Page 107 of Pet: Torment
Once the tide receded enough, we made it to the shore of the beach, and Sky was able to find fresh water. But we cannot go any further with an unconscious Ezra until I get better. And I don’t know if that’s going to happen anytime soon.
Sky laughs, sitting back on her knees as she shakes her head, tossing the wood back into the fire.
“What the hell even was that?” she asks, tears spilling as she looks at Ezra. “Who was that? And why did he go for Ezra?”
I don’t have an answer for her. It doesn’t make sense for whoever attacked to go for Ezra. Among the three of them, Ezra is the weakest. If he were smart, he would have taken Remus out, not battle with him the way that he did. Did he not want to kill them? Did he want to take overXyrannis? Even if we somehow make it out of the woods, what wouldXyrannislook like for us?
“At least he’s alive,” I say.
Every time I think of their mother, my body remembers what it was like to be held by her and stabbed, helpless to do anything other than scream. But her first priority when she showed up was Ezra. And for her to bargain for his life must mean she saved it.
Either way, for us to end up in a cave with an unconscious Ezra must mean the Celestivine who attacked won.
Sky doesn’t respond to me as she gets up, moving to sit next to Ezra. It’s strange seeing him in this state. Even when the rebels “captured” him on Earth, his spirit was never broken. But seeing him so vulnerable and possibly on the brink of death is unnerving. I grunt as searing pain washes over me, rolling over to vomit. There’s barely anything left in my system, my vomit coming out with blood in it.
“I’ll go look for food tomorrow,” Sky says from across the fire.
“We’re far from civilization. That’s why we had to fly in on a ship. It’s going to be a while before we can reach anyone to help us. It’s going to be a hard road ahead,” she says.
I lie back, my attention focusing on the night sky.
“And what awaits us in a society we don’t even belong in,” I say to myself more than anything, but Sky hears me.
“I don’t know. That doesn’t mean we lose all hope. We don’t deserve to die just because of what happened to them,” Sky says.
I don’t have a response for her. At this point, she is going to have to take over mentally, because I am exhausted. I have fought so hard for so long just to have everything taken from me unexpectedly, this time no different.
I pull in a trembling breath, jumping as a loud crack splits the sky. I ignore the pain as I sit up, watching in terror as lightning I’ve never seen crawls across the sky, stretching for miles in an array of color. But there is no rain, and no thunder, not even a cloud in the sky.
Suddenly, the ground trembles beneath us and I look at Sky in confusion, both of us gasping as the air shifts, turning heavy, making it difficult to sit up. The hair on my arms stand as tension settles over us.
“What is this?” I ask, and Sky shakes her head.
“It’s Remus.”
Both of us jump, screaming as Ezra’s voice carries over the fire. He’s awake. Sky’s sobs fill the night air as she clasps his face, trying not to hurt him as she embraces him. She murmurs something to him, and I vaguely catch that it’s in the Leviathan language before his hand gently grips her arm, squeezing tight.
My chest squeezes as I watch them embrace. I am happy for her—for them. It’s the one small bit of relief in all of this. And as she finally lifts her head, Ezra speaks. She finally lifts her head, and Ezra shifts his attention to me, his smile feeling like a breath of fresh air.
“You look like shit,” he says, and I laugh, ignoring the pain it brings me as I wipe my eyes.
Our moment of relief is short-lived, however as another violent crack ripples over the sky, prompting Ezra to elaborate while he still can.
“This is…Remus’s power…he’s done this before. He—ngh! He is collecting the planet’s energy to…make it…implode on itself. He’s destroying it,” he says.
My eyes widen, my heart sinking as I think of what this means. Remus is alive, and for some reason wants to destroy the planet he called home.
“Can’t we stop him?” I ask, causing Ezra to laugh.
“We’re…as good as dead…I’m too…weak to even—ngh!” he groans, his breathing hitching before he starts panting. Sky screams at him, shifting to press her hands against his chest but he starts convulsing, his eyes remaining closed.
I groan in pain as I try to move over to them. By the time I reach, however, Ezra has lost consciousness, leaving us with his terrifying revelation.
Sky is quiet as she gently strokes Ezra’s cheek, her tears falling heavily.
“So, this is it then, huh?” she says, suddenly.
I don’t have a response for her as another violent strike ripples over the sky. It’s larger this time, illuminating us in its electric glow before settling us back into darkness. Suddenly, her hand appears in front of me.