Chapter 4 – Across the Bridge
The bridge was cold.
Wind cut across the river, carrying ash and the smell of burning wood. The violet light from the rift painted the water an unnatural purple, and every few seconds a distant explosion shook the rails under our boots.
Ilin walked beside me, her arm in the cloth I'd tied, her steps slow but steady. I kept my hand close to her elbow, ready to catch her if she stumbled.
Garrick limped at my other side, his arm in a sling. Mara walked ahead, pipe resting on her shoulder. Finn brought up the rear, rifle held tight, eyes scanning the darkness.
We didn't talk. There was nothing left to say.
When we reached the middle of the bridge, a low growl rolled from the south end. Three creatures emerged from the smoke, their stone-like skin glinting in the rift light, yellow eyes fixed on us.
Garrick swore. "We don't have time for this."
Mara raised her pipe. Finn lifted his rifle.
I drew my blade.
Ilin tightened her grip on her staff.
The creatures charged.
Garrick met the first one head-on, his axe biting deep into its shoulder. The creature roared, swinging a claw that caught Garrick's side. He grunted, but kept swinging.
Mara swung her pipe at the second creature's head. The impact cracked its skull, and it went down.
The third creature went for Ilin.
I moved without thinking, stepping between her and the attack. The claw raked across my forearm. Pain flared, sharp and hot.
I drove my blade into the creature's eye. It shrieked and collapsed at our feet.
Ilin grabbed my arm. "You're bleeding."
"It's shallow," I said, wiping the blood on my pants.
"It's not shallow," she said, her voice tight. The crystal on her staff flickered faintly.
"Don't," I said. "You'll burn out again."
"I can handle a small cut," she said.
"You said you'd tell me if you felt dizzy," I reminded her.
She hesitated, then nodded. She pressed her palm to the cut, and the familiar warm glow spread through my arm. The pain eased, the skin knitting back together.
She swayed.
"I'm fine," she said quickly, before I could say anything.
"You're not," I said, but I didn't push it.
Garrick was breathing hard, blood soaking the side of his shirt. Mara had a bruise forming on her cheek. Finn's hands were shaking.
"We need to move," Mara said.
We crossed the rest of the bridge at a faster pace.
On the other side, soldiers were directing survivors toward a secondary evacuation point a few blocks away.
A commander stopped us. "Squad 9, you're being reassigned. The south sector is collapsing. You'll reinforce the perimeter at 4th Street."
"Yes, sir," I said.
The commander looked at Ilin. "Is she fit for duty?"
"She's fit," Ilin said before I could answer.
The commander nodded and waved us on.
We moved into 4th Street.
The area was a mess. Buildings were half-collapsed, fires burned in the street, and creatures were everywhere.
We took position behind an overturned bus.
Garrick and Mara handled the front, swinging and smashing. Finn fired his rifle, picking off creatures at a distance.
I stayed close to Ilin, covering her.
A creature lunged from an alley. Ilin swung her staff, hitting it in the jaw. It staggered, and I finished it with a thrust to the throat.
Another came from the right. I blocked its claw with my blade, twisted, and cut across its neck.
Ilin swung again, her movement slower this time.
"You need to stop," I said quietly.
"I can keep going," she said.
"You're pale," I said.
"I'm fine," she said.
A creature burst from behind the bus. I spun, blade raised, but it was too close.
Ilin stepped in front of me and slammed the staff into the creature's face. The crystal flashed, and the creature was thrown backward into a wall.
Ilin gasped, her knees buckling.
I caught her before she hit the ground.
"That's it," I said. "You're done."
"I can—"
"No," I said firmly. "You're done."
She leaned against me, breathing hard. "I just wanted to help."
"You did help," I said. "You saved me."
She nodded, eyes closing for a second.
Mara called out, "We've got more coming!"
I helped Ilin to sit against the bus. "Stay here. Don't move."
"I'll be right here," she said.
I turned back to the fight.
Garrick, Mara, Finn, and I held the line. The creatures kept coming, wave after wave.
My arms ached. My shoulder throbbed. My forearm stung where Ilin had healed it.
We killed them, one by one.
After what felt like an hour, the flow of creatures slowed, then stopped.
The street was littered with bodies.
The commander ran up to us. "Good work. The perimeter is holding. You can fall back to the medical area."
We headed back toward the bridge.
Ilin was still sitting where I'd left her, her eyes closed, breathing slowly.
I knelt beside her. "Hey."
She opened her eyes and smiled weakly. "You came back."
"Of course I came back," I said.
She reached for my hand. I took it.
"You shouldn't have used your healing," I said.
"I couldn't let you get hurt," she said.
"You matter more than a cut," I said.
She smiled, a little sad. "You matter more than my exhaustion."
I squeezed her hand.
Mara and Garrick joined us. Finn sat on the ground, leaning against the bus.
"We made it," Mara said.
"Yeah," Garrick said.
The commander approached. "Squad 9, good work. Get some rest. You've earned it."
We were led back across the bridge to the medical area.
I helped Ilin to a cot. She lay down, her eyes heavy.
I sat on the edge of the cot.
"You scared me back there," I said quietly.
"I scared myself," she admitted.
I took her hand again.
"We'll get through this," I said.
"Together," she said.
I nodded.
She closed her eyes and fell asleep, her hand still in mine.
I stayed, watching her, listening to the distant sounds of fighting, feeling the weight of her hand in mine.
For the first time since the rift opened, I felt a small, stubborn hope that we might actually make it through the night.