The Survivors

Chapter 43-The Return

Their horns blared and sirens wailed. It scared us because it was such a strange sound. I was already looking. Completely and utterly stunned. I just couldn't believe it. I thought it was a trick of the light or extra debris that randomly resurfaced. My heart lurched with hope before it shattered. If they would have come moments earlier, there would be three more survivors.

Fury builds up inside of me, blinding my eyes like the tears already there. I am somehow angry with the rescuers. They came too late. But I continued to cry, clutching Elliot close to me and unable to move. Mom shot to her feet knowing exactly what she should do. She runs out towards the shore, screaming and waving her hands in the air. She jumps up and down desperately letting her voice cut through the waves.

"They're here," Thalia gasps for breath, lifting her head wearily. Her eyes bloodshot and face tomato red. Ayden looks back as well, dumbstruck at first. Jenny is as well and continues to hold my arm and Sammy's. Then joy spreads across her grieved face and looks at me excitedly, "THEY CAME!" she celebrates with eyes lit up.

But I just stare at her, dazed and crushed. They should have come earlier.

Ayden bursts out laughing, exhausted and out-of-breath but he laughs through his tears. Thalia starts laughing too, sounding a bit traumatized as she holds Ayden's hand. Sammy scrambles to his feet and starts shouting as well, trying to get their attention. The fleet of small boats come closer flying the flags of the U. S Coast Guard with tiny people aboard.

The tiny boats start to speed up, shooting water behind them and creating white water. Their oars rising and falling creating waves to move faster.

"REMAIN CALM! WE ARE COMING!" a man's voice shouts through a megaphone.

The sound of another human's voice is shocking to me. The shock of seeing a boat, a fleet of little boats, it's strange. I haven't seen something normal in a week. But I'm still angry. They should have come earlier. In the corner of my eye, I see Ayden actually kiss Thalia on the lips, grinning as he does. Thalia is also smiling as tears slide down her face.

"We're saved!! Levi!! We're saved!" Jenny shrieks happily as she bounces around the beach. I didn't notice she left me.

"We survived a freaking plane crash!! I'm getting myself a lottery ticket after this," Ayden laughs as he pulls back from Thalia's lips. She smiles brightly at him, "Yeah!"

I continue to stare at the boats. Unmoving. Echoes of Shane's scream. Echoes of Teren's cries. After images of Seth's peaceful face. Oliver being torn apart. Bree being torn apart. Lukas's neck broken as he tried to save Sarah. Sarah's body already on the floor. Blood, the bodies we burned, the bodies we searched, the screaming of the plane-

My head suddenly is floating and my vision darkens for a second. I draw in a shaky breath as I fall back on the sand. My head hits the ground with a soft thud and my eyelids droop. I gasp shakily as my head begins to ache and my heart skips beats. Oh God, God no, please no. Everything is spinning. Memories of the week flash through my head causing more panic and shame. I should have tried harder to save them. I should have-

"LEVI!!" someone screams. I feel my body shaking as I stare up dazedly. The blue sky above my head with bits of the palm leaves from the treeline. Tears still dripping from my eyes. I taste my own sweat, though my mouth is completely parched. My body aches and I can feel my left shoulder sting. I see Jenny's face appear over mine filled with panic, "Levi!"

I hear shouting in the distance as my vision blurs and starts to darken. My throat swells and I break down into ragged sobs, shutting out everything around me. Please tell it isn't real! This can't be real! Don't let it be real! Let me be dead or something! Don't let this be real! It's all a dream that I had on the plane-, i-it's just an experiment and they're alive! I-It can't-!