The Stolen Heart

[ 11 ]

 
   Third person view:

  Cadence rushed to her, heart in her throat. Erica lay on her side, her face pale and smeared with dirt and blood. Her breath came shallow and uneven. A jagged piece of metal pipe jutted from her abdomen, dark red staining her shirt in a growing pool. The sight of it sent a chill through Cadence that felt like ice in her veins.

  "Erica—" Cadence dropped to her knees beside her, hands shaking as she reached for her but stopped just before touching. She didn't know where to touch, how to help. "Oh God Erica..no, no, no..."

  Erica's eyes fluttered open at the sound of Cadence's voice. Her lips trembled into the faintest of smiles. "Cadence... you found me..."

  Tears blurred Cadence's vision, and she blinked them away quickly, forcing herself to focus on Erica, to be present.

  Cadence swallowed back a sob, tears welling in her eyes. "Of course I found you. I'm not going to leave you here." She reached out, taking Erica's hand in hers, holding it as tightly as she dared. "I'm going to get help, okay? We're going to get you out of here."

  Erica winced as pain flashed across her face. Her grip tightened on Cadence's hand, not letting her pull away. "No... stay. Don't leave..."

  "I'm not leaving." Cadence shook her head, her thumb brushing gently over Erica's knuckles. "I'm right here. I'm not going anywhere." 

   Around them, the chaos of the scene continued to unfold, the sounds of sirens wailing in the distance.

  Erica's breathing hitched, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. "It hurts" she whispered, her voice trembling. "Cadence... I don't... I don't know if I can..."

  "Shh." Cadence's voice broke as she leaned in closer, brushing a stray lock of hair from Erica's face. She was fighting to stay calm, but her heart was breaking.

  The piece of pipe was deep. Blood stained the ground beneath Erica, too much blood, and Cadence could feel the panic rising in her throat again. She couldn't lose her. Not like this. Not now.

  "I... I should have told you," Cadence whispered, her voice barely audible, the words trembling on the edge of her lips. "I should have told you a long time ago how much you mean to me."

  Erica had her eyes close and couldn't say anything, she only felt her tears flowing away from her eyes. 

  "You can't leave me," Cadence whispered, her voice cracking. "You can't. We're not done yet. We have so much left..."

  Erica's eyes fluttered shut for a moment, and Cadence's heart skipped a beat, panic flaring as she squeezed Erica's hand tighter.

  "Stay with me, okay?" Cadence's voice shook as she spoke. "Just stay with me a little longer. Help is coming. They'll find us, and they'll get you out of here. Please, Erica, just stay!"

  Erica nodded weakly, her breath coming in shallow, uneven bursts, but she held on. She was still here. That was enough for now.

  Then, finally, through the haze of smoke and dust, Cadence heard voices. Shouts. Help was coming.

  "They're here," Cadence whispered, her voice trembling with relief. "Erica, they're here. You're going to be okay. You hear me?"

  Erica's eyes fluttered open again, and this time, there was a flicker of hope in them. She smiled, faint but real, as she looked at Cadence.

  "I'm not leaving you," she whispered, her voice soft but determined. 

  Cadence let out a shaky breath, tears of relief spilling down her cheeks as she kissed Erica's forehead. "Good. Because I'm not done with you yet."

  The medics arrived moments later, pulling Cadence back gently as they began to work on Erica. Cadence stood there, her hands still shaking, watching as they carefully lifted Erica onto a stretcher. Erica's eyes found hers, and even through the pain, through the exhaustion, she smiled.

  And in that smile, Cadence knew—they would be okay.

__________________________________________________

  As Erica was laying in her hospital bed, the events of the explosion replayed in her mind, each memory accompanied by a wave of pain that radiated through her body. As she inspected the room more, she felt something moving on her. When she looked she saw a peacefully but a cried eyes Cadence laying on her hospital bed holding her hand. Slowly, her eyes opened and she said:

  "You woke up!" She said grinning and jumping on Erica to hug her.
   
  Erica let out a sharp gasp, her body tensing with pain as her face twisted in agony. "Ahh—Cadence, my stomach..."

"Oh God, I'm sorry—I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to—" She brushed Erica's hair from her face, her voice breaking. "I just... thought I lost you." Cadence froze, immediately pulling back but not as quickly as Erica as she pulled Cadence closer in her embrace.

  The door creaked open and the other girls came into the room. Cadence quickly left her embrace. 

  "Ohoo you just woke up you lovebirds." Nadia teased them.

  "How are you feeling Erica? You scared all of us." Melissa said.

  "I'm fine, sorry guys, I didn't know this would happen. It's all Merlow's fault." Erica said and made the girls gasp in shocked. 

  "Well we're gonna make him pay for this." Cadence said and the others nodded.

  Erica nodded and she was only playing attention to Cadence.

The realization hit Erica when she saw Cadence's cheek.

  "Did you just came after me through the fire?" She asked Cadence while trying to raise her hand to Cade's cheek that was burned.

"I would do it all over again if that makes you stay alive." She said with a weak smile. 

"I think we should just leave guys, it is obvious that we are bothering them." Anna said and they laughed and Erica just stopped for a moment to appreciate the real friends that are beside her. 

_______________________________________________________________

  Woah guys. I just shed some tears to this chapter. I don't know about you but I felt a lot of things. It was very sad but it will be okay. 

 I just published all the chapters that were made in advance. That means I don't think I will be able to update this story often because school started and I don't have that much time left to write. :( 
But I will try to do it somehow. If I see your support, it will dedicate me to write.