Chapter 6

Sawyer thought he heard someone crying. He opened his eyes and saw Kate sitting with her head resting on her knees, her body shaking with soft sobs. He got up slowly to a sitting position, awkwardly using his bound hands and feet to push his body up. "Freckles…. Since when our tough-lady become a cry-baby?"

Kate looked up, her eyes swollen red. "I'm not a tough lady! And I don't want to be one too!" she shouted, her tears flowing more freely now that she has let go of her feelings.

"Freckles…" Sawyer doesn't know what to say. He's never been good at comforting others. He shuffled over to sit close to Kate. She put her head on his shoulders and continued to weep. "I think…" before Sawyer could finish his sentence, the pain came again, causing an involuntary groan from him. He tried not to move as Kate's head was still on his shoulder. But Kate sensed his pain and stopped crying immediately. How she wish she can suffer the pain for Sawyer on his behalf.

The door opened, and the middle aged woman came in. This time however, she did not place any chocolates on the table. Instead she knelt besides Kate and thrushed a backpack into her arms.

"Take this" she whispered. "And be quick, I heard they are going to do another more potent test on him, and so far no one has survived that test." She turned to look at Sawyer, who was sitting with his head resting on his bent knees. His breathing was hard, clearly still in extreme pain. "There's some water and chocolates in the bag. And this…"

She put her hand into the bag and took out a syringe and a bottle with yellow liquid in it. Then she used the syringe to inject some of it into Sawyer's arm. "The pain won't go away immediately. You have to inject it every 24 hours for 7 days continuously. The frequency of the attacks should lessen after the 3rd day or so." She took out a knife and began cutting the bounds on Kate's hands and ankles, followed by Sawyer's.

"What about you? They'll know you helped us escape." Kate asked, eager to escape yet not willing to leave the woman behind. "Why don't you leave with us?"

"Don't worry about me. I know how to handle them."

"Why are you helping us?" Sawyer asked. He has lifted his head now, looking at the woman.

"I don't know… maybe you reminded me of my late husband." She turned to look at Kate. "You are right, everyone has a loved one, no matter how bad a person he is… Treasure each other, the two of you, good luck1"

"Thanks" said Kate, and she helped Sawyer to stand. He swayed slightly, but it was good to feel his feet again.

"Go through the forest, towards the south where you came from. It's further than going by boat, but it's easier to hide in the forest than on the sea" the woman advised.

"Yeah, thanks" muttered Sawyer, and he turned one last time to look at the woman, whose back was turned towards them.

Kate opened the door and walked through a corridor, supporting Sawyer's arm. The pain has lessened a little and Sawyer is now walking with more strength. They exited through a door at the end of the corridor and stepped into the middle of a forest. The place where they were being held captive the last few days was actually similar to the hatch, only that this one is bigger.

Kate looked at the sun to get her bearings right. Then both of them started to run through the forest, trying to make as little noise as possible.

After a while, both of them stopped to rest, panting heavily. "Do you think they've discovered us gone?" Sawyer asked breathlessly, leaning against a tree. "I don't think….." Kate was cut short by the sound of a flare rising in the air, sent from a distance in the direction where they came from. "Is that an alarm?"

"Let's go" Sawyer hissed, lifting himself off the tree reluctantly. He walked a few steps before the pain struck him again, the suddenness of it causing him to fall onto his knees. "Son-of-a-bitch" he cursed beneath his clenched teeth.

"Sawyer!" Kate was immediately by his side, concern etched on her face as she squatted down beside him, holding his shoulder.

Sawyer closed his eyes and took a deep breath, drawing all his strength to push the pain away. "I'm fine, let's go.." he raised himself up slowly and started to walk at a half-bent position, Kate holding on to him. It was taking all his effort not to give in to the temptation of the blackness that was threatening to overcome him. Sweat was pouring down from his forehead, as each step only cause the pain to worsen.

Sawyer could feel himself leaning more and more heavily on Kate as they walked, in spite of his efforts not to. His body started to shake uncontrollably as the pain escalates. Finally when they reached a clearing in the forest, his mind gave way to his body and he fell unceremoniously into a heap among the grass beneath him.