One Half of a Whole

Chapter 7: Discovery

Austin

Laying in the middle of the train car, I focus on my breathing to minimize the pain. It radiates down my left arm. Leon left to go stop the train. A few moments later I felt it slow. I reach over with my right hand to feel the makeshift bandage Leon put around my shoulder to stop the bleeding. He said it doesn't look too bad but we need to get back to the castle where they have the equipment to deal with this with the best possible outcome.

I hear Drexel's footsteps as he walks back into the car.

"Help is on the way man" I let out a huff.

"It is not bad," I say. I open my eyes and turn my head to the left to look at him. I see a look of defeat over his face. He was the commanding guard. He is the one responsible for Kamara.

"Hey, um, it's going to be ok," I say quietly. These next few hours are going to be tough for all of us.

I turn my head again, this time to the right and I stare through the window. The sky is dark orange. The sun has set but a few rays still reach over the horizon. In a few minutes, it will be pitch black as night comes. It was a smart time to plan a kidnapping, that's for sure. Now I am not commemorating their work but they did plan this out.

"Help me up, will ya?" I ask, looking back at Drexel. He has his hand over his mouth. A common movement for him when he is thinking or stressed. My words seem to jolt him out from whatever was going on in his head. He walks over and grabs my right arm when I offer it to him. He pulls and I push up with my feet until I am standing. At first, I feel dizzy and I continue to hold on to Drexel. But after a few moments, I am good and let him go. I examine the car. It is a mess. Broken furniture, ripped curtains, the emergency hatch on the roof hanging off its hinges. Not to mention the pool of blood that soaked into the carpet beneath me.

There is one thing that catches my eye. In the corner of the train car, a small black device blinks red. I see remnants of blood over the tube hanging out of it.

"Drexel, what's this?" I say as I walk over to it. We were given explicit instruction not to touch or move anything by the guards at the castle when Drexel first put in the emergency call. However, my curiosity is stronger than my self-control.

Drexel doesn't say anything as he walks over to it. He reaches down to pick it up and in his hand, he turns it over. Suddenly he drops it. It hits the ground with a crack. I look up from the ground at his face. It is white. Like Mary's when Kamara was kidnapped. He breathes in sharply.

"Drexel?" I ask.

"Drexel," I say again when he doesn't respond.

"I... I need to make a call." He slowly turns around, not making eye contact. He walks out of the car, running his hand through his hair.

Then I am left alone, clutching my shoulder.