Sacrifice (ONC 2023)

Chapter 3

Thank Martian Jesus for my mental notes. If those dunes  hadn't been there I'm 83.5% sure we would be more toasted than the burnt crap you get when you set the toaster to the highest setting: that's pretty toasted! My team began to follow me in my headlong rush across the plateau, slowed by the sand we were running in. Now we knew what was coming, the signs were infuriatingly obvious; the howling of the wind that hadn't been there before (the howling or the wind for that matter), the faint reddish hue on the skyline, slightly lighter than the ground, but darker than the sky. It looked to be a ways off, but moving in fast. The cove was still four hundred metres off, give or take. I was currently ahead, with Axel rapidly gaining on me from behind, Tarquin not far behind him, but Eli was falling back - too far back for my liking. Axel began to pull ahead, before realising he didn't know where to go and falling into step with me. Two hundred metres to go and the distance between us and the dust monster had just about halved. The whole thing has me on edge. Please say we make it, I can't lose anyone, not now not ever! Especially not to this oversized dust bunny! Thanks Smurf twigs that these dunes were made of sandstone or our goose was cooked, dusty, but cooked nonetheless.

A CAVE!

Our saving grace was a cave opening in one of the dunes up ahead, it looked like a tunnel that led somewhere. Where? Who knows, but anywhere is better than out here when that storm hits.

"Quick! In there!" I shouted over the howling winds to my team, gesturing in that general  direction. They got the idea. I made it. I made it in first and ushered Tarq and Ax in after me.

Wait…

Something wasn't right here…

"ELI!"

I frantically scanned the area, my heart doing somersaults at what felt like 150 miles per hour.

"SIL! HELP!"

Eli. Not caring for Tarq and Ax's frantic shouts behind me, I sprinted out of the cave, faster than I've ever run in my life. Head turning sporadically in all directions, hoping, praying for a fleeting glance of shoulder length brown hair, or hazel eyes. I couldn't lose her, I couldn't fail as a leader. I couldn't!

"SIL!"

The cries were much closer now; but so was the storm. Time was definitely not on my side here, curse time. I rounded a corner a few dunes away from our cave when I saw her: Eli, lying in the sand clutching her ankle. Shit.

How was I going to get her back?
Would we even make it?
If it came to it would I sacrifice me or her?
Was I selfish for thinking of myself?
Am I a bad leader?
Why did I even come on this mission?

Questions swirled around my brain like the elephant in the room: the sandstorm/dust storm/whatever! Come on brain, don't fail me now! We might both make it back. I had to try. Looking down at Eliza, I was about to ask if she could walk, but stopped myself; of course she can't walk stupid! If she could she wouldn't be lying here still!

Right. Without thinking, instinct kicked in and I bent down, scooping Eli up in my arms, bridal style so I could still run easily-ish. I took off in a hare-brained dash for the cave again, retracing my previous steps through memory as best I could through the frenzic fog in my head.

It's going to be fine. We're all going to be just fine.

I reassured myself in my own head, treading the thin line between optimism and naivety. The cave came into sight, bring with it the view of Tara and Ax in the mouth of the cave - right where I had left them - gesturing manically towards us, as though that would somehow give me magical flash powers. As soon as I was within shouting distance I hollered at them, letting them know exactly how I was feeling right now:

"GET INSIDE YOU DIPSHITS!"

They hesitated just a moment longer before turning and dashing a ways into the tunnel mouth. Eli and I were now only about 50 metres away. We were going to make it! Only by the skin of our teeth though: literal seconds after we skidded though the entrance the sandstorm thundered across the plain behind us, quickly beginning to pile sand up at the cave entrance. After we went a little further into the cave, away from the outside, I set Eli gently down on the ground and crouched beside her, examining her ankle anxiously. It was beginning to swell. Not good. Not good at all. She probably wouldn't be able to walk on it for a while, which was quite unfortunate since we were quite a way out from base. The surface certainly wasn't all we imagined it to be.

"How does your ankle feel?"

I could take an educated guess but it would be easier to judge hearing it from her herself.

"Hurts like a bitch."

Fair.

"Sort of aching pain in my ankle, which would explain the swelling. I would recommend bandaging it with a bandage from the emergency medical pocket on our suits. Third one down on the left leg."

These suits had pockets all over them so how the nerd had managed to memorise the location was a mystery. I felt the suggested pocket and, sure enough, there it was, a bandage roll, a few plasters, a :break to activate' pack and some burn gel. I grabbed the bandage roll and began to bind Eliza's leg. Out of the corner of my eye, I see the boys begin to back slowly away into the mouth of the tunnel towards wherever it went. I spoke up before they could get five steps.

"You two are staying here, we need to have words."

The steel in my voice surprised even me; we all knew what this was about. I honestly thought I trained them better that to just-

"Don't be too harsh on them," Eli's whisper broke me out of the cage of angry thoughts locking me in my mind. "They were only looking out for us."

"Yes I know that," I hissed back, disgruntled: whose side was she on? "But they could have gotten themselves killed watching us possibly get killed, meaning the mission fails and we all die for nothing!" I took a breath, "also… you lot are like family to me, I can't lose any of you."

Eli gave me a sympathetic smile."Go talk to them."

"Fine." I got up grumbling and made my way over to the sheepish looking boys, neither of them could look me in the eye.

"I know you were both just trying to make sure we were safe, but in doing so you put yourselves at great risk too."

"Ok mum." Tarq muttered under his breath and I shot him a warning glare. If looks could kill, my best friend would be dead and buried, six feet under. Why couldn't he be serious about anything for once? It was so infuriating!

"Both of you, think about the bigger picture for me: what would have happened had we been buried alive?"

The two exchanged a nervous glance. Axel hesitantly put an answer forward, "We would have to continue the mission?"

"Exactly! Now think of what would have happened if Eli and I hadn't made it back and then you two would also get buried alive cause you were too busy watching us to think about the bigger picture?"

No answer.

"You see? Some things are bigger than us: they might not have found out we all died for ages so they don't send a new mission and people don't make it to Mars for another ten years. Also, like I said to Eliza, you guys are like family to me, truly, and if I lost any of you I don't know what I would do."

Tarquin smirked at me, a hint of true appreciation in his emerald eyes, "love you too Sil."

I hit his arm before turning to the matter at hand:

"You two boys, go help Eli walk, I'll turn on the built in torch in this super suit, and let's see where this tunnel leads shall we?"

Everyone nodded at my idea, the boys making their way over to Eli,  the latter still on the ground, and helped her into a standing position, each one of their shoulders being used as a crutch as I fumbled with the suit, finally finding what turned the torch on as we continued down the mysterious tunnel to who knows where.