𝐃𝐚𝐰𝐬𝐨𝐧|𝟑| [𝟏𝟖+] ✔

Chapter 13

THEO

GRAPHIC WARNING

"Come on, Theo. Breathe!"

"Please..." I can hear an echoed voice, frantic. "...open your eyes."

I feel my hand move first, then my elbow jerks off the ground involuntarily.

"Theo?" A soft hand is on my face, cupping my cheek, another pushing against my sore neck. "Good, you have a pulse. Can you wake up now, please?"

Cara.

When my eyes slowly open, a horrible feeling hits my chest and I throw myself up, choking for a deep, fresh, inhalation of air. I don't even care that my head falls on her shoulder while she rubbed my back, coughing up phlegm or whatever the fuck it is falling from my mouth.

I'm on grass, not the dirt I thought I'd be dying on. Apparent drag marks trail in front of us. Even through my shitty vision, I can see Thomas battling it out with my dad and another guard, aimlessly throwing his fists around.

I need to help him.

A dry heave has me closing my eyes, trying to concentrate.

"Just breathe," she muttered, repeatedly. With her hand circling my back, she doesn't take her focus off me.

"I need to get you out of here, Theo. Can you walk?" She said, hurriedly, standing and tried to pull me up by my elbow. "Put your arm over me."

I didn't have much choice, nor did I try to fight her off when my body fell against hers, feet skidding across the dirt while I tried to keep my balance, Cara holding me up. "We need to help Thomas," I said huskily, the scratching in my throat has me coughing up again.

I completely lose my footing and fall to the ground, taking Cara with me so she falls on top. She pushes off me, looking around our surroundings, everything is blurry for me. "The tunnel is down those steps, come on." She pulls me up again, her hand holding my side and the other holding my chest up. "I still have the bag. Thomas will catch up."

"No," I refuse, trying to clear my rough throat. "I'm not leaving him."

"Theo, no offence, but you can't even walk and I'm barely any help physically. But if I can at least get you safe then I will. Thomas looks like he's kicking your dad's ass anyway."

I hope she isn't just trying to make me feel better, but I can barely see her face never mind Thomas.

I'm weak, so drained that I could pass out at any moment again. I won't leave without Thomas and I'll tackle her if she makes me.

Everything hurts, every step I take I feel it vibrating through me, my head rattling.

It also hurts when Cara accidentally drops me down the steps, crashing down in a rolling manner. My head blasting off the railing a few times on the way, landing at the bottom on my back, winded again. "Shit!" She yelled, my blurred doubled vision seeing her taking two steps at a time. "I'm sorry, you're heavy."

"No shit," I croak, taking her hand to get me on to my knees, her two hands under my arms to get me to my feet again.

I'm not taking another step until Thomas is with us, alive preferably. "Wait," I fall to a wooden crate, staring up at the steep metal steps, seeing nothing but glaring white lights from the sun. "We wait for Thomas."

She looks from me to the tunnel behind us, then up to the sun. "I'm going to check if I can see him."

I nod, still taking deep breaths, lying back on the crate to stare at the smooth grey roof of the tunnel. Each time I take a deep breath through my nose, it stings with the rancid stench of shite and piss from the sewage water.