Page 33 of His to Claim
She can be anywhere. She could've been captured or killed by these aliens.
I sit up and look around frantically. But she isn't here.
Where did they take her? Did they hurt her too badly for her to survive? What happened to her after the arrow struck me?
A wave of nausea hits me hard. I bend over and vomit violently onto the sand. Several strands of saliva drip down my chin. After regaining control, I wipe them clean and stand upright again.
The sky above me is bright and clear. Sunlight reflects off the water and shines directly into my face. I close my eyes against its brightness. Then I turn around to scan the area surrounding me.
It seems empty except for the trees growing along the shoreline. Their branches stretch high into the air, forming a canopy that blocks most of the light from reaching me below. The sound of waves crashing softly on the rocky beach fills my ears.
Everything smells fresh and new. Like nothing ever happened here.
My arm and chest hurt like shit from the wounds left by the arrows. I need to heal fast so I can find Emma. And then I'll kill every single alien on this planet if it means saving her.
I walk forward cautiously and stop next to a tree trunk covered with moss. I lean against the rough bark and rest my head on the cool surface while looking ahead to search for any signs.
Nothing. No footprints, no tracks leading inland. Nothing.
Why aren't there any clues pointing to where Emma might be? Is she dead already? How will I know unless I keep searching?
I shake my head to clear the thoughts swirling inside. I won't give up hope just yet. Maybe she wandered off somewhere alone. If only I knew exactly how far away from me she went. Or maybe someone took her prisoner and forced her to stay hidden.
If that happens, I'll track them down and rip their hearts out one by one.
I inhale deeply and exhale loudly. I want to scream and curse at the same time but don't dare do either. Instead, I concentrate on breathing steadily.
Then suddenly something catches my attention. There's movement behind me. I spin around quickly and raise my hands defensively.
"Who are you?" I ask nervously.
Standing in front of me is a tall male with short white hair and pale scaly skin. His green eyes stare straight into mine. A small smile appears on his lips as he approaches me.
His voice sounds familiar. "You're not from here."
He steps closer still and lowers himself to kneel beside me. When our faces are inches apart, he stares deep into my eyes and smiles again. "Dhakar, old friend!"
"Torr, is that you? I haven't seen you in like... forever?" I say and hug my old friend. We've known each other for as long as I can remember.
Our friendship started during childhood, playing games together and exploring the forest near the lake. It was always fun hanging out with Torr. He never teased or bullied anyone and had a very gentle personality. Even though he looked scary with his sharp teeth and claws, everyone loved him. Especially me.
When the virus spread throughout the galaxy, many people died including Torr's family.
"What the fuck are you doing on this planet?" Torr asks.
"It's a long story," I reply.
"You're wounded and you've lost a lot of blood," he says and touches the wounds on my body. I flinch but don't pull back.
The pain is excruciating, making me moan quietly.
"Let me take care of these injuries before anything else. Then we can talk about everything that happened since the last time I saw you. Let me get you out of here."
After he cleans and bandages my wound, I feel much better. My strength returns slowly after he gives me some medicine. But my heart aches for Emma, wishing she'd been with me instead of being captured. I need to find her soon.
We sit side by side on the floor. After a while, I notice Torr staring at me intently.
"Are you okay?" he asks gently.
