Page 95 of Wreckage

She wasn’t going to last much longer.

None of us were.

Adrian sat on the floor, his back against the wall, silent, exhausted, defeated. I ran a hand down my face.

“We have two options.”

Adrian exhaled sharply, scrubbing his hand down his face.

“Don’t say it,” he muttered.

I ignored him.

“I start hiking,” I said, voice flat, determined, “or we dig up Dean.”

Adrian remained silent for a long time, his gaze drifting toward Elena. She looked like a ghost, all pale and small. His hands curled into fists, and his shoulders rose and fell with uneven breaths.

Finally, he whispered, “One more day.”

I gritted my teeth, my hands clenching into fists. I turned toward Adrian, frustration boiling inside me, but before I could argue, I saw it.

His eyes stayed locked on Elena, his jaw tight, his expression haunted.

He knew what I knew.

We didn’t have another day.

I swallowed the bile rising in my throat.

“I don’t want to do this either,” I said, voice raw. “But things are getting bad.”

Adrian let out a shaky exhale, closing his eyes for a long moment.

When he opened them, they were filled with something hollow.

“She’s worse off than we are,” I said, watching him carefully.

Adrian’s jaw flexed, his fists tightening.

“I know,” he said softly.

My throat ached, my stomach churning.

“I’m not looking long-term,” I told him. “I’m looking at the now. At getting the strength we need to leave and find help.”

Adrian’s gaze darkened, his fingers dragging through his too-long hair.

“This is going to destroy us,” he whispered.

I let out a slow, tired breath, my fingers rubbing over my eyes.

“I know.”

We sat silently, the weight of our decision crushing down on us, suffocating, final.

Then, finally, Adrian nodded once.

“One more day,” he said.

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