Casted

Chapter 16

I tried to, really I did, but his image kept jumping around and going all fuzzy. And it didn't help that there were three of him. I didn't know which Ben to look at. My brain felt like mush. I couldn't think straight. And I just felt so tired, like I could just close my eyes for a minute and rest and then maybe everything would be okay. My eyelids threatened to slide closed.

"No, no, no!" Ben said quickly. A tiny bit of the panic he was trying to hide seeped into his voice. "No, don't close your eyes. I know you want to close your eyes, Harper, but you have to keep'em open okay? You have to stay awake. Just for a little while longer, and then you'll be fine." He increased the pressure on my stab wound. I barely felt it. The sky behind him began to lighten, but I couldn't see the colors because there was so much blood in my eye. Ben saw me looking at the sky and seemed to understand. He wiped most of the blood away, and the rest I managed to blink out.

"Look at the sunrise," he went on, softer now. "If you can stay awake while the sun rises, we'll be okay... just a few more seconds." My eyes drooped again. He gave me a gentle shake, the desperation plain of his face. "Just hang on, Harp. Please, hang on."

The midnight blue of the sky faded away. Streaks of wispy clouds became visible, floating though an ocean of indigo. Cotton candy pink and soft yellow hues filled the air, presumably from the sun rising in the east (which I couldn't see because it was behind my head). I sure felt it though. The cold of the winter night seemed to burn off like fog as the sun shed warm rays over us. The ice that I was laying on lit up like gold. I blinked a few times, repeating in my head 'stay awake, stay awake, stay awake'.

Just when I thought I could hang on, just when I began to have hope that I wouldn't die, there was a blinding flash of green light. A sound like a canon hit my eardrums. Then it all went white.

Seconds ticked by. I waited. Then I started to panic. Did I just... die? I put a hand on my chest, feeling for my heartbeat. I almost sighed when I felt the familiar lub-dub.

The air- which was thick and white- started to clear. The mist that was blinding me rolled away. I blinked quickly, thinking maybe that would speed up the process. It didn't, but soon enough I was staring up at the slightly familiar face of a woman in a lab coat. She wore that same silly smile, and the same tight ponytail. She started pulling the electrodes off of my skin, but I sat up so abruptly that they all fell off. My heartrate picked up dramatically as I whipped my head around. Halogen lights hung all over the room, a big screen was perched on one wall. Empty, bloodstained dentist chairs were lined up like soldiers, reminding me once again of the people who once sat in them. I'm back, I thought. I didn't die. I completed the Task.

I looked to my left. Chris was climbing out of a chair at the end, eyes wide with shock. My heart soared. He made it out. I whipped my head to the right. Ben was just sitting up, looking almost delusional with fear. He ripped his electrodes off and locked eyes with me.

I don't remember standing or walking, but somehow I was suddenly on my feet, wrapped in Ben and Chris's arms. We all squeezed each other so hard, I don't think anyone could breathe. But no one cared either. "We made it," I whispered into whoever's shoulder I was pressed against. "We actually made it."

Chris answered, his voice barely louder than a breath. "Yeah. We actually did."

I couldn't let go. I was afraid to let go. Partly because it felt so good to be safe in someone's arms again, and partly because I thought I might faint if I tried to stand on my own. Neither of them seemed to want to let go either. So we didn't, not for a good long time. But then cruel hands grabbed us and tore us apart.

My first reaction was to struggle. Day after day of fighting for your life will give you a little PTSD. But a strong voice ordered, "Quit squirming," and I realized it was a Stormer. Another pair took Chris and Ben by the arms, jerking them away from me.