Page 71 of Shattered

“Captain Banks,” one of the officers shouted. “Over here.”

Rushing toward his voice, I skidded to a stop and looked at the spot on the ground where his flashlight pointed. Mounds of freshly disturbed earth piled up in an area so large it was meant to cover something.

Or someone.

21FIGHT

Jade

The air was so thick it was like trying to breathe through concrete.

Stay awake, Jade.

Fight.

I kept hearing Koen’s voice in my head, begging me to hold on.

But I was so tired.

22THIRTY SECONDS

Koen

“Fuck, no!”

I dropped to my knees, clawing my way through the dirt and debris, desperation controlling my every movement.

“Find shovels,” Riley yelled, dropping down next to me. “Anything we can use to dig.”

Buried.

Motherfuckers.

We knew she’d been alive when they put her in the ground, but it was the unknown that was destroying me. Shattering me. How long had she been there and how much oxygen did she have left? There was no giving up though. I’d never give up.

“What’s going on? Did you find her?”

Dammit. Jett.

He shouldn’t hear any of this, but I couldn’t stop digging. I had to get to her.

“Cut the comms, NOW,” my brother ordered. The last thing I heard before the earpiece went silent was Jett’s anguished cry.

Six othersjoined us on the ground, digging for all they were worth, while four more scattered, returning moments later with two shovels and a few large pieces of plywood. We worked at breakneck speed to clear the dirt, but it wasn’t quick enough.

“Faster,” I shouted.

Fight, Angel. We’re almost there.

The ground ran red as my blood mixed with the soil, caused by bits and pieces of rocks and sticks cutting into my hands. The only pain I felt was the fist of fear as it wrapped around my heart.

A loud thunk penetrated the air.

“Wait! Give me that.” I snatched the shovel from the officer's hands and slammed it back down into the earth. My swing was stopped by an immovable force and another hollow thunk.

“Jade!” I yelled, hoping to hear her sweet voice in return, but I was met with silence.

Together, my brother and I quickly cleared the surface of whatever I’d hit, which turned out to be a small wooden crate; some kind of shipping container. It took both of us, working on opposite ends, to pry the lid off the top with the tip of the shovels. When it finally came unhinged and flew off the top…I stumbled.

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