016 The Awakening [ On Hold ]

Chapter 10 | Robert's Womanly Fingers

My back arches up as soon as my eyes open. Water that's lodged inside my throat I start to cough up. My chest burns, but after I finally stop coughing the pain starts to fade.
I look up, but everything's blurry. My body was drenched, and sand was clinging to my clothes.
There was a body sized line through the sand, coming up from the water meeting at my feet.
Somebody must have dragged me out.
When my eyes start getting clearer I find it odd that there aren't any footprints around me. No sign of anybody else being there except for me.
It was light outside, the night had finally past. Had I really spent the entire night on the shore?
My body was all in one piece, so that was good.

I hear a voice behind me in the distance. "Sub, is that you?" A familiar sweet tone asks.

"Don't yell," a gravely voice says. "Unless you want to be eaten by a hippo," The voice definitely belonged to Robert.

"Mia?" I question.

I can see her in the distance, marching towards me. I stand up and squint my eyes that are still trying to adjust to the world around me.

A body slams into mine, almost knocking me over. I didn't get to see their face, but the sandy blonde hair gave it away. Confused in what to do with my arms I awkwardly return her hug.
Somehow it felt...right.

"Your alive!" Mia yells. She releases from the hug and I can see her big white pearly smile. Her face was covered with dirt and bruises. "How did you get out of the water?" She asks. "I'm surprised the mermaids didn't kill you."

I raise an eyebrow. "Mermaids?" I laugh, "I don't recall seeing any mermaids."

She looks back at the water, examining the surface.
"Wait were you serious?" I ask, astonished.

"Yes, but don't get your hopes up. Their viscous pests."

Robert nudges my arm and even he's smiling. He was dirtied and bruised just like Mia. "Glad you didn't get yourself killed Frankenstein."

I look around in hopes that Eddie would have reunited with them, but still, no Eddie. I refuse to give up hope that he's still alive. He has to be alive. He has to.

"I know how to get to the closest Unit Lift from here," Robert says while popping his knuckles.

I felt relieved to know that we had a chance of getting out of here alive. "Why didn't you warn me how dangerous this trip would be? I thought it was just a pretty walk through the woods."

Robert breaks into a slight grin and scratches his head. "Did I forget to mention you could potentially die?"

I nod frantically. "Uh, yeah!"

Robert smiles even bigger and Mia glares at him, despising his pleasure in messing with my head. "By the way Sub, this mission could potentially get you killed. There. I said it."

Mia looks behind us cautiously. "We better get going, I don't want that gator to catch up with us."

It was amazing that I managed to survive all of yesterday laying unconsciously on the beach. I didn't get stomped by a Rhinoceros or killed by a mermaid. It was almost like I had a guardian angel watching over me. Everything in this world is so strange. Were the criminals in Unit 2 really so dangerous to have such elaborate and gruesome protectors? Or was there another reason it was this guarded?

We walk along the lake, trying to get to the other side. Glancing into the water I see a flicker of movement and then the water ripples.

"Stay as far away from the edge as you can, I wouldn't want you to get dragged in."

Mia pulls me towards her, away from the water.
I remembered my glowing veins and debated wether or not I should tell Mia.