The Aftermath (Book IV) [NaNoWriMo13] (On Hold)

Chapter Seventeen - The Beast

                                                                  Chapter Seventeen

                                                                        The Beast

My breathing came in gasps as my vision faded from me. I could feel my body slumping to the ground and the freezing snow surrounding my body. I had no idea what was happening. My entire world faded from me and was replaced with blackness. Did I die of a heart-attack or something? Did I die of fright? Did I just blackout because of a traumatic experience? Did I suffer a blow to the head when I slammed into Jack?

Zach, Zach, Zach.

The name echoed through my head so clearly that it felt like someone had whispered it in my ear. But the echo wasn’t my own thoughts. It wasn’t my voice.

It was Jack’s.

I could hear his voice so perfectly that I thought he was lying next to me. His voice was repeating the name with such bitterness that it stung. I could feel Jack. I felt his presence. I knew he was with me right then and there.

We were connected.

Jack, I thought in the blackness.

Samantha? Confusion was obvious in his thoughts.

Stop. Please stop fighting. Please. Please. Please.

His thoughts swirled around Zach with such hatred that I begged harder.

I love you so much, Jack. Don’t do this. You have to stop now or something horrible will happen. Please.

I was ripped from the blackness and was suddenly blinded by a light. Now am I dead?

“Samantha!” cried my mother, whose face appeared in front of me.

Not dead.

I sat up and took in my surroundings. I was in the snow, just where I remembered being. My head snapped into the direction where Jack had been. He was sitting up, his expression just as puzzled as I felt. From where I sat, I could see his eyes weren’t coal black, but pale green. I pushed myself into a standing position with my mother following closely behind. “What happened?” I asked as we made our way back towards the crowd. I kept checking Jack to make sure he wasn’t about to go after Zach again. He didn’t. He just sat there.

“You both just collapsed. By the time I got to you, you were already up.”

“Wait. How long were we out for?”

She glanced nervous and accusingly at Jack. “No more than half a minute.”

It felt like hours.

“Zach? Zach?! Zach!” Penny’s screams echoed off the houses.

I looked over to see her cradling Zach’s head in her lap with tears dripping down her cheeks. I didn’t hesitate before running to her side. Zach looked like he was mauled by a bear. His face was barely recognizable. I sunk to my knees as I took in what was left of my ex.

“He’s not breathing!” Penny cried, giving Zach another shake.

Joe was by our side in seconds, checking Zach’s vitals as I pulled Penny away from Zach.

“I-Is he okay?”

I whipped around to face the voice who had said it. Jack stood behind us with a look of horror on his face. His eyes were a chocolate brown and wild. He stepped closer to us when Henry and Zoey stepped in front of him. “Don’t get near them,” Henry growled, still wiping the blood from his lip.