Page 27 of Wreckage

She still hadn’t woken up. I knew that could mean some really bad things. That knowledge made my guts twist with worry. If we lost her…

I swallowed down those fears and looked at her. I felt her between us.

Her breaths were shallow, her body still, her skin too pale.

Troy was already awake beside me, his arms around her waist as gently as possible to keep warm just like I was doing, his face a mask of unreadable emotion.

But I knew better. I’d grown up with my older brother to know when his goofy, party-loving self wasn’t in his usual state of mind.

He was scared.

We both were.

“She should have woken up by now,” Troy murmured, his voice hoarse.

I swallowed hard. “She will. Right?” I was uncertain, the fear ebbing through my body.

He shot me a look, but I didn’t back down, desperate to hearhim tell me once more that everything would be OK. Like when we were kids, and I was little. I couldn’t count the number of times I’d fallen off my bike, and Troy would rescue me and bring me into the house, all while telling me I’d be OK, even if the tears were flowing and blood was dripping down my leg from the latest crash.

“She will,” he repeated, more forcefully this time.

I exhaled sharply but didn’t argue, my ribs still aching and my body stiff and tender. I was sure I had at least broken ribs. My wrist was killing me. My head hurt. Other things were probably broken, but I could only focus on so much at a time.

Troy reached out, fingers ghosting over Elena’s bruised face.

He wouldn’t acknowledge it, but I saw it.

I saw the way he held her hand last night. The way he wept for her. Cared for her. Held her. I’d heard him several times in the night whispering to her to hold on. He made the same promises to her that he made to me.It’ll be OK. Just hang on. I promise…

I saw the way his gaze lingered on her face longer than necessary. It made something tighten in my chest that I didn’t recognize because it was unfamiliar.

I shook the thought away and pushed myself upright, wincing as pain shot through my ribs.

“We need to figure out where we are,” I said. “Try to radio for help. See if anyone’s looking for us.”

Troy nodded, rubbing a hand over his face. “You think we have a signal out here?”

I reached for my pocket, pulling out my phone.

No service. Same as before.

I already knew he would say the same.

“Shit,” I grumbled, wincing as the cold bit at me. I’d only been here for two days, and I was already over this. Going home for the weekend didn’t seem so bad compared to the mess we were in now.

I scoffed at the thought.

Troy ran a hand through his hair, looking over at Elena.

“I’ll check the radios,” I muttered. “You stay with her.”

He nodded without hesitation.

I turned and made my way toward the shattered exit, stepping out into the blinding morning light.

The air outside was brutal, far worse than inside the cabin.

Sharp, freezing, unforgiving. It was as if God decided to stuff our asses in a deep freezer and walk out of the room.

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