Page 113 of Mariposa
“Good.” He pecks my lips quickly. The touch sends a fiery tingle through my heart. I don’t remember our argument before the crash; none of that matters now. Our relationship status doesn’t matter.
“You’re smiling.” I reach out to touch his beard, but he lays my hand back down to my side before I can feel him.
“You’re alive,” he declares.
And with that, he takes off and runs towards the body of the Chinook.
Looking down at my ankle, blood keeps pouring out of the wound. Maybe it’s not as bad as I think. Perhaps I can help. Ihate feeling like I’m out of the fight. They both need me right now.
When I move it, though, an agonizing pain spears through me, blinding me. My legs drop down as I retch into the dirt, throwing up stomach acid…and dark blobs of blood. My stomach continues to heave violently as a burning sensation slides through my abdomen and throat. With my head pounding, I close my eyes, but the stars follow me into the darkness, twinkling in my blackened vision.
Shit. That can’t be good.
I pass out.
“Dad! Please help me! Dad!”
I’m back in freezing, fresh water, scrambling and begging for air. The water is so uncomfortably cold that it leaves a burning sensation throughout my nose, lungs, and throat.
“Mija! Violet!” his urgent blaring is barely audible over the stream of water. My dad’s body is completely blurred, and I can’t see him anymore as dark blue waves continue to wrack me repeatedly.
I didn’t anticipate the current being this strong. I underestimated it, and I’m paying the price. Every time I try to rise above the water, I get swallowed back down with only my hands breaking through the surface.
I try my hardest not to breathe, even though my lungs are burning, desperate for air. The sound of water muffles my screams and cries as I fight for my life. My back collides with a sharp rock as the current continually throws me in different directions with no remorse.
Everything is moving so fast that dark shadows cloud me like tunnel vision. My energy depletes, and everything grows quiet. I can feel myself sinking further down, accepting defeat against my will. My heartbeat slows as I try to call out again, but my mouth doesn’t open.
The next thing I feel before all hope is lost are arms around my waist.
Dad.
The soundof fireworks jolts me awake.
We’re still at the crash site, Beast and Chaos are still searching for more survivors.
Unfortunately, the wreckage was littered with pieces of the helicopter amongst all twenty dead, mutilated bodies. Images that will haunt me forever. To see our team, the strongest, most respected, brilliant men I’ve had the privilege to get to know, gone in a blip, a couple of seconds…
Their families will never see them again—their wives…their children. Something chips inside me, and I don’t think I’ll ever get it back.
I blink weakly to see Kade change into the instructor who always intimidated me before. He is strong, stern, and stone-cold with purpose when he needs to be. Even though we just survived a helicopter crash, I won’t let myself fall apart. Not right now, not when the enemy is nearby, and maybe around the corner, getting ready to scavenge the sight and look for us.
We have to move faster.
“They shot us out of the sky! We were in the sky, and now all of our friends are fucking dead, brother. We’re screwed! I finally have a girl waiting for me back home, and now I might not see her again. My mom, my sisters, oh, God. I?—”
Kade lurches forward, his right hand curling into his vest, and shakes Booker vehemently. His nostrils flare as he looks him dead-straight in the eyes.
“Chaos. Get. Your. Shit. Together. We’ll hike down this mountain, and everything will be fan-fucking-tastic. You’re going back to that girl of yours. I need you right now. Do you get that? Because I can’t carry both of you. You have two working legs, use them.”
I blink weakly, watching Booker go from panicking to relaxed with each passing moment. He nods, flexing his jaw. Sweat trickles down his muddied, soot-covered face. We're all covered in it.
Kade is the strongest soldier and man I’ve ever known. His ability to bring out the fight in us is incredible.
"Roger that, Master Sergeant."
“I’ve only got my knife on me. We have to move. The enemy knows we’re here,” Kade says. His strong arms lift me into his arms, and I weakly nestle into him as much as I can to make carrying my dead weight easier on him. Even though we’re out in the woods, surrounded by smoke, his warm scent still lingers, calming my bundled nerves.
“And go where?” Booker sputters out nervously.
