Water under the bridge

Part 14: The rescue

Part 14: The rescue

We have been searching for 2 days now and no sign of John or his plane. I try my best to stay positive and tell myself that we are close but I feel myself slowly losing hope. I still feel his presence but not as strong as before. We are working against time. I have barely slept or eaten and it's taking a toll on me. When I look in the mirror I see dark circles under my eyes, my cheekbones are more defined than before and my clothes are starting to hang loose on my body.
I need to stay strong for John, he needs me now more than ever, so I take a shower and order something to eat.
As I'm sitting in my hotel room here in Miami, looking at the food I ordered from room service I'm hit with memories from the last time I was here..with John. We were here searching for something that would tell us what had happened to me during my missing years. I really didn't want to know, but John was determined to find out, hoping that the answer would help us move on. I had a bad feeling then, a feeling that whatever we would find, would break us apart, that I would lose him...and I was right. Everything changed that fatal day when we went to San Cristobal and found Roman. We weren't really back together then, John was engaged to Isabella, but that night before we left for the island, we shared a kiss on the beach. It was filled with so much passion and promises of our future together.....my heart was filled with so much love, happiness and joy, but in a matter of hours it was replaced with confusion, sorrow, pain, loss and deep sadness.
A voice in the back of my head tells me that this memory means something...San Cristobal means something. My heart starts pounding fast as I pace to room trying to gather my thoughts.

My wounds are infected and I'm becoming increasingly weaker. It's hard to find the energy to go look for water or food. It's her voice that makes me find the last bit of will power to get up, to keep myself alive. "Hang on darling, I need you to keep fighting, you can't leave me, I need you...I love you" her pleading words keep me moving. I have gone further into the jungle than ever before. It's dark here, the vegetation so thick that sunlight can't escape. Mosquitoes and flies swarm around my open wounds, trying to eat me alive but something tells me to keep moving deeper into the jungle.
It's so dark I don't even know if it's day or night. I hear birds so it must still be daylight out there. Suddenly my foot slips and I start rolling down a hill, hitting trees and rocks on my way and then everything goes black.

I can't get a hold of Abe. He's out with some locals looking at some islands far out in the ocean. My gut tells me that I need to get to San Cristobal quickly, before it's too late. I don't know how I manage but somehow I get in contact with a pilot who's willing to take me. I don't have time to wait till Abe gets back, so I write him a note, telling him where I'm headed and leave it with the receptionist.

I wake up in even worse shape than before. I have no idea where I am, I lost all sense of direction when I fell down that hill. I'm fucked...it was stupid of me to leave the beach, no one is gonna find me here deep in the jungle. I can't trust my gut or instincts anymore... I should have known my ability to make clever and life saving decisions would be weak right now. I fumble my way through the dense vegetation, trying to find a clearing.
I see something ahead, some kind of man made construction. As I come closer I'm hit with flashing memories. I have been here before...many years ago. The monastery where Doc and I spent the night while we were looking for answers but instead found Roman. She was so scared that night, afraid of the dark, of the memories she was having, afraid that she would lose me to Isabella. She wanted my arms around her all night and I was more than willing to do so. We couldn't get close enough but nothing more happened, it took every ounce of strength I had not to make love to her right there....but I was holding back... thinking back I can't believe I was so stupid. She told me she always felt safe with my arms around her...truth is I also feel the most safe in her arms.
Walking around the monastery I notice that it's not as abandoned as one would think. It looks like someone has been here recently. Whoever that was, left behind some water bottles and other supplies. I drink some water and lie down on the same bed as we were in years ago. I can't help but think that it's not a coincidence that I am here, but I'm just too exhausted to think clearly. I close my eyes thinking I just need to rest a little before I carry on.

The flight to the island is just as horrible as I remember. Heavy rain and a strong wind that makes the small plane jump around. We land on a shore, I'm not quite sure where. I have no idea where I need to start looking, it's dark and difficult to see anything so I will just have to go on instinct and my vague memory of this place. In the distance I see a faint light.... Is it a fire?? My heart starts beating fast as I run in that direction. As I run I hear the plane take off, leaving me here all on my own.
Coming closer I can see embers from a fire made a while ago. It's almost burned out. I look around and see signs of someone who has been living here for a while and I know in my heart it's John. "John.....John!!!" I call out for him as loud as I can. I'm frantic, calling for him again and again but he doesn't answer back. Where the hell is he??? I'm not sure what's the right thing to do.. Do I stay here and wait for him? Maybe he is out looking for food and water and will return soon. Or do I go into the dark jungle, where all sorts of dangers lurk? Think Marlena Think....
I put some wood on the fire, making the flames big and warm. I close my eyes and take a deep breath, and try to focus my attention on John. Please God give me a sign...
"I need you to be closer...closer than that...I need you to hold me"......"All night long Doc"...
My eyes snap open by my own voice and his...The monastery, I need to find the monastery..

The sand beneath me is swallowing me whole, squeezing the air out of my lungs. I try to move but I'm paralyzed. "Doc.....Doc..." I yell for her. I feel her presence, but the fog makes it impossible to see anything. "Marlena....follow my voice...I need you baby...Marlena..!!"
And then I hear her call my name in the distance...her voice coming closer and closer.

I see the monastery now, I'm so close. "John...John can you hear me?!!" I'm running on pure adrenaline, my foot hurts but it doesn't matter, I need to get to him fast.
Bursting inside the building, I recognize the rooms and quickly make my way to the room where we slept many years ago.
And there he is, on the bed. I run to him praying I'm not too late. "John...oh my God..John... It's me, Marlena. I'm here now, you're safe now.." I start crying, I'm so relieved. That is until I get a good look at him and then my heart drops.
He is covered in deep cuts which are infected, he is pale and thin. I notice that his breathing is slow and uneven. He looks like he is barely alive. I start to panic.."John.. I need you to wake up darling. I can't lose you now. I have come all this way so don't you dare give up now...do you hear me.." I kiss his lips and I can feel how cold they are. I grab my bag with the medical supplies I took from the hospital and quickly find the adrenaline shot. Counting to 3, I jam it into his heart and again pray to God that it's the right thing to do. I hold my breath as I watch and wait.

I can feel her touching me, kissing me, telling me to wake up and keep fighting. Her voice is filled with tears and fear. I try to free myself but I'm slowly being drawn into the dark abyss. I can't leave her..I will not surrender..."come on John, this is your last chance...fight your way back to her!!"

His eyes are starting to flutter and his breathing is getting more even. I hold his hand, my other is caressing his bruised face. "That's it darling..that's it.. I'm here, just listen to my voice..I've got you..come back to me" I'm sobbing quietly. He is squeezing my hand and his body is starting to stir. And then he opens his beautiful blue eyes. Relief escapes my body as I fall down onto him and hold him tight. I loudly thank God for answering my prayers.

I open my eyes and there she is..The most beautiful sight a man could ever wish for. She appears to me like an angel and I'm not sure if I'm alive or dead. That is until I feel her body pressing against me, her tears on my chest and her voice thanking God. Then I know..this is real, she found me, she saved me and I can only thank her and God, that they gave me another chance in this life.