Chapter Three: Right

I was beginning to believe Lara.

I couldn't tell if she was crazy, or if I was crazy-The darkness and the hunger pried all sense from me. I was slipping.

Fading into black.

Thoughts of Mathias came frequently, passing in time, but always resurfacing-reflecting and refracting off of the walls, taking me back to the temple; the city. He'd lashed me to that pole and left me to the guard of the Russian.

I'd seen Lara in the shadows.

I'd wanted to call to her, to call to her for safety and solace and sanity. I'd felt like I'd fallen into the web of this island; and in plunging into the darkness of the unknown had lost the meat of my resolve.

And now, soaking wet, sitting against the wall of the cave as the fire lay dying, I felt a knot rise in my throat.

Lara, against all odds of physique, had killed the Russian. Lara had cut my bonds and sent me running past the flames.

But the floor had opened up beneath her, and she'd been swallowed by the burning floorboards as I'd offered her my hand, and I felt myself tumble through the floor as well.

We'd fallen into the depths of the island, somewhere beneath that temple-and now Lara's notion of being trapped here rang in my head.

I knew I needed to sleep, but could find no use in it. It was nearly impossible with all this water anyway.

So I found myself staring into the darkest of the room. Somehow, moonlight flitted in through the distant ceiling, permitting glinting water to offer a crude map of the surroundings. But one corner remained in darkness, and possibility swathed my mind.

I couldn't let us fucking starve in here.

"Lara?" I tried. She was asleep-for the best. I drew breath into my chest and let it out slow. "I'm gonna go look around for something to eat. I'll be here. I'll be back in a sec."

I stood, looked longingly down at Lara's bloodied silhouette, and started toward the darkness.

I'll be back in a sec.

…

And stopped outside the dwindling jurisdiction of the fire's light as the crash of thunder shook the silence from the earth. Rain began to trickle through the cracks in the ceiling, and within moments the fire had hissed its death.

Lara stirred.

"Sam?" She half choked on my name. The desperation in her voice made me wither, but as she peeled her eyes open, only to close them to the falling rain, I knew I needed to go to her. Kneeling, I brushed sticky hair from her skin, cupping her face in my hand.

"Don't worry, sweetie-just a little thunder."

"Thunder?"

"Yeah, thunder."

Lara seemed to want to pursue the topic, but was startled by a flash of lightning. Her skin alight; alabaster. I was surprised at the coldness of her cheeks. Another bout of thunder bowed at the electric strings of the air.

Something fell-wood splintered somewhere across the room. I looked up for a split second as the lightning slashed the scene again, my gaze delving deeper into the rubble mound. I stood, feeling Lara's hand trail next to mine.

Not wanting to pull away.

Making my way toward the pile, I crouched in defense of the darkness, blinking water from my eyelashes.

Stumbling amongst the debris, another flash of lightening bathed the room in blue, and I saw it. Lara's torch. Scrambling over the rubble, I groped around in the darkness, balanced precariously on a beam of wood, advancing toward my goal.

With each flash I grew closer.

Something fell behind me and I started, whipping my head around. Clumps of rock and dirt were shaken loose from the ceiling, prompting me to hurry. I reached the torch and grabbed it without second thought.

It seemed the place was collapsing by the time I'd made it back to Lara, who was curled in the fetal position, protecting her eyes from the falling dirt and rock. In seconds I'd ripped the flint from my pocket, found the odd axe, and struggled to think of a way to light it with only two hands. I sat reluctantly on the floor and placed the torch between my legs-and in a few tries fire sparkled at the end.

"Lara, we gotta move!" I called, slipping my hand under her shoulders. She made effort to sit up, and I could see her weakness in the torchlight. Without a word, she got to her feet with my help-leaning heavily on me.

Our journey through the room was painfully slow. Lara's laboured breaths were felt in my ear and on my neck; little puffs of warmth that edged me forward. If not for me, then for her I would save us.

Approaching the far end of the room, the torch staved the darkness, bathing the narrow opening within the rocks in yellow light. My arm felt like lead-Lara just seemed to get heavier and heavier, more and more sluggish as we pressed on.

We hadn't covered considerable distance.

More lightning.

More thunder.

More of Lara's breaths against my clavicle; the sting of her hand gripping my side.

We pushed on, propelled into darkness for no other reason than it being the only option for us. The ceiling was still caving-but that was behind us. In the narrower section we pressed through now, all seemed stable and well.

My heart was pounding in my chest.

This current illusion of safety prompted Lara to collapse, exhausted.

"Sam, I can't-"

"Come on!" I slipped my hand under her again, pulling against her dead weight, "The great Lara Croft, giving up so easily? Get up-It's not too far!" I half-lied, seeing no exit.

"Go, Sam." Something about her tone struck me-but I shook it off.

"Roth will save us. Roth-Roth, and Jonah, and Joslin, and-" I thought the name begrudgingly before I voiced it, "-And Alex. They'll come for us, Lara-but they'll never find us here. So just-"

"Sam." Lara repeated.

"I'm not leaving you here!" A knot rose in my throat again; I fought off tears.

How was she just-

Giving up?

My words were met with silence. And it was more than I could bear.

"Don't leave me," I crumpled next to her, careful not to drop the torch, "Don't you dare leave me, Lara Croft."

Her tired face was bathed in gold.