Axel watched the helicopter rise, his eyes tracking every inch as the basket stretcher carrying Evelyn disappeared inside.
The blades roared to life, kicking up shards of wind. Her hair fluttered for a moment, a glimpse before the doors shut.
He whispered a prayer, 'God… please take care of her for me.'
His hands stayed in the air even after the helicopter slowly vanished from his sight.
The moment it cleared the treetops, he jolted back to life.
Turning on his heel, he sprinted up the ravine path, his shoes slipping but never slowing.
Liam followed close behind, panting, but wisely silent.
Axel couldn't ride with her. The medics said there was no room. They needed speed, less weight, fewer bodies. So he ran.
He ran as if his pulse were a detonator.
By the time he reached the top, his lungs burned.
But his mind... his mind was worse. It screamed. It imagined everything he didn't want to see; Her bleeding. Her cry. Her stillness.
