PART TWO: ZARED

"I love you, Jinsen. So fucking much." I say brokenly, knowing this is the last I'll ever see him.

But I needed to make sure he lived. Even if it breaks my promise to him. Pushing him as hard as I could I'll never forget the look on his face as he realizes what was happening. But it was too late for him to do anything as he free falls, screaming, heading straight into the river.

I don't get to see him submerge as the thing that was embedded into my gut clenches hard and pulls me back roughly. Crying out in massive pain, I'm thrown back against the floor, the pouring rain hitting me right in the face as I struggle to grab onto anything I could.

But the damn thing was too fucking strong. As much as I knew I was going to die, Jinsen's face kept me fighting to hold on. And I fought hard. Grabbing onto anything I possibly could get my hands on while the thing dragged me backwards against the wooden floor.

The pain going through my body was more than I could bare but bare it I did. I snatch a wooden beam that was attached to the upper wheel to the mill that produced wheat into flour and held on as tight as I possibly could.

I hear the screeching cry of the monster behind me when something breaks like splintering wood with part of the second landing giving way. It screeches again along with another as I watch in horror as they fall through the molded wood and fall to the first level, taking me with them as I was still captured.

Screaming out in fear I feel myself falling into the open air as I was pulled roughly from the gravitational pull of the tenacle that was still in my body. If this thing doesn't kill me this fall sure as hell would. And while I wanted to try and fight to live, I don't think I could fight myself out of this one.

Thinking fast I spot a broken piece of wood sticking out from where the floor had given out and I took a leap of faith and reached out to it just in time hoping it was sturdy enough to hold me up. I felt my body jerk as I gripped onto it tightly. I grunt as that damn tenacle took hold and didn't let go. The pain of it ripping me inside and pulling me desperately to follow I couldn't help the scream that comes out of me.

Tears streamed down my face wondering what I was going to do when I see the one on the stairs before quickly reach the second landing again staring right at me. But then a loud whoosh sounded below, and a burning heat reached beneath followed by a deafening cry of pain and anger.

I was so focused on the one that was ready to leap in my direction that I didn't see it coming. The sudden blaze of fire that speared up the stairs and right at the monster before it could do anything. I was so shocked that it didn't register that the pulling had stopped on my body. I watch as a cloaked figure slowing ascending the stairs to the point where they couldn't walk any further, holding a blowtorch, torching the shit out of the creature until it was smart enough to head through the outside window and into the rain where it disappeared.

I quickly look to the person as they stopped what they were doing and race back down the steps. My eyes follow them until the wooden beam I was holding onto cracks a little, dropping me a few inches causing panic to shoot through me.

"Hey! Let go!" Someone yells up to me.

I carefully look down to see the first floor in a blaze of fire and the creature that was about to eat me burning into ashes on the ground just below my hanging feet. The tenacle was flapping in the air as one end was cut off. I was breathing hard, and my vision was starting to blur. Dizziness begins to overtake me as four hooded figures all gathered by the one who had called up to me.

They were all looking at me now.

"Jump! We'll catch you! If you don't you're going to die!"

"We don't have much time, the place is going to collapse any minute, man!" Another cries out.

What other choice did I have? I didn't have a choice. So without another thought, I let go, squeezing my eyes shut, forgetting the pain as my last thought before finally blacking out through the fall was of his face, looking horrified and grief stricken.

At least I finally got to say it to him. Finally got to tell him how I truly felt. Something I've been waiting to say for a very long time.

***

I was covered in sweat.

When I finally opened my eyes it was to bright sunlight hitting my face, making me squint from the pain it caused. Moving my head I groan as my entire body ached and felt sore everywhere.

"Hey, he's awake!" A young voice calls out not to far from me.

A young kid's face suddenly swarms in my vision, looking hopeful with a huge smile on his face.

"How do you feel? Man, we all thought you were going to be a goner."

"Kyle!" A young woman comes to stand behind him, moving him slightly out of the way as she looks down at me with a worried expression.

"You're finally awake. That's good." She says more gently than the kid did.

Swallowing to get my dry throat a bit moist I croak out, "Where am I? Who are you?"

She places her hand on my forehead and smiles gently. "Your fever finally broke. You've had a pretty bad accident. Almost died, would have died if we hadn't shown up in time to save you. You've been in and out for about five days now."

She nods her head to my side as she says, "That wound is serious and very deep-"

"Actually it went all the way through! The fact that you're alive is a miracle!" The same kid says as he pushes against her to tell me that.

She scowls down at him and pushes him away. "Kyle, you're not helping here." She scolds.

He just gives her an annoyed look.

"He's right though. It went all the way through. We were afraid to remove the tenacle at first but once we confirmed it didn't hit any vital organs, which is damn lucky by the way, we worked as quickly as we could to patch you up."

She pulls back the soaked blanket and carefully checked the thick bandage that was wrapped around my entire torso.

She sighs heavily. "We'll change the blanket. And you seem to be doing okay for now. Our biggest concern was the fever. It's going to be a really nasty scar since Joe had to cauterize it on both sides to get it to stop bleeding."

"Thank God you weren't awake for that. The stench alone was horrible." Kyle quickly interjects.

"It's going to take a while for you to heal. You need to keep laying down for the time being." She finishes.

I was already shaking my head at the suggestion. "I can't do that. I have to find someone."

I start to move, not caring that my body was screaming in pain as I did so. I was suddenly pushed back down with a thud. Hissing, I hold back the groan as I stare hard at the woman. She was giving me a very stern look.

"I'm sorry but that's going to have to wait. You can't move or the wound will tear open, and you'll bleed out."

I didn't have time for this. "I can't just stay here. I have to find someone and make sure they're okay. I have to get to them." I press, trying to get back up again just for her to push me down a second time.

"And like I said, its going to have to wait. Unless you want to end up dead anyways there's no way you'll be able to get to them in this condition. You need to rest and gain your strength back."

"She's right. Don't be a fool about this." A deep voice states not too far off behind her.

We all turn to see a middle-aged man who was dressed in military garb. He was tall and by no means weak looking. He walks with a purpose right next to her and stares down at my condition before meeting my eyes.

"Name's Tyrone Barnes. Everyone calls me Barnes. Ex-Marine, thirty-two, showed up in the purple light three weeks ago. Casey and Kyle were the first two I ran into when I didn't think anyone else was here in this shithole. Been together ever since. How about you?"

Ex-Marine. That explains the look and the atmosphere about him that he didn't play with bullshit. Licking my lips I answer him with the truth.

"Zared Beauchamp, eighteen, high schooler. Been here for two months give or take-"

"Two months?!" Kyle exclaims incredulously as his eyes bugged out.

"Are you serious? You've been here for that long?" Casey asks with just as much shock.

I frown at them, then remember what Lacy had said about people not lasting here for very long. I wonder if they were still alive. I know I told Jinsen they were all probably dead by now, but even I had hope that somehow they made it out and were trying to survive just like me and Jinsen.

Jinsen.

"Look its not that big of a deal. I really have to go. You don't understand how important it is that I-"

"Find this person that you're looking for. We get it." Barnes states. "We can look for them for you. Do you remember where they are?" He asks.

Uh...How do I tell them I pushed him into the raging river to save his life? Hopefully I didn't cause him to drown that is. Just thinking about that outcome was causing me to go into panic mode. I had to find him. How long did she say I was out for? Five days?

That was far too long. Jinsen probably thinks I'm dead.

"The last time I saw him was at the mill. He...fell into the river." I admit to a point.

They all look to each other and I knew what they were thinking. He more than likely drowned. Especially with the river raging and overflowing as it was that day. But I couldn't think like that. I had to believe that he somehow made it out of that and was able to find shelter somewhere.

"We'll look. But I can't make any promises that we'll find your friend." Barnes's tone was one of being unconvinced.

But at the moment it was all that I had. So, I nod my head in agreement.

"What's his name so we know he's the one we're looking for?" He asks as he motions for someone behind him.

"Jinsen, Jinsen Blu."

He nods his head. "Good. Not a common name."

Another man comes walking up next to him and looks down at me. "Glad to see you made it, buddy. How you feeling?" he asks, looking maybe in his early to mid-twenties.

All I could do was scoff at that and he grins. "That's a good sign. Pain means you're still alive in this barbaric living hell."

"He's been here for two months, John!" Kyle exclaims excitedly.

The guy John looks back down at me with wide eyes of curiosity. "No shit? I got to say, someone either loves you up above or really fucking hates your guts to keep you living in this world."

"How long have you been here?" I ask, now curiosity was getting to me if two months was a shock for these people.

"Twelve days. I've already had my fair share of nearly dying at least four times since then. Barnes here saved my ass on my fourth day. I would have been monster chow if it wasn't for him."

"What's your story?" Casey asks next as Barnes pulls John away to speak to him.

My story? How would I even begin? Where do I even start? How do I tell these people who gave me a chance to stay alive, all the shit I've been through, the things I've already seen, the people I had lost? What to say to these people who gave me another chance, so I didn't leave Jinsen behind after all? Jinsen...my thoughts always keep coming back to him. I needed to find him. I needed to let him know that I was okay and not to break down on me.

If he did make it I knew he was just going to give up on living and not care whether he lived or died. And to me that was more dangerous than anything. I couldn't have him give up. I needed to find him, and fast.

Before something horrible happens and I was going to lose him for good.