Hypothermia

Chapter 2: Frost

My laptop erased all my writing X_X so I'm way too depressed to try to retrieve chapter 18 of Regeneration. Hypothermia, on the other hand, had nothing on there, so I was pretty much writing it from scratch anyway. So here is my Christmas present to you all: Chapter 2!

I could swear that J'avo had moved since I had last turned around. Just an inch or so. I wished I had a watch. The clock on my radio had stopped working, just like the rest of it. I was still slumped against the freezer door.

"Th-Th-This s-s-s-suck-cks..." I muttered to myself, teeth chattering away. "Ch-Chris..." I whispered, closing my eyes. Where are you? I said in my head. I need you here. I closed my eyes again, and gave the door another series of weak poundings. It didn't give. It never gave. I must have been in here, what, twenty minutes? My core temperature needed to stay up, right? I remembered my physical health classes back in high school. The minimum core temperature a human could survive was about 80° Fahrenheit. Any lower than that, and frostbite settled in, you started losing your extremities (including your genitals), and you died.

So what should I do? I needed to conserve my energy, but then again, expending energy would keep me warm. Rigidly, I stood up. I took a few unsteady steps. Maybe I could just use enough energy to stay warm, but not exhaust myself. Yeah, that was the best plan of action. So, feeling awkward, cold, and uncomfortable, I started to walk slowly around the rim of the room. It wasn't a very big room, so it wasn't long before I was pretty bored. I kept at it though, like a ritual.

Around...around...around...around...around...

After I had done a few laps left-ways, I turned around and did it the other way, taking right turns now. I never took my eyes off of that J'avo.

Around...around...around...

I wish it would come to life. Just to give me something to do.

I thought. After being locked in a freezer by a J'avo, I was already relishing the next chance I would get to kill one. I thought of the J'avo's face, its wicked, fang-filled grin, its hand slamming the door shut...

The door! I realized I hadn't tried shooting the door yet! I checked my rifle—there were about fifty or so bullets left in it. Groaning inside, I realized I couldn't afford to just shoot holes in the metal until the thing collapsed. Mine was an anti-material rifle. That kind of sniper rifle puts a ton of force behind the bullets. Even through a door that thick, there was no telling how far the shell would go or who it would hit. And even though I really wanted to get out of this place, I wasn't willing to risk that.

I would just have to take the authorized approach: shoot the lock. I raised my rifle. It took a minute for me to aim, because I had to stop my hands from shaking. But when I finally had my sight right on the lock, I shot.

The bullet richocheted off.

"F-Fuck..."I said, gritting my teeth. I aimed again. This time the bullet exploded when it hit the lock, and created a sizeable dent in it. Another shot, and a few cracks appeard. "Yes!" I said, finally managing to still my jaw. I shot a few more rounds into it, and by the time I was done with it, the lock had been completely decimated. It fell to the floor with a clank. Rejuvenated, I ran to the door, and pressed my foot against it.

It didn't open.

"FUCK!" I finally yelled. I wedged my fingernails, against my better judgement, into the tiny crack between door and wall. Ice. The entire thing must be frozen shut. Frustrated beyond all restraint, I continued kicking the door. The only thing I got out of it was a sore toe. Well, my body heat was definitely a little higher now.

I waddled over to the thermostat. Which isn't even a correct description of what it was, because if it was a thermostat, I'd have been able to change the temperature in here. But there was no knob or anything for it. All there is was a white square with a temp reading, which now read 15°Fahrenheit. Damn, it was really cold in here. I briefly considered breaking the thermometer, but if the thermostat or the refrigeration generator itself wasn't here, there was nothing I could really accomplish.

I resumed my slump against the slab of metal that had defeated me, before remembering I was supposed to be doing laps. I resentfully stood up again on wobbly legs, and resumed my pacing. I looked over at the J'avo.

It was looking at me. It was smiling.

I shook my head. No it wasn't. It was still laying there, dead. I blinked. It wasn't even smiling.

I just kept pacing. This cold was doing things to my head. In more ways than one, I discovered when I reached up to feel my hair and felt frost forming in it.

Well...maybe when Chris rescues me, I'll look kinda cool with white hair,I thought. Chris...

Where was he? It seemed like too much of a coincidence that when I get locked in a fridge, I lose contact with him. Could the J'avo have done something to a radio tower nearby? Or worse...to Chris? I shuddered more from the thought than the cold. I hoped he was alright.

Please be okay, Chris.

Please, come find me. Where are you?

I looked down at the radio again and brought it to my ear, trying again to get a signal between me and my captain. Just more static.

"Piers?"I heard. I blinked and looked down. Was I hearing things now?

"Piers? Piers Nivans, is this coming through? Answer, dammit!"

I wasn't hearing things! That was Chris's voice! I fumbled the radio and bought it to my cheek. "Chris! I'm here, I can hear you!"I yelped into it.

"Where the fuck are you, soldier? I was supposed to rendezvous with you twenty minutes ago."

"I-I'm in a freez-zer..." I chattered.

"A freezer?" Chris responded. "Why the hell are you in a freezer? Goddammit, where are you?"

"J-J-J'avo l-locked me in h-here, sir..." I spoke into the mouthpiece weakly. I heard an intake of breath on the line. "How long have you been in there, Nivans?" he asked softly. "Around that long. Twenty minutes, th-that is, captain." I answered.

"Shit..." Chris said quietly. "Where are you? Are you locked in?" he asked frantically.

"Yes s-sir..." I chattered. "Nova Street Butcher, Captain..." I said.

"Just hang on, buddy. I'm comin' to getcha." Chris said. "Keep in radio contact, would you?" he asked.

"W-Will do..." I responded, feeling weak in my legs. Chris was finally coming. My legs gave out, but I didn't care. I was going to be rescued.

The J'avo smiled again.