Helpless [Book 2]

41 || Numbed

➟ jack
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You don't know what you've lost until you've lost it. Everything happens so quickly, you don't have time to savor the very last moments you have with someone. For me, those last moments with Tommy were typical. He mouthed someone off and in the end it lead to his death. Those last moments with Hazzy, I regretted. I was too focused on Nia to even realize that someone's life could have been in danger. For Kyle, those last moments were the moments I was able to forgive him.

After hearing Sam's agonizing cries from behind the metal, we all knew what had happened. We all knew we had lost yet another loved one. I felt a hand in mine and looked up. It was Kyle. He squeezed it tight I could do nothing but cling to him like a lost puppy in a storm. I cried and I cried barely even paying attention to the giant beast only feet from my family.

From behind his animal-like features, somehow I could tell Draos held a sympathetic gaze. "I know this is hard for you," he said quietly, "and trust me, I don't like it either. But you have to see the truth."

I squeezed my fists, my sadness turning to anger. I could feel my fingers tingling with fire, but nothing appeared. Somehow he had taken our abilities away. I only hoped it was temporary.

"Maybe stop killing all the people we love, and then we'll listen to you!" Zane shouted from somewhere to my right.

I finally got control of myself and left Kyle's arms, standing my own ground. I wiped the loose tears from my eyes. It was evening outside. The sky was tinted pink and the first stars were appearing in the sky.

"I've tried that, Zane," Draos replied, "really I have. But you just—don't—listen... Do you?" His eyes were to my left, where Denver was standing. He looked at her like she had failed him. I felt a small hint of betrayal in my chest. Had her rescue all just been an act?

Suddenly, vines were shooting out of no where and wrapping themselves around Draos' arms and legs. He tried struggling against him, but it was almost impossible. Denver had him stuck. She tried to throw him off the ship, but her vines were backwards and he came tumbling towards us instead. Kyle grabbed my arm, yanking to the side while crashing into Ly and Nia and sending all four of us to the edge of the ship. We sat up, dazed and confused.

"Teach her another lesson, Shifter," Draos called angrily.

I looked back at my friends and saw that Nia wasn't with us anymore. Where had she gone? I couldn't think about her being dead. I couldn't think about another one of us being gone. I turned back to the monster and saw Denver and Zane rushing up close. They stopped short, their eyes wide. Draos smirked.

"Jack?" A voice whimpered. I snapped my head around and saw something horrifying. Kyle had his arms raised, his feet were close to the edge. Tears were in his eyes.

Ly and I both ran at him and tried to pull
him back, and when we did, he sharpened his claws and sliced Ly in the arm. "Stay away," he growled. I ran again, but Ly held me back.

"Let me go!" I yelled.

"He'll hurt you," Ly countered.

I continued to struggle, but it was no use. Ly had always been stronger then me. Kyle straightened his arms again. "What are you doing?" I asked.

"Just... just remember," he said calmly, tears running out of his eyes, "even after what happened, even after what I put you through, even if it seemed like I hated you. I never did." I struggled more, but I could barely move. My body felt numb. "I still love you, Jack. Always did, and always will. I'll only ever love... you." His eyes were shaped like a cat's. They gleamed an emerald green. He leaned back. He fell.

I screamed bloody murder before, but never did I scream as loud as I did then.

My whole body felt like the world was crumbling in on itself. I collapsed, Ly barely hanging on. My vocal chords felt like they were tearing at the seems. Everything in my world slowed down. I only felt my heart breaking.

It suddenly sped up again as my foot was yanked by a stronger force. I began to be dragged across the ship, moving my hands for any source of safety. I felt my self falling off the edge, and then suddenly being yanked by my arm, too. I opened my eyes and saw Ly above me, squeezing my hand, holding onto a stray piece of metal that had broken when Draos threw the chunk of his ship.

I wanted to look down. I desperately wanted to, but I kept my eyes on Ly as she trailed small vines down my arm, securing me. She told me not to and I listened. The yanking at my leg pulled harder and I cried out in pain. My arm slipped then and I screamed in the fear of falling. I brought my other hand up but it couldn't hold a good grip.

A minute went by, then two. The yanking pulled harder and I could feel my bones separating. There was one thing I had to do. I had to save Ly.

"Let me fall," I yelled clearly, though my voice was hoarse and achy.

"Are you crazy?" Ly screamed back, her eyes wide. Her grip became stronger. "Look, I can swing you up." She began to do so, but the vines holding us together began to rip and she stopped.

"Ly, right now you aren't strong enough. If you keep on holding me, we'll both die."

"No," Ly said shaking her head rapidly. "You'll die. We can't loose you! You're our healer!"

I smiled lightly. "You guys will be fine. Just let me go, it'll be okay, Ly." I knew why she was refusing. I meant a lot to her. Just a few minutes ago, Ly had lost everything. And now she was losing even more.

Around us, a storm began to form. Rain pelted against my cheeks and drenched us, making it harder to hold on. I knew Ly was trying so hard to feel nothing. She was trying so hard not to make it pour.

"This isn't like it was in training. We're hundreds— hell, thousands! —of feet in the air! It's not a simulation anymore! Three of us are gone! And you will be too."

"Then so fucking be it!" I yelled, my words sharp like nails on a chalkboard. Ly's face turned from sadness to expressionless. The air froze, her rain froze. It was like all the world's weather froze in one single moment. "Draos is only gonna get stronger. You need to be there to fight. Let me go while you still have some strength left."

Ly heaved in a helpless breath.

"You have to stay," she sputtered in one last effort to save me. The rain shook around us. I could feel my fingers tingling again. My fire was coming back. This was ending. Now.

"I can't," I replied, lighting my fingertips.

The vines hissed back and our grips slipped from the rain. I was numb. I couldn't feel myself falling. I watched as the rain disappeared into nothing. I watched as a figure leapt off the edge of the ship. They were falling faster than I was. Any second I would hit the ground. As he got closer, I realized it was Zane. He grabbed my hand and almost instantly, titanium was spread around both our bodies. It shielded us from the stiff earth that suddenly appeared beneath us.

In that last moment, dying had seemed so peaceful; when the moment was over, I craved life with everything I had.