkling of a blue vein, and pushed the needle into Sammy's skin.

"Where's Angel?"

No one answered.

"Yaz, where is she?"

Yaz held Sammy's hand tighter, begging her to wake up.

"We got back as soon as we..." Ben faltered as he ran through the gate, and he approached Sammy slowly with Darius by his side.

"Is she...?"

"Come on," Yaz's voice cracked in a sob. "Come on, come on, come on, come on..." She pulled Sammy's hand to her forehead as tears slowly trickled down her cheeks. "Please. Please. Please, wake up. You have to. You're the best friend I've ever had. Forget what I said. We'll always be friends, no matter how far apart we are. It might not be easy, or perfect, but..." Her eyesight blurred with fresh unfallen tears. "Please wake up..."

Ben stepped away. Brooklynn and Darius hugged one another, and Kenji was on the brink of a mental breakdown.

Sammy wasn't going to wake up, and Yaz still hasn't answered him about Eva's whereabouts. Was she dead? Did he lose her before ever really having her?

Sammy hacked and coughed, struggling to breathe.

Everyone gasped, in immediate relief.

"Hey, Yaz."

"Hey, Sammy."

"How you feeling?"

"Like I got punched in the stomach by a porcupine. So, you know, better."

"Sammy, I am so happy you're alive and okay," Kenji preached. "But where the fuck is Evangeline?"

Yaz opened her mouth, but quickly closed it again. She brushed away tears.

"Where's Eva, Yaz?" Darius echoed.

"She sacrificed herself for Sammy... Told me to get the antidote back, no matter what. She led the Scorpios away from Camp. She..."

"No, no, no, no, no!"

Brooklynn tried to lay a hand on Kenji's shoulder, but he shook her off.

"Why didn't you stop her?!"

"I didn't have a choice! She whistled, then bolted in the opposite direction! The Scorpios ran after her, it— it gave me the path open to get here."

"What is wrong with you?!"

"Kenji!" Darius warned. "Eva's smart, and she's fast. For all we know, she's waiting at the boat for us already."

Kenji raked his fingers through his hair. He muttered, "This can't be happening. This can't be happening..."

"If anything..." Sammy spoke up. "She has... plot armor."

"What the fuck does that mean?!"

"She's gonna be fine, Kenji," Brooklynn said.

Darius sighed. "Let's get to the boat while there's a break in the storm."

"What about the Scorpios Rex?"

"What about Angel?!"

"We have to risk it..." Darius picked up a stray bag, and quickly stuffed a can of pineapple back inside. "We might not get another chance."

------

do I feel evil leaving you guys on a cliff hanger?

yes.

are you getting a special third chapter?

nope!

hope you enjoyed!! don't forget to vote and comment <3 

- atha