"Jones? Was that a gunshot?" Eve's voice drifted like a shadow. Vaguely, Ezekiel realized she sounded worried.
"Jones?" That was Jake. Their voices slipped from the cell phone in his hands. Ezekiel's fingers clenched it tight, trying to reach them through the plastic.
His body wasn't responding right... There was pain everywhere, lancing through his midsection and settling in his toes.
His clothes felt wet and hot and sticky. There was blood everywhere.
His blood.
Well that wasn't good.
There was a moment where he felt like he was falling, until his back hit the tunnel wall with a loud thump. Ezekiel whimpered and he heard a laugh drift through the fog.
Someone was in front of him and they were laughing.
He couldn't focus on them. The world suddenly felt too bright and it slid around him like rushing water.
"Ezekiel?" That was Eve again. Now she sounded really worried. He tried to open his mouth, to say something, but instead he coughed and a bubble of blood burst down his chin.
God, he hurt. The pain was paralyzing.
He was on the ground now and it was red. The tunnel wall was at his back and there was someone in front of his. They swam in his vision.
He closed his eyes and that was a bit better.
God, he was tired...
"Ezekiel!" Jake's voice sliced through the fog and Ezekiel's eyes flickered open for just a moment. Just a moment... just to see... then he'd sleep.
The air stunk of copper.
Suddenly there were hands gripping his shoulders. Ezekiel was yanked forward and he tried to scream. Please! Stop! That hurts! Instead more blood dripped down his chin. Agony ripped through his abdomen and the world tilted to its side.
Jake's face was in front of his, warm worried eyes floating... Everything else was white and shining. The world was on fire.
"Ezekiel? You're alright. You're alright. Eve's dealing with her. You're fine."
Ezekiel couldn't answer. He was too busy remembering how to breathe through the fire in his chest. The air felt too thick and it stunk like rusty metal (Was that blood? His blood?). He was most definitely not fine.
"Just hold on. We'll get you through the door. Jenkins will-"
But whatever Jenkins was going to do drifted away as Ezekiel's world turned dim. Jake disappeared into the darkness and his eyes slid closed.
There were hands on his face and he held onto that.
The feeling of a rough palm against his cheek...
Someone else's soft fingers on his pulse...
Please, remember to leave a review! There'll be two more chapters, hopefully I'll have the next chapter up by next week.