The ocean churned with immense power. Somehow, it looked even more menacing than when we had first arrived. All I could see was boundless ink-black water slapping the side of the ship.
A fitting image of our future.
People ran around like headless chickens, shouting and signaling over a symphony of screeching alarms. A column of smoke, as tall as a three-story building, swallowed everything on its way to our immediate left. The fume of burning rubber and gasoline seeped into the helicopter, choking us. Another explosion rocked the ship, along with our tiny aircraft. I fell forward, but my dad caught my elbow.
Be careful, Dad would say that with his raised eyebrows if he wasn't so out of it. His mouth slacked, and he struggled to keep his eyes open. I just hoped the painkiller would last the entire trip for him.
In the cockpit, my brother screamed through the noises, raising his thumbs at Robert. "Your concoction really worked!"
The guy looked up from the control panel and smirked, but his smirk stopped abruptly.
"Freeze!"
"Freeze!"
"Put your hands up!"
A group of soldiers ran toward us with their guns drawn, shouting over one another. I clutched my clammy hand and looked at Robert who continued to pull the throttle. The helicopter lifted off at a snail's pace.
And I heard it.
A thunderous bang followed by many. I had thought Castillon would go easy on us because of Robert, but my guess was dead wrong. It was naïve to think that way, I realized. Since Castillon couldn't hold us hostage, the logical solution for him would be to get rid of us.
"Go! Go! Go now, Robert! If you want us to live!" Somewhere, Vince was yelling at the top of his lungs.
My vision blurred. My fingers were covered in a warm, sticky substance. I held them up close to my face.
Red.
Nauseous waves took over my senses. Next to me, my dad mumbled something as if he was trying to wrap his head around the situation. My eyes rolled up to the headlining.
"Lou!
"Oh my god, Lou..."
"Hey! Hey!"
"Stay with us!"
"Lou!"
...
I heard my name in several voices, muffled as if my head was shoved underwater. I wanted to answer them, but my lips were numb. They felt like two slabs of useless concrete. Air escaped my lungs. My neck burned as if someone had splashed hot oil all over it.
"Here, Lou, press on." My dad's face emerged from the haze, ten times the normal size. "You'll be fine, Lou. I promise. You'll be fine..."
He chanted over and over while pressing a piece of fabric on my neck, but no matter how hard he tried, warmth continued to pour out of me like water. There was no stopping it.
So this was it. The end.