Page 11 of Rok's Captive
“Of. Course.” Mikaela grunts. “Fucking Xyma.” But despite her cynicism, I see the terror in her eyes.
Squeezing Jaqs’ hand, I pull in a shaky breath.
“What now?!” Jacqui shouts over a deafening roar that sounds outside the shuddering metal cube. The movement increases so much, it would be an effort to rise from the force of the pull.
“Now…now we wait.”
Jacqui nods, her chin meeting her chest a thousand times. “And we stick together.” She squeezes my hand. “No matter what, Justine.”
“No matter what.”
Chapter3
AND I THOUGHT THE JOB MARKET WAS TOUGH
JUSTINE
There’s a deafening groan as metal tears. I whip my head around to see the back of the bus beginning to peel open like a frickin’ sardine can. Air rushes in with a whoosh, and my hair flies around my head like I’m sitting in front of a fan.
“Oh god…we’re falling! We’re really falling!” I hear myself shouting, my voice shrill with panic.
“From space? How is this possible?” Jacqui’s face is ashen as she braces against her seat.
All around us, the women react in varying degrees of terror. I swear one faints, her head rolling with each shudder of the bus.
“This can’t be happening!” Hannah slaps herself in the face. “Wake up! Wake up! WAKE UP NOW!”
“We’re all going to die, aren’t we?” Mikaela mutters, her voice still holding that cynicism as if she really isn’t surprised. “I’m going to die wearing yellow sweatpants and granny panties.”
“Dios mío, por favor, no me dejes morir!” Someone’s praying from the back and I pray too. Because I can’t breathe. We’re in freefall, plummeting at terminal velocity through the thick atmosphere. The blistering heat of re-entry is already seeping in through the rupture, making the air scorching hot.
“The belts! Keep your belts on!” Erika shouts, and my gaze cuts to the two before us who aren’t strapped in. In the chaos, their bodies have shifted and only the driver’s seat is keeping them from moving.
She’s right. As much as I want to succumb to the blind panic, a small part of my brain is still rational enough to realize the seat belts are our only chance. If this bus doesn’t disintegrate from the friction, maybe we’ll survive the impact.
It’s a long shot, but I’ll take any chance I can get.
“You heard her!” I shout as loud as I can, struggling to project over the cacophony. “Everyone, hold on!”
Jacqui is openly sobbing now, her face contorted in terror, but she nods jerkily and holds on to her restraints with shaking hands. Around us, the other women follow suit in a frenzy, wailing and babbling prayers.
The blistering heat intensifies as we continue to plummet. I screw my eyes shut, pulling Jacqui close and holding her trembling body against mine.
This is it. This is how it all ends. Guess this takes “falling for a job scam” to a whole new level. I didn’t even get to file a W-2.
As the roar of re-entry becomes all-consuming, I open my mouth in a final, useless scream. Tears swell. My chest lurches with a sob. Oh God, we’re going to die.
“DEPLOYING DRAG CHUTES.”
We’re suddenly tugged, like being in an elevator suspended by a rubber band. And still, the crash shakes my teeth in my jaw. My whole body shudders, vibrations going through my entire frame even as I hold on to Jacqui. But then it stops.
Everything. Stops.
Breaths coming hard, I lift my head to look at Jacqui. Is it over? Is it done? Are we back now? Do I still get the ten grand if I admit I’m a pussy and quit on the first day?
“Fuck, Jus…FUCK!” It’s a harsh whisper but I can feel my sister’s relief.
I swallow hard, nodding at her. “We’re back. It’s done. It’s over.”
