Take Me Home

40. Stay with me

Axel's eyes forced themselves open as he was greeted by the sight of smoke and floating ashes above himself, his eyes blinking against the sting of the smoke as he awoke from unconsciousness. Darkness covered most of his vision as he let out a weak cough, the vibration of the cough causing his body to shudder as he blinked again, darkness all around him. He could hardly see. Memories came back from the dark as his senses sharpened, the consciousness returning slowly.

The bomb.

A bomber had deposited a bomb which had hit near him, causing an explosion. He must have been knocked out after falling, pieces of rock and rubble hitting him.

Axel felt fear rising up inside him as he lifted his head slowly, not feeling very much. Adrenaline rushed through his veins, giving him the full alertness he needed. He let out another few weak coughs, using his right hand to support himself as he tried to sit up from his back position on the ground. He then moved his shoulder to use his left arm, to help him sit up. As he tried to hove, he heard a sharp snapping sound.

There was a sudden, piercing scream.

Clenching his jaws shut, Axel let out a low moan as pain spread throughout his body, arching his back and causing him to shudder. Series of gasps escaped him as he felt something pressing against his arm, digging through his flesh and pinning it there. Completely consumed by agony as pain washed over him in repetitive waves, Axel clenched his jaws again, biting down hard as he leaned his head back, shock overtaking him.

He blinked, completely unprepared for the sharp pain that continued to flow into his body, which wanted to write around with the pain. His left forearm was stuck under something and he didn't know what.

Breathing heavily, Axle looked toward his left, seeing the figure of some large and sharp rock like objects. Then, horror overtook him as his green eyes trailed down to see a large pool of blood leading from under the rocks and over to his head. He gently shifted his arm, gasping as pain electrified him, unable to hide the low whimper that escaped from his open mouth. Heart pounding, Axel began to shake from the shock and blood loss.

Was this it? It couldn't be. he had promised Freya he would show her Germany.

Axel blinked, looking straight ahead as his mind tried to think through the shock and pain. He needed to get out. He laid there, on his back as he heard distant banging and booming from the bombers. He could see a red glare as fire began igniting onto things. Fear swam into his chest, his mind focused on the pain. The adrenaline refused to hide it anymore as Axel felt the full effects of the pain.

Axel's green eyes stared up at an empty hole in the ceiling. He had been in the barracks, looking in the room for Roger when the bomb had hit him. Roger hadn't been there. Axel gasped, feeling liquid trail from his arm as the rock shifted, digging deeper into his flesh and causing him to let out a soft cry of pain. He clenched his right fist. The hole in the ceiling had been replaced with the moon and the lights of bombers as they trailed in the sky, flying over him. Those were German planes.

His eyes closed. Darkness filled his mind.

Then they shot open, realizing that death was stalking him. He was losing blood. He needed to get out of here, and soon too. He moved his legs, which were sore but seemed to be okay. he then gently moved his left, feeling pain rip through his veins and he yelled, voice echoing. Clenching his jaws, he felt his chest tighten. He couldn't leave yet. He needed to help Freya. He needed to make sure she would be okay. What about his home? Would he never see his family again, after everything he had been through?

He clenched his jaws, slowly moving his left arm. It was no good. Gasping through the pain, he narrowed his eyes, realizing that he could hear grunting. The rock was shifting. Axel clenched his jaws, pain devouring him as his body twisted against it. He heard the sound of shoes scraping against the ground as someone put effort into trying to move the rock. He recognized the sound of the gasp of breath that followed.

"R-Roger...?" Axel whispered weakly, staring up as a man rose over him.

"Axel. Hang on, I'll get you out of here!" Roger yelled back, pushing against the rock again. Axel closed his eyes, feeling a sickness in his stomach as the pain lit his body like a fire as Roger tried to move the rock. "I can't do it!"

Panic filled his lungs as Axel watched Roger attempt to lift it, then push it. Light exploded nearby, the sound of a bomb echoing.

"Roger, you need to go. F-Find Freya!" Axel stammered through his clenched teeth.

"I'm not leaving you, Axel." Roger said, his voice barely audible as another bomb went off nearby. Axel blinked, dirt in his eyes as he coughed again, wondering how they would get out.

"My arm..." he murmured.

Suddenly a weight fell upon Axel and Axel gasped, feeling Roger as Roger pinned him. Confused and suddenly scared, Axel opened his mouth to speak but then froze. Everything inside him went cold as Roger pulled out a small pocket knife, rearranging himself so his knee had Axel's chest pinned.

"R-Roger...?" Axel gasped, trying to struggle. But Roger was much larger and it did no good as Roger felt along Axel's arm. He couldn't be doing what Axel thought he was going to do.

"Roger, no, don't do this!" Axel protested as he felt something cool and hard set against the skin above his elbow. Axel's eyes widened and he pushed against Roger, but it dis nothing.

"I'm sorry, Axel. I promised her I'd bring you back."

Axel took a deep breath, his eyes widening as he suddenly felt the agonizing vibration of the knife sawing against his skin, breaking his flesh as it dug deeper in efforts to cut through. Axel twisted from under Roger, pain blurring his vision as he clenched down, muffled screams erupting from his throat. He felt Roger shift in order to keep Axel pinned down as he continued sawing through his arm. The blade cut through veins and skin, Axel shuddering and shaking as Roger continued. The pain caused him to want to just end it there.

The knife began scraping against bone, pressing harder as the motion continued. His eyes rolled back and Axel began to lose consciousness. The pain pounded in his head, worse than anything he had ever felt. It buried him, sunk him, swallowed him. He raised his right arm, desperately and weakly trying to get Roger off . His efforts did no good as Roger continued torturing Axel.

"Axel, I'm sorry, this is for you!" He grunted, and Axel heard the sound of a bone breaking as the knife did its job. He could hear the blood that was splashing against the ground as suddenly his senses began dimming, his vision gone and only his sense of hearing and touch alive.

"Stay with me, Axel! Don't you dare leave on me yet!"

He saw his brothers, standing next to him, encouraging him. And his parents. His friends. And Freya.

The pain was too much as Axel began slipping into the peaceful darkness. He almost couldn't feel anything. He almost couldn't think anymore. Everything was slowly going dark. He saw Freya, and his eyes opened, everything returning.

"That's it, stay with me! I'm done, see! Come one, get up!" He felt arms lifting him, holding him up. something was tied around his chest, putting pressure on his left arm.

Or, where his arm should be.