Hello, readers!

Man this is a rollercoaster for me to write. . .can't imagine what it's like to read it. Let me know!

This chapter has been updated as of 5/7/2016.

~Crayola


Chapter Ten

Asleep or Dead

I should have come for her right away. It should have been the most important thing in my mind. Anderson had told me to worry only about myself, but how was that right? She was my best friend! I never should have listened to him. I should have listened to my gut.

She was alive. I could still save her. Maybe all of them, even. I could make everything right again. If I saved them now, they would forgive me. I could forgive myself.

All I had to do was make it to whatever room she was in—they were in.

If she was there, the others had to be, right?

Right turn—straight ahead—follow the screaming.

My breath came in short gasps and I fought hard to run as fast as I could. Wolf rumbled behind me, growling warnings and commands, but I ignored him. There was a small window of opportunity, and I wasn't going to let him stop me.

I wasn't going to be too late. I wasn't going to let him hold me up.

Just like you held him up.

The urge to call out to them was strong. The words festered in the back of my throat, but I bit them back. If I wanted them to survive, I had to be silent. I couldn't alert the enemies that I was coming. They were accustomed to the desperate cries of the captured and would ignore them.

What they would be suspicious of was someone calling back, someone coming to help.

As much as I wanted to, I had to wait until I was close.

Finally I made it. I slid on some still-wet slime and hit the ground on my hands in a push-up form. The room was a couple yards away and I could hear more than one voice besides Jess'. Wolf chittered quietly behind me, disgruntled and miffed, but I hopped up and headed toward the door.

There they are! I found them!

"Someone, anyone!"

"No one's coming, Jess." If my eyes could open any wider, they would have. Michelle.

A third, unfamiliar voice cut in. "I can't think if you keep screaming! Just remain calm. I'll figure something out."

It didn't matter that they were with someone new. They were all there. Or at least my two best friends. They were there. I scrambled into the egg room where they were being held, using the wall to keep myself up. My legs were weak with relief and fatigue. I darted my gaze frantically around the room, my chest heaving to pull in oxygen.

Then I spotted them, them all pinned against the far wall. Several shapes, even. I exhaled a plaintive whine and stumbled toward them.

"Jess? Michelle?" I called intoto the darkness, keeping my voice low enough to be heard only by them. The only thing that could ruin the moment was the arrival of unwanted drones coming to investigate strange voices.

Their heads lifted and looked over to me. At first they were wild and frightened, but when they realized who it was, they relaxed. The atmosphere electrified with excitement; theirs and mine.

"Where the hell did you come from?" the unfamiliar voice demanded.

Everything is going to be okay.

"Nichole! Nichole it's you! Of fuck, please, oh god, you have to get us down!" Michelle pleaded.

"You're alive! Oh Nichole I was so worried!" Jess wailed.

Worried. They were worried. My heart soared and I fumbled through the darkness, taking great care to ignore the eggs in the room. I didn't want to know if they were empty or not. I didn't want to know what the chances were.

Anything could be a trick of the light, my mind trying to make me believe something that wasn't. I didn't want it to fabricate my worst nightmares and drain the hope I clung to so desperately.

They didn't hate me. They were glad to see me, even after I'd left them.

What if they hated me later?

Whatever, I could handle that. I could handle them hating me if it meant they were alive now. I'd have a lifetime to make it up to them so long as they survived.

Jess strained against the crust pinning her to the wall as I approached. I glanced around and took stock of all the people in the room. Michelle, Jake, Victor, Tyler, a cop, and a few other classmates I couldn't recall. All those who were picked off by the aliens. None of the ones that had been with me when I was captured where there.

Had they made it out? Had I been the last? Or were they still in the ship somewhere, scared and alone—or dead?

"Are you alright?" I asked, using my free hand to tug at the crust with violent jerks.

She shook her head. Her face shone with fresh tears leaving dirty streaks under her eyes, like she'd been crying for a while. "No! No I'm not! Please you gotta get me down, we have to leave!"

"How did you get out?" Michelle asked. Next to her, Jake was beginning to stir.

"It's a long story," I sighed, glancing up.

Michelle leaned forward eagerly. "But you can get us out?"

I nodded and pulled back to raise the weapon Wolf had loaned me. "I will but you guys have to be quiet, ok? You think you can do that? If those things come to see what's going on and find me here it'll be bad."

Jess nodded and pursed her lips shut. Michelle nodded but didn't remain quiet long. She asked, "Where'd you get that?"

"Nichole? Jess?" Jake interrupted. I switched my attention to him and the others on the wall. There was maybe a total of four people actually awake—Tyler and Victor were not among them.

"Shh! You guys have to be quiet, okay? I'll get you all down but you have to be quiet!" I took a few quick steps across the room, examining everyone. I hadn't even gotten two chops into freeing Jess yet. Tyler and Victor were already dead with gaping holes, as were most of the others. I wouldn't be able to save them all.

"Hey, kid, how'd you get out?" the police officer demanded again. I barely heard him.

Tears threatened to spill and I took a few deep breaths and pushed them away. I had to focus on Jess and Michelle and the ones that were alive. I could help them out, and everything would be fine. Jess and Michelle were priority. I had to make it up to them.

Everything is going to be okay.

"Kid!"

I sniffed and whirled around. "A soldier helped me escape! I've been wandering around for ages and I finally found you guys. Now please, I can get you all down but just shut up!" I hissed, watching the doorway for a few seconds. There was no screeching, no sounds of drones on their way.

There was also no Wolf. I doubted that I'd been able to run faster than him, so either he was waiting outside or was invisible and watching nearby.

As Simmons had before, I carefully picked over the people's corpses, careful not to touch any gore and trying my hardest to ignore the feeling of bile rising in my throat. They wouldn't have dog tags, so I grabbed wallets and phones or jewelry and shoved them in all my pockets.

Jake was silent for a moment but then asked in a whisper, "They're all dead, aren't they?"

Brushing away stray tears, and turning away from the bodies, I nodded. "Yeah."

Jess choked out a sob and Michelle fought back her own tears. Jake stared at the ground below him, his eyes wide and lips parted. I closed mine and took a deep breath.

"But you guys are okay," I said.

"Alright so that's how you got out." I turned to look at the strung-up cop. He jerked his head toward the weapon I was still holding. I'd meant to use it to free them quicker, but they'd distracted me with their questions. "Where did you get that thing?"

Jess muffled a scream and Michelle wailed out a warning that made me wince. I turned, expecting to see more of the drones bearing down on us and lifted my blade higher, ready to fight. Instead of black drones, Wolf finished melting into view with an electric sizzle. He grabbed me by the good shoulder and pulled me back away from my friends.

"Hey! Stop it!" I protested, pushing against him. I faced them all and lifted my free hand. "Shut up! Shut up, shh! It's fine, he's a friend! Quiet, quiet! Please!"

Wolf pushed against my chest, lifting a finger to tell me to wait. I knew what he was going to do but I had work to finish. I wasn't going to wait this time. I shook my head and stared him down with my best belligerent glare. "No! No I'm getting them down! They're fine!"

Everything is going to be okay.

He paused and rotated a few inches to look at me, his head cocked to the side. The four clamored behind us, terrified by his presence.

"What is that thing? Kid, get away from it, just get out of here," the cop insisted.

"Nichole what the fuck?"

"Oh my god is that another alien?"

"Did you say it's a friend?"

My anger peaked and I turned on them, snarling through clenched teeth. "Shut up! You have to be fucking quiet! How many times do I have to tell you? I'll get you all down, but shut the fuck up for three minutes! Don't worry about him, okay? He's here to help."

The four of them looked bewildered, but they all fell silent.

I sighed and straightened my jacket, then brushed a stray lock of hair out of my eyes. "Kind of, anyway," I muttered.

"Kind of?" Jake echoed. His voice was thick, breathless, and Anderson popped into my head.

Teeth grinding and head pounding, I inhaled a few times. There was nothing wrong. I was there to help, and I was going to make everything better.

We would all escape together, and this time I wouldn't leave them behind to rot.

Wolf made a quiet growl and approached me. I squared my shoulders and met his gaze evenly. I should let him do what he wanted to do, but I couldn't bring myself to allow it.

"I'm getting them down." I forced every ounce of confidence I had into the words.

He shifted his weight, then took a step away. Clicking in a resigned tone, he turned to the side before making a sweeping gesture with his hand.

I relaxed and smiled in relief. "Thank you."

"Nichole, what is that?" Jess whispered as I went to work with hacking at the crust with my blade. I was careful to keep a wide berth around her body to avoid cutting her. It was hard work, a lot of prying and chopping.

"An alien. He's been helping me and is good at killing the black things," I muttered, helping Jess to her feet before moving to Michelle's side.

"Why is it helping you?" the officer asked, eyes narrowed.

Ignoring him for the moment, Jess and I worked to free Michelle. After making some progress I said, "Fuck if I know, but I'd be dead four times over if he hadn't been around."

Though I said he was there to help, Wolf didn't lift a hand to assist in freeing them.

Whatever, he could sit there and sulk for all I cared.

Michelle came free from her prison and I helped her stand. She groaned and shook slime from her hands, then pulled long strands of it from her hair. "Disgusting. . . ."

It wasn't long before everyone alive was freed from their confines. They were sticky and shaken, but they were out. I saved the officer for last, aware that he would use his rank to take control of the situation, even though he didn't know a god damn thing about what was happening.

To my surprise, he didn't make it a big event. "Alright kid, do you know a way off this ship? We have to move."

"No, but he might. Let me ask."

"Nichole, there were these things. I think—"

I cut Jake off before he could finish that thought. He looked disgruntled, but I couldn't put up with it right then. "No time, we have to get you guys out of here. There's a much bigger alien running around on the ship so we gotta hurry."

Everything is going to be okay.

Hoping I hadn't pissed him off too bad, I took a tentative step toward Wolf. "Can you lead us off the ship? Just get us safely out—them. Even just them. I'll stay and I'll be whatever you need me to be, I promise. Just—please, please help me get them out of here!" I pleaded.

They wouldn't make it out if he didn't help.

He regarded me for a moment, then turned his gaze toward the huddled group. Wolf lifted his hand to press a few buttons on his wrist computer, then glanced back at me. I watched him for a second until he made a quiet, gentle trill. His head shook and he pointed at them, and then at the eggs.

"They're fine!" I insisted.

Simmons. Anderson.

"They'll be okay, we just need to get them off the ship and they'll be okay! Please, do this for me and I'll do whatever you want."

Wolf stared at me a moment longer, then uttered a sharp sound. Shoulders squared, he headed for the exit. I watched him until he stopped at the portal, then turned and motioned for us to come. My heart soared and I turned toward my friends. "C'mon! He'll get us off this ship!"

"How do you know it's not a trick?" the police officer demanded. He had his hand on his gun and was staring at Wolf. "It's an alien. Why the hell would it help us?"

"Yeah, what if it's a trap?" Jake said.

"Nichole what did you mean you'll do whatever it wants?" Jess asked in a tiny voice.

I groaned and rolled my eyes. Every moment we spent trying to argue was another moment the drones could use to close in on us. "We don't have time for this. You have to trust me, okay? He hasn't done anything to hurt me and could have killed me at any time. Please can we go?"

None of them were convinced. Michelle coughed and loosened her jacket, and the others fidgeted. I looked between them all and shook my head.

They don't trust me. I left them.

I'd have to make them trust me.

"Fine! You can stay here and try to get out on your own, or you can follow me and him to safety, but Jess and I are going!" I reached for Jess' hand and dragged her toward the door. She put up a bit of resistance, then jogged after me.

Jake glanced around, his expression uneasy. "Nichole I really don't think—"

"Well?" I interrupted him, turning to face them. Jess trembled next to me. "This is your last chance. We're leaving."

With that, I finished dragging Jess to Wolf and stood just outside the room. The eggs inside rustled and shifted, and soon enough Jake and Michelle skirted around Wolf, cowering before him. The officer emerged shortly after, keeping his arm up as if to protect them.

"Alright, stay close," the officer said. "Nichole—that's your name?—get over here."

He meant well, but I knew I was safer next to Wolf than I was him. "I told you it's fine," I said, keeping a death grip on Jess' hand.

Still, he insinuated himself between us and our escort. I grunted a protest, but was forced away from Wolf all the same. At least he wasn't trying to take the sword from me. His hand never left his gun, and Wolf pretended not to care.

*:・゚✧

I was walking on air as we jogged through the winding hallways of the massive ship. Jess and Michelle and her boyfriend were all okay. The cop, too, and I guess that was a good thing. Wolf was on board and leading us out of danger. Even if something were to happen to me, at least I knew my friends were going to make it out.

"C'mon, stay close," I murmured. They kept falling back, trying to avoid being close to Wolf as he navigated the bowels of his ship.

No one but I was comfortable remaining within arm's-reach of him.

I couldn't blame them. He was an intimidating specimen to be sure.

Wolf continued to glance back at me and my friends every few minutes. He always rumbled and rattled quiet gibberish at me, but I couldn't understand. Or maybe I didn't want to understand. There was nothing to talk about, anyway.

Jess' hand had slipped from mine around five or six minutes after we'd left their prison room. I hadn't wanted to make her more uncomfortable than she already was, so I let her fall back.

Once they realized how helpful Wolf could be, I knew they wouldn't be so scared of him.

Though if I was being honest with myself, I was still a little scared of him. He'd survived his ship crashing, was the largest man (alien man) that I'd ever met in person, and was armed to teeth with acid-proof weapons. He was dangerous—but for now he was on our side.

And for now he was humoring my silly human request to get my friends safe. I wasn't sure why, but I wasn't going to question it. Not when it was all I wanted.

Everything is going to be okay.

"Nichole," Michelle called, jogging up to match strides with me despite how close it brought her to Wolf. She tapped me on my shoulder and I jerked around. She indicated back and said, "It's Jess."

My steps faltered and I turned to see Jess falling even further behind, clutching her chest. I knew she had less stamina than most of my friends, but my heart still started to beat harder against my rib cage. Michelle stifled a wheeze next to me and I put a hand on her shoulder.

"Keep going I'll be back," I said to Wolf.

Even as I said it, he came to a halt as I went to Jess. The police officer was close to her, and Jake pulled Michelle to him, whispering something in her ear.

I did my best to ignore them all and hurried to Jess's side.

"Are you okay?" I asked her, placing tentative hands on her shoulders and squeezing encouragement.

She looked up at me, face contorted in pain, and caught her breath before responding. I heard a screech somewhere in the distance and jumped. My eyes darted to Wolf, but he made no move to defend or attack. If he wasn't worried about the noise, then I wasn't either. Next to us, the police officer grunted and pulled on his collar.

Everything is going to be okay.

"I think—I think I'm okay. My chest just . . . hurts a little bit is all. I can keep going, though. I'm not used to running so much," she forced a smile on her face before wincing. Her shoulders hunched inward and she bent over to heave in a breath.

The police officer looked up from Jess to me. He continued to rub at his chest, then cleared his throat. "We should rest. We're all a little ragged right now."

I shook my head and ignored Jake as he muttered to a silent and crying Michelle. "No, we can't. We have to keep going. I'm sure the exit isn't too much farther."

Wolf was still standing in the same spot, staring directly at me, head tilted.

"Well, are we close to leaving?" I asked him.

He shook his head and I watched him for a moment, trying to figure out what he meant. Michelle trembled in Jake's arms, who was white as a sheet and stone-faced.

Another screech reached us—the Echo, sending its pulses down the corridors in search of whatever. My eyes widened and I gaped at Wolf, disbelieving. He'd been following the Echo's trail the entire time, hunting it down and dragging us along for the ride.

But why? He'd said. . .he'd said he would help my friends escape. I shook my head and turned back to them, breathing heavy I fought back tears. I'd be mad at him later.

Everything is going to be okay.

Jess whimpered and I moved around her side, trying to make her straighten up. She was doubled over, both hands holding her chest and her jacket open. I set my arm around her shoulders and hugged her tight, whispering, "Jess? Jess stand up and. . .and put your hands on. . . ."

She wheezed violently and fell to her knees. I crouched in front of her, rubbing her back with gentle strokes. My heart pounded against my chest and my mind fought to rationalize. We'd been running. She wasn't in good shape, so she wasn't used to all the exercise and stress. We were all frantic and panicking—it was a stress cough.

It had to be a stress cough.

Everything is going to be okay.

"Jess?" My voice was small.

Her shoulders quaked and everyone else crowded around, asking if she was okay. One of them coughed several times, but I couldn't tell who it was.

"It—it hurts," Jess whimpered, gasping for breath.

Someone squeaked in surprise and I felt a familiar weight on my shoulder—Wolf's hand. He chittered with urgency and I shrugged him off, lifting a hand and waving it around my head to try to ward him away. "Just give her some space! Just back up!"

Jake stepped up next to me, his face grim. "Nichole, I was trying to tell you—"

"Shut up!"

He glowered and made to take a step toward me, but Michelle clutched him tight. So he remained by her side and said, "No! Nichole, there were these things, okay? These little spider things! Everywhere in the room! And the people who had died in there. . . . I saw Victor, his chest—"

Jess cried out, cutting him off, and I turned toward her with wide eyes. "That thing. . .the spider thing. . . . It was on me and. . .Nichole is that going to happen to me?"

My heart plummeted to the bottom of my feet.

Everything is going to be okay.

"No—no you're fine. I didn't see any spider thing, Jess. Just take deep breaths. Okay? Just breathe deep and stand up and put your hands on your head—it'll open your airways better and—"

Michelle choked out a sob somewhere to my right. "Nichole . . . ."

A soul-shattering crack rent through the small corridor, punctuated by Jess' cry of pain. Then, everything else fell silent.

"Jess?" I whispered, sitting back, looking at her from arm's length. Jess crumpled to the floor and writhed, her eyes closed tight and mouth open in silent wails. Tears started to slide down my cheeks. "Jess?"

Everything is going to be okay.

"Oh my god," Michelle sobbed.

Jake pulled Michelle away from the scene and out of my line of sight. One of them—the cop, Wolf, whoever—tugged on my arm, but I was like an anchor, rooted to the spot on the ground.

Jess bucked and heaved, one of her hands snatched out to grab my wrist. I dropped my weapon to clutch her hand with both of mine, mouth working but unable to create sound. At last I managed to let out one more meek word.

"Jessica?"

She answered with a scream that tore my heart asunder and rent my soul in half. Her ribcage split with the same sound as splintering glass and her shirt tore. Wet droplets splattered my face and neck, but I didn't have the strength to flinch.

Her body bucked with one last spasm. Eyes wide, mouth agape, she tried to pull in one last, rattling breath before she fell still.

From the silence came a high-pitched lament that reverberated through the hall.

With horror, I realized it was coming from me.

Everything is not going to be okay.

Michelle screamed incoherent words, drowning out my own sounds of anguish. She continued to scream and shuffled around in my peripherals. Jake fought to keep her from bolting from the scene like a frightened mare, but dragged her further away as she collapsed to her knees, sick.

"Jake! Jake what the fuck oh my god no! Jess!" she said, voice shrill.

"I don't know, I don't know! Fuck, fuck fuck fuck . . . ."

The cop hooked his arm around my waist and started tugging me away. I turned to deadweight in his embrace and dug my heels in, grunting and whining like a petulant toddler, gathering Jess in my arms. Her name left my tongue over and over.

Then everything hazed over and I stopped fighting him. It was like I was viewing the world from behind a sheet of glass, noises muffled and disjointed. The world faded away until it was only me and Jess' body, half pulled into my lap as if I could bring her back. I froze as a tiny, gray head peered from the hole it had created.

It turned to looked at everyone, sightless head falling on me last, and then it slithered out to make a break for it.

A guttural snarl ripped from my throat. I wrenched myself free of the officer and lunged. The blade Wolf had given me was in my hand in an instant and I reached over Jess' body. With a violent moention lashed out at the chestburster. The blade came down swift and hard, cleaving the thing in two like butter. I left the blade there, stuck part in the floor, and stumbled blindly to my feet.

My ears rang. Rage guttered in my chest and the police officer pulled me away again.

The world crashed on top of me in an avalanche of sensations. Michelle was screaming, Jake was shouting, and the cop pushed me back before removing his jacket and covering Jess.

I looked down at the redness on my palms, mouth open in a strangled cry. My face and neck were wet from tears and maybe a little bit of spittle, specks of warm blood mixing with it. I stumbled back before bumping into something solid as a wall; a wall that chittered.

Wolf put his hand on my shoulder and moved me behind him. I still staggered back, unable to maintain my balance, and fell to my knees. Between each gasp for breath, I fought to control the sobs that wracked my frame.

How could this have gone so wrong?

"There was one on me, too!" Michelle wailed.

It wasn't supposed to be like this, it wasn't supposed to . . . .

"Me, too," Jake muttered. He was despondent, unable to look away from the creature that had killed Jess. The officer had his hand on his head as he paced.

Michelle became hysteric. "Don't let that happen to me! I can't have that! I can't go through that! Please! Please you gotta do something!" I didn't know who she was talking to, but when I looked up, she was staring at me with horror. "Did you know about this, Nichole?"

I swallowed hard and managed a tiny little shake of my head. My Jaw worked up and down, but no sounds came out.

How could I admit to it?

How could I tell them that I knew exactly what happened to those on the ship?

That it was my fault Jess suffered?

My fault they would all suffer.

Eyes bulging, Michelle grabbed Jake by one hand and dug her fingers into her chest with the other. "Jake! Jake please I can't go through that, please I can't! What do we do? I don't want to die like that!" Her hysterics were making her cough more.

He pulled her tight and she blubbered into his chest, shoulders heaving with each sob. I simpered behind Wolf, hands up by my head and chest constricting with each inhale. My entire body shuddered in convulsions and I sucked in air through my mouth. Suppressing the screams was becoming harder and harder.

Jake was speaking, but I couldn't hear. I tuned them out and stared between them, eyes locked on the jacket concealing Jess.

This isn't what I wanted—I pushed on the sides of my head with my hands, eyes wide and bottom lip quivering—I was going to make it better—I drew in a quaking breath and wrapped my arms around myself. I shook my head and clenched my eyes shut—I did this—all I'd wanted was to make things better, to make it up to them.

Not make it worse.

They were having a conversation without me. I caught bits and pieces of it as I tried to process what was going on, where I'd gone wrong. Michelle was beside herself, and Jake was doing his best to console her. But why bother? This was how it was going to end.

If I'd listened to Wolf, I would have had been able to apologize properly. They wouldn't be suffering. I wiped my nose on my sleeve and looked behind me.

The officer leaned against a wall, coughing and hacking.

For some reason Jake was before Wolf, imploring him for something. Michelle hung from his arm, tears flowing from her cheeks.

She shook her head and sniffed wetly, swallowing hard, and yanked on Jake's arm. "No, no I don't. I don't want to! I don't want—I don't want to die at all! Baby, babe, Jake, baby please there has to be . . . . Can't he fix it? Can he take them out?"

Michelle looked at me, then let go of Jake and ran to my side, grabbing my arms. I supported her the best I could when her legs buckled from pain, but we both wound up kneeling on the ground. When she spoke, she strained with the words. "Nichole—Tell me, tell me he can get it out. He can, right? He's got. . .he's got the alien tech!"

Though my mouth opened, nothing came from it. I shook my head, fresh tears welling in my eyes, and glanced over my shoulder at Wolf. He motioned toward the ship as a whole and I swallowed.

He tried making that machine work. Righted it, tried to turn it on.

To fix my wound

But it hadn't turned on. It had sparked and fizzled and hadn't worked.

"The ship," I whispered. "When it crashed, the systems went down. The machines were all . . . ."

Her grip on my arms loosened and her momentarily hopeful expression deadened into despair. Jake pulled her off me and hugged her to his chest. "This is the only way."

What's the only way?

I looked to Wolf for answers; he regarded me in silence, flexing his arm. The blades in his wrist gauntlet extended with a metallic hiss and he tilted his head to the side. Everyone flinched at the sound, including me.

Those impassive eye sockets on his mask didn't leave me.

He was asking for my permission.

But for what? What had they been talking about? What was the only way?

The officer's swift movement drew my attention from Wolf. He took two strides forward, his arm moving from his hip upward. Wolf growled and stepped to my side at the same time a loud pop split the air and rattled my skull.

What?

Michelle's grip on my arms tightened, her manicured fingernails digging deep into my flesh. A strangled noise came from her throat and then she was gone from my side. "Jake! Baby, no!"

His body was already crumpled on the floor, lifeless.

"Jake! No, no, no, no!" she wailed, falling on her knees by her boyfriend, hands fluttering over his body, unsure of where to land or how to help. Her tear-streaked face turned to the officer, holding his gun. "Why? What the fuck? What the fuck! I—you didn't let me say goodbye!"

He moved the handgun off of Jake, lowering it a few inches. His free hand was clutching his chest, and he labored with his breathing. Every now and again he jerked with spasms.

"It's easier if it's quick," the officer muttered, voice rough and heavy.

This . . . ? This is what they had been talking about? They were going to end it on their own terms. Wolf had been trying to tell me. He was going to put them out of their misery.

I'd stopped him.

You're nothing but a burden to everyone.

Torn, I scrambled over on my hands and knees to Michelle, holding her arm with both my hands. My eyes were on the officer, though, my head shaking with a silent prayer. He couldn't shoot her, I didn't want him to shoot her.

Just one, surely I could save one of them.

They couldn't all die.

A rough hand stole me away from her, prying me with inhuman strength, and I stumbled up with an incoherent protest. I reached out for Michelle and she reached back, but Wolf pulled me farther away, chittering and growling the entire time.

Wolf's grip remained firm on me, though I tugged against it as much as I could. "Michelle," I managed to warble, the tears falling freely. "Michelle—"

She turned toward me and started to say something, but she doubled over and grabbed at her chest. In place of her sentence came an agonized shriek of pain. My heart withered and my fortitude faded until Wolf was the only thing keeping me on my feet.

The officer swallowed hard and raised his weapon again. "I'm sorry—it'll be quick, I promise."

He fired a single shot.

It jarred me to the bone and I jerked, as if it was me he was shooting. Michelle fell limp shortly after, folding over atop her boyfriend. Wolf fell quiet next to me, his eyes on the officer. His blades retracted back into his gauntlet.

I could feel it.

The tight pain in my chest. It was an ever-present hole, a hollow void where my heart was. Like I would never be able to breathe again.

No longer could I feel my heart pounding in my chest.

There was nothing.

A numbness spread throughout me, the only sensation being that crippling abyss. It swallowed me whole and I fell to my knees at the same time the cop did. Wolf let me go this time, allowing me to slip down into a slump.

"I've got two left," the officer said. I looked up at him to see he had already sighted me.

And I couldn't bring myself to care.

"Just enough."

Wolf, however, was having none of it. He issued a warning growl and stepped in front of me, extending his blades again. The officer stared at the two of us, looked back at the bodies, then sighed.

"Alright," he said, placing the gun against his temple. He could hardly hold it there while his body convulsed from its affliction. Already the sound of splintering bones was filling the hallway. He hadn't much time. "Use it if you need to. I'm sorry."

The shot ate the last piece of me. He fell, and I choked back a sob.

My escort took a moment to watch the bodies. I rose, hollow and weary, and headed down the hallway without a word.

Every step was unsure and ragged. My muscles shook like leaves in the wind and I felt so cold. So empty. Not even the gruesome sounds of tearing skin and broken bones could penetrate the nothingness. There came a tiny squeal, cut short by singing metal. I stumbled and chewed the bottom of my lip, vision blurry with tears.

Head shots won't kill the fetus.

I didn't know where I was going. Sounds of drones echoed down the hallway, drawn by the commotion. What did it matter, though? So what if they found me? Wolf would kill them and we'd continue on our way.

Business as usual.

He stopped me with a heavy hand and I looked up at him, not caring if he saw me crying. In his hand was the weapon I'd left behind. I stared at it as if I'd never seen it before, and he forced me to take hold of it. He babbled gibberish at me, then took point and headed down the hallway.

Just as I'd thought. Nothing out of the ordinary here. Death was expected in his line of duty.

It still cut me deep. The sorrow and emotional numbness muted the anger I wanted to feel at his lack of empathy. How could I be mad at him when this was normal? What did I expect? Sympathy? Condolences? A pat on the head?

Wolf didn't care my friends were all dead. He didn't care about my feelings. For all I knew his species wouldn't even be able to comprehend the emotions of humans.

Onward he dragged me, the sound of the Echo and its entourage scant meters behind us.

Whatever. Let them come.

He opened up a door and pushed me inside, following closely. Instead of closing it he pushed me deeper inside the room and waited a second. Then, he turned to me and made a gesture I only saw from the corner of my eye before he disappeared.

Sobs formed knots in my chest and throbbed in the back of my head. I kept them in, but my legs refused to hold my weight any longer. My knees buckled and I collapsed to the ground, head in my hands. Wolf's rattling ceased and was replaced by the thundering footsteps of the Echo. It rushed past with a roar.

When the drones zipped by without checking the room, I hid my face in my knees. The silence spanned for several seconds and settled around me like a smothering blanket.

They were gone.

Wolf had left me.

And the silence deafened me.

I was alone. My friends were dead. Wolf had abandoned me because I was emotionally weak. I was on my own again, and I wasn't even sure if I wanted to make it out anymore. There was no one to save. My survival wasn't going to help anyone but me.

Air wouldn't fill my lungs and I started to hyperventilate. Drained physically and mentally, I collapsed onto my side and curled into a tight ball, my hands over my head. I inch-wormed my way from the doorway and sobbed into my arms. I didn't bother keeping them in check. They shook me hard enough to hurt.

Nothing will ever be okay.

My fault.