Page 9 of Shattered Love

“Why would you say that?” Aiden asked, his eyes watering along with mine.

“All the pain, all the struggle. What’s the point, Aiden? We know what’s coming. And we know we aren’t going to survive it.”

I mean, how would we? All we know was that a meteorite was going to hit the Earth and most likely wipe out all life that wasn’t encapsulated in those bunkers. What were we trying to survive for? For a few more months of something that wasn’t even similar to a life?

“We don’t know that this is the end, Lessy,” Aiden began. Reaching out with his hand, he gripped mine in his own. “And even if it is, wouldn’t you take one more day with Mom, Dad, or Alex?”

Tears slid down my cheeks, the salty taste hitting my lips. Nodding, I agreed with his statement. Screw one more day, I’d taken even one more minute. And with those words, I knew where Aiden was going.

“If we only have a few more months, I’m going to survive them for you. And I need you to survive them for me. Because I don’t think anyone deserves to leave this world alone.”

Both our faces were streaked with wetness, my heart aching for how much we had lost. But we still had each other. Holding tightly onto Aiden’s hand, I rolled onto my back, catching sight of Rainer out of my peripheral.

He stood still as a statue against one of the walls. I wondered if he had heard any of what we said, but I didn’t have to guess when I spotted his eyes trained on me. There was no pity in his gaze, I would never expect that from him. But there was an understanding, sympathy for the situation we were all desperately treading through.

Refusing to let go of Aiden’s hand, I let my eyes close, knowing I was safe under Rainer’s watchful gaze.

Chapter Five

“Alessia, you need to wake up.” A firm hand shook my shoulder.

I tried to peel my eyes open, the voice hurried, but they were laden down with weight. As I came to, I assessed my body, a shiver wracking through me. Clenching my teeth, I tried to sit up, but I barely moved.

The same hand from before touched my forehead, a curse spilling from his mouth. “Fuck, Rainer, we have a problem,” the voice said, who I now recognized as Aiden.

Even in my dazed state, I knew what this was. The infection had spread and a fever had taken me. And if my struggle was anything to go by, it had come on fast and strong.

“Make that two problems,” Rainer said from faraway, his voice barely more than a whisper.

Aiden’s comforting hand left my head and I heard the crunch of broken glass under his feet as he presumably went to Rainer. I was too far away and they were too quiet for me to hear anything.

Frustrated with being in the dark, literally and figuratively, I finally managed to peek through my lids, the motion similar to sandpaper against skin. Blinking rapidly, I sat up in the booth, my head dizzy.

Black spots dotted my vision and when they cleared, the bright sun stunned me, my eyes closing once more. Tilting my head to the side to not be bombarded by the light, I fully opened my eyes.

Rainer and Aiden stood across the room, hunched behind a flipped over table. Their eyes were trained out the windows and I followed the direction with my own. It could have been the fever, but I knew as my stomach roiled, it had everything to do with the three uniformed figures traipsing outside.

They were across the street, their steps languid as they peeked into empty buildings. Through the cracked windows and smashed door, I could hear their jovial laughter and my stomach clenched even tighter.

Unable to hold it back, I bent over the booth, heaving quietly onto the floor. Twin footsteps rushed over to me and then Aiden’s hand was back on my head, feeling the heat underneath.

“We’ve got to move before they decide to check this side of the street,” Rainer said, glancing behind him.

When he turned toward me, the worry in his gaze was prominent. I didn’t need a mirror to know how I looked. I had seen the effects of fever far too often. Sallow skin, sunken cheeks, a sweat dotted brow.

The wheels turned in Rainer’s head as he struggled to come up with a plan to get us all safely out of here. Obviously, we couldn’t walk out the front doors, right into the path of the guards. And due to the sun that told me it was midday, there were no shadows for us to sneak within.

Nodding his head once, Rainer pulled the gun from his waistband. “You know how to use one of these?” He looked toward Aiden, whose face looked as ashen as mine.

“Not as well as you can, I’m guessing.”

“Grab your sister. There was a back entrance through the kitchen.” Rainer waited for Aiden to scoop me into his arms, and then the two men walked silently through the restaurant and out the kitchen door.

The crutches were left behind, but I knew it didn’t matter. If we managed to escape the town unnoticed, and I didn’t succumb to this fever, I’d ask Warner to make me another set.

As we moved stealthily among the buildings, I turned my head into Aiden’s shirt, the sun causing my head to throb. Rainer stood at our back as we moved forward, alert to any oncoming threats.

We had only walked for several minutes when Rainer cursed softly under his breath. There was no fear in his voice, only anger. “Hide her. Now.”

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