I awoke with a start, my eyes shooting open, but I immediately squeezed them shut against the harsh intrusion of sunlight. Am I dead? The question fluttered through my mind as I took stock of my body. I was lying down, my head propped on something soft. I clenched my fist, feeling the hard pavement beneath my hand. So, I survived. I love it when I do that!
As I relived the memory of my last moments, I felt something wet drip onto my face. Cautiously, I opened my eyes a fraction. My hand held over my eyes to block the sun. Red and Black dried blood startled me for a moment. Thatâs a lot blood, how DID I survive? I looked up, and another wet drop fell on my face.
As my vision adjusted to the light, I was met with a heart-wrenching sight. Kira was sitting beside me, my head cradled in her lap. Tears fell silently from her closed eyes, tracing paths down her dust touched cheeks. I reached up, my fingers trembling as I wiped away a tear.
At my touch, Kira gasped, her eyes flying open wide in disbelief. âElias?â she whispered, her voice trembling.
âHey, partner,â I replied, my smile breaking through the haze of confusion.
In an instant, she pulled me into her chest, enveloping me in a warm hug as she sobbed. âI thoughtâ¦â she choked out, her words tangled in tears.
âCareful, my wounââ I started to warn, instinctively reaching for the wound in my side. To my astonishment, where I expected to find a gaping gash, my fingers met only the softness of tattered cloth and smooth skin. I felt along my side in disbelief, finding nothing, literally no sign of the deep, jagged wounds the lizard had inflicted. Just my skin, unmarred and unblemished beneath the dried blood. What the actualâ¦
Support creative writers by reading their stories on Royal Road, not stolen versions.
âKira,â I mumbled through the fabric of her shirt âI think Iâm okay.â
Slowly, she loosened her grip, allowing me to prop myself up. She rubbed the remnants of her tears from her eyes, a fragile smile breaking across her face. With a mix of curiosity and disbelief, I lifted my shirt, wiping away the dried blood that had crusted my skin. Smooth flesh greeted my touch, free from the pain I had felt moments ago.
Kira mirrored my movements, both of us in a trance as we traced where the claws had ravaged my side.
Kiraâs touch sent a spark of electricity through my skin as she searched for any hidden wound. I found myself lost in her eyes, captivated by the depth of emotion swirling within them, until an unexpected slap jolted me back to reality, stinging in stark clarity. Yup, definitely alive. I rubbed my cheek instinctively.
âDonât ever do that to me again!â she exclaimed, furiously wiping the last traces of her tears from her cheeks.
Before I could muster an apology, a shout echoed from the ambulance, followed by the sound of a loud gunshot cutting through the air like a knife. Instinct took over as we both began to run toward the sound. What nowâ¦