WHEN THE WORLD ENDS

25.1

"Fuck!" Jaxx grunted, his mouth contorted into a grimace as he clutched his wounded shoulder. Blood oozed from between his fingers, dripping onto the dirt beneath him. Jaxx felt his muscles tense underneath his touch, aching with each heaving breath he took.

"What were you thinking?" Katherin murmured in shock, her bottom lip drawn between her teeth.

She tasted blood. Was it Jaxx's? Hers? Katherin wasn't sure.

When they'd heard the gunshots, Jaxx had pulled Katherin to the ground. She'd landed on his chest, groaning as her wrist hit the hard ground beneath them. Small pebbles had burrowed into Katherin's bandage. They scraped against the wound, irritating the flesh. Katherin could feel her wrist bleeding. It wouldn't be long before blood soaked her bandage. They'd have to clean the wound with alcohol again.

"You were going to die," Jaxx responded.

His nose twitched as he tried to control his facial expressions, not wanting Katherin to know how much the injury hurt. He didn't think he could move his arm. The bone was numb.

Katherin stared at Jaxx, her mouth parted as she tried to form a coherent sentence.

"You're an idiot," she finally spluttered, pushing herself off Jaxx's chest to stand.

There were footsteps. They were urgent, heavy.

Katherin whirled around, her hands tightened into fists.

Lyria ran to Katherin, her fingers wrapped loosely around her gun. She didn't know why she was still carrying it. The gun wasn't useful anymore. She'd used their last bullet.

"I didn't have enough time to aim," Lyria panted. "The man – he's still alive."

Lyria halted, her eyes trained to Jaxx's wound, to the blood drenching the grass. They needed to get him to Rosabelle. The wound was deep. He'd be lucky if they didn't have to amputate it; not that they knew how to.

"I'll go after him. Take Jaxx with you," Katherin ordered, her tone coming out as harsh in her haste to keep her friends safe. It was too dangerous for them to be outside in the open. Jaxx could get shot. Again.

Lyria nodded.

"No! Fuck," Jaxx groaned in protest. "It's too dangerous. I'll go with you."

Katherin shook her head. She began to walk backwards towards the house, checking to make sure her radio was still tucked into her pocket. It was.

"Don't let him come after me," Katherin said. "That wound needs to be fixed. You need to get to Rosabelle."

Katherin turned around. She strode towards the house, sucking in deep breaths to calm her anxiety.

"You don't need to be the hero!" Jaxx shouted.

Lyria held Jaxx's shirt, preventing him from running after Katherin. She spoke in her radio, quietly asking the others to drive the van to their destination. Jaxx was right, partially, at least. It was dangerous for Katherin to go alone. She needed someone watching her, making sure she was okay. They'd be able to keep tabs on her from the van.

Katherin clutched her wrist, her nails digging into the healed flesh. She forced herself to keep walking forward. There wasn't time to respond to Jaxx, to fight with him over stuff that didn't matter.

That man needed to pay for what he'd done. Katherin would make sure of it.

The house loomed above Katherin's small figure, stretching ominously into the sky.

Katherin twisted the door handle. It was unlocked. The hinges creaked in protest as Katherin slipped into the darkroom.

Katherin didn't bother shutting the door behind her. It would only waste time.