90 DEADLY DAYS (WEEKLY UPDATES RETURNING THIS DECEMBER)

Chapter 19

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Chapter 19

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All an illusion.

Every truth I grasp crumbles like sand between my fingers. There's nothing to hold on to anymore. I'll keep discovering Xaro's lies until they're done with me.

Until I'm a not even a memory.

Butcher stalks off the ledge back into the jungle, not sparing a glance back. A pain spikes in my chest and my breaths quicken. The electric current won't hold me forever. Eventually I'll fall. The torture is waiting for that moment—waiting for the snap of the receding electricity, the force of gravity dragging me down, and the swoop of my stomach into the back of my throat.

Death whispers at the back of my neck. The worst thing is, its arrival is uncertain. Will it arrive in days? Seconds?

Iciness whooshes in my veins.

"Please—fate or God—I'm not sure. Please, let me live. I'm not ready to die."

Nothing.

A lonely cry, half a wail, half a scream of desperation, falls from my lips.

Nothing still.

Clack!

My eyes bulge as the whirring electricity halts, sucking itself into the surrounding cliff faces. For a millisecond I float, perhaps even fly, and then earth snatches me back, pulling me to ground resembling jagged knives.

I holler, but the passing wind current steals the sound, leaving only the billowing of wind in my ears. Fumbling with the air passing through my fingers, I rapidly plunge. A warning bird caw echoes through the canyon.

This is the end.

The crack of bones hitting the ground crescendos in my head. The hot, sinister pain following it reminds me I have. My back arches as my lips let loose an agonized scream. The scent of metal surrounds me and sticky liquid exudes from the back of my head. The smell of iron strengthens as my vision blurs. Blackness tainted by white flashes closes in. I willingly enter it, only because the pain is lesser there.

You can forget there, if only for a short while.

The darkness deepens.

One...

Two...

Three...

"How did he know my name?"

Will I ever know...?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Each time I wrestle myself from the darkness, I find myself still planted on the canyon floor. Sometimes the sun scorches my face, or ghostly moonlight wafts over boulders. I try to stay in that place of living, but, somehow, I'm pulled back.

This time, I open my eyes to vultures. A flock surrounds me, eyeing me carefully. Mouths open, two cautiously approach.

"No! Go away."

My whisper accomplishes nothing.

"Go!"

Slowly, I lift my hand and swat. The action brings an instant headache. I moan, wanting to cry. Blistering pain bubbles at the nape of my neck.

"I...I..."

My limbs feel swollen.

"Xaro... I surrender."

The vultures laugh and take flight. A few reluctant ones scatter back, hesitant to relinquish their feast. In the distance comes the crunch of shoes on crumbled rocks. The reluctant bunch of vultures must hear the sound too because within seconds they disappear to the skies.

Xaro's come to collect me.

Crumbled bits of boulder soon kick at my face and a shadow shields my eyes from the sun. I try to focus on the blurry figure above me, squinting hard.

"Who are you?"

"Does it matter?"

The back of my throat burns from dryness.

"Please help me." My face becomes sticky wet and my lips tremble. "Don't leave."

"I'm not sure there's much I can do."

"Don't let me die."

A hand brushes black coils away from my eyes.

"Can you stand?"

I shift. My breath hitches.

"You've got to try."

Gripping the extended arm, I lift my back out of sandy rocks. Limbs quake and my teeth chatter through the agony. My face grows wetter. Another arm hefts me onto my feet. I grasp it wildly, swooning like a pendulum.

Suddenly, there's an audible crunch. The movement of a rib causes a wild scream to escape.

"God help me!" I dig my nails into soft flesh.

They curse.

Together, we hobble out of sunlight to an opening in the side of the canyon. Inside lies gloomy shade. That's where my rescuer finally lets me rest. I lean against the cold stone, struggling to stay coherent.

"The bleeding, in my head. I can't think."

"It's not that, you need water. You're seriously dehydrated. And food. How long have you gone without it?"

"I don't know. Before I fell, about three days."

They shove a cold flask into my hands.

"Take a small sip every few minutes." My stomach crunches into a ball.

"You're leaving me."

"I'm sorry, it's just... I can't risk it."

My heartbeat roars.

"No! I can't, I can't help myself. I'm going to die alone." I squint harder hoping to see their face, some hint of humanity.

Their voice mixes with panic.

"Listen, the Purification is nearing. This zone is the first to go into that hell. I can't be here, and you'll...you'll..."

"I can make it." I grasp their hand, panic likely making my grip unbearable. "I swear."

They rip themselves free.

"Here!" Food falls in my lap. "This is all I can do."

"No! No, please!"

"My best advice is in two days, if you can, run. Run like hell is after you."

"I can't move!"

"If I found you about two days ago, I swear I'd have done something."

I can barely see for all the tears pooling in my eyes, falling, crashing onto stone.

"Please, I'll do anything."

"I'm sorry." The solid voice cracks. "I really am."

Feet hit the ground running. Soon, I'm alone.

Hell swarms at my heels.

Hey guys! I'm hoping to update this bad boy again this Monday. So stick around!

Thanks for reading!!

(Note: if the writing style is different, I have picked up a couple of writing tips that I'm trying to use in my writing now. I hope it's not too different.)

Sonny Mae.