We Live Forever

Chapter 23: The End

Crimson's POV:

I started to come too again and I found that being crushed to death was in fact very painful. My spine had been crushed, maybe even shattered; if by some miracle I survive this I'll no doubt go the way of Charles. Through a great deal of effort, I manage to turn my head slightly. 

Charles is passed out in the cage but otherwise seems nearly unharmed. Hank on the other hand seemed to be fighting death. His eyes meet mine and he looked relieved. He coughed blood onto the floor and gave a weak smile.

"Hey darling, you had me worried for a bit there"

"Hank, you-"

"Don't- don't worry about me. Now we gotta you outta here, alright?"

"I'm not going to leave you here!"

I stretched my hand out towards him and he did the same. This time, they reached and he gently grabbed my hand. 

"Yes, you are. Nothing we do is going to get me out of here alive, but you- you might live. I vowed to protect you-"

He wheezed and coughed up more blood.

"-and I'm gonna do that."

Blood and tears mixed together as I started to sob. 

"Hank, I-"

"Till death do us part means that you have to leave me when I die, okay? I won't let your life end on account of me."

Hank started to loosen his grip on my hand, probably not by choice.

"Life without you isn't life at all my love"

I grabbed his hand firmly and used it as an anchor to pull myself out from under the ruble. The parts of my body I could still feel hurt like hell, but I couldn't give up. It got easier to crawl across the floor because it was slick with blood. 

"That's it, my love, just come to me and let me say goodbye," he rasped out between coughs.

I continued to crawl and I was almost to him before I had to stop. If I get any closer I'll be practically swimming in the pool of his blood. 

"It's okay, love, it's okay. Everything is going to be okay, just come here. Please," he begged. 

I did my best to clear every thought out of my head as I pushed forward. I felt something circular roll around in my pocket.

The serum.

I don't exactly trust Hank's parents, but I'm a little low on options. 

I pulled forward once more and I finally made it. I was laying down on the floor sort of underneath Hank in a puddle of our blood. I felt something prick my wrist and I looked up just in time to see a syringe drop from my husband's weak hand. 

"Live. For me my love."

The words came out as a whisper, soon after his eyelids dropped shut and he stopped moving.

Then it kicked in. My pain increased tenfold, but some strength recovered. I reached out for the syringe, but I was just out of reach. 

I don't have much time. He's already gone, but I have to try. Maybe it's not too late. 

I took the vial from my pocket and carefully smashed the top part into pieces. Hank's head was not an angle where I could pour it down his throat.

I panicked before putting the serum in my mouth, doing my best not to swallow it. I placed both hands on the ground and did my best to push myself up just a little bit. I went for it. I leaned in and kissed him trying to get the serum into his system. 

"Alright sir, we've gotten the professor, but what about the other two?"

"Take whoever's alive and then burn this place. No one can know what we did to acquire him."

"Yes sir."

A pair of combat boots entered my view. 

"Hey there little missy, you're coming with me."

I spat blood onto his pants and he kicked me in the face. 

"You're feisty, the boss is sure to like you. We got a live one!"

My vision started to blur and my hearing started to get fuzzy.

"What about the other male?"

"He's-"

Author's Note:

"-hot"

Oops again. I made it sad, didn't I?

Side note: even though this chapter is titled "The End", it most certainly is not the end. It's merely a reference to Chapter 1, "The Beginning Of The End"

See you next time!