“Good grief, Meg! What did you do to your leg?” Evan asked staring at all the gore.
“I tripped and fell on a toothpick, what the heck do you think? I was fighting that guy over there,” I motioned over toward the meta-monster, “and he decided to go excavating in my thigh.” I was so relieved to see my brother that the pain was more manageable … at least, as long as I didn’t move.
Evan was ripping off a piece of cloth from the elegant black curtains and making a tourniquet for my leg. He positioned it right above the wound and tied a good and tight knot trying to reduce the blood loss. I kept talking as he worked, trying to be brave through his pinching and tugging.
“Just as that guy, who’s a super strong Meta by the way, was about to finish me off, Maze came out of nowhere and saved me.”
Maze whined at the sound of his name. Yeah, he knew I was singing his praises.
Glory-hungry fur ball, I thought affectionately.
“Oh, my goodness, Evan. I’ve been so happy to see you I haven’t asked the most important question: Where are Alik and Mom?”
“Alik is looking for her right now in that southeast building. When you didn’t show up on schedule, he sent me to come find you.”
“What happened to Williams?” Evan asked, still bandaging my leg as well as possible.
“He escaped while that guy beat the tar out of me.”
“At least you’re alive…”
“For now, we gotta get out of this building. What was up with the additional explosions, by the way?”
“I’ll tell you my theory later. Meg, I’m going to have to carry you. You can’t walk on this leg at all.”
“Tell me something I don’t already know.” I grimaced as he easily lifted me off the floor. It’s a good thing Evan is as strong as at least three adult men.
The room spun. I hope that was just me, because if the room were really spinning, we’d both be screwed. Maze whined to tell me he was right beside us.
“Keep talking Meg. I need you to stay awake for me. So keep talking.”
“Awake?” I yawned. “Now that you mention it, I am really sleepy.”
“Your body is close to going into shock from the loss of blood.” Evan said this sentence in the same tone one might use when reading off the weather forecast for the day: Today’s skies will be partly cloudy with a slight chance for rain in the afternoon.
I started giggling at him. Evan frowned at me, probably thinking I’d completely lost it. He was speaking, so I told myself to pay attention.
“…have to take the stairs. The elevators are not safe.”
The further we went, the more smoke there was. Apparently, whatever exploded had done so on the bottom floor. Too bad, because that’s exactly where we needed to go. I couldn’t stand it anymore. I closed my eyes with a blissful sigh. I was so tired. Just a little nap, that’s all I needed.
“Meg…come on Megglet. Stay with me.” Evan pleaded.
At hearing Evan call me “Megglet,” I forced my eyes open just a bit. That was mom’s pet name for me. I missed mom so much, and I must have been mumbling that because I heard Evan say, “I know Meg, I miss her too. Alik must have found her by now and has gotten her to safety. Just stay awake, okay. Mom will want to talk to us when we get outside. You have to stay awake to talk with Mom, Meg….MEG!” But it was too late. My body hung limp in my little brother’s strong arms. I had gone into shock and blacked out.
Chapter 57 Alik and Mom
Once the explosions stopped, Alik sat up and tried to see what was hit through the clouds of dust around him. He felt a cold breeze drift across his face. There, not twenty yards away, was a large gaping hole in the side of the building. He could see the lights of the emergency vehicles outside. He could feel the cold night air pouring in pushing the dust around and causing him to shiver. Though he didn’t know if he was shivering from cold, shock or joy. Maybe all three.
He looked down at his mother. She looked so pale, so peaceful, and that scared the heck out of him. He picked her up as gently as possible and started running toward the opening.
“HELP! HELP! MY MOM NEEDS A DOCTOR!” Alik yelled. From the ambulance, three paramedics ran toward them with a stretcher. Alik kept moving away from the buildings fearing another round of explosions. They helped Alik put his mother on the stretcher and even as one of them rolled her further away from the burning buildings, the other two were working on her.
“Is she gonna be okay?” Alik’s voice cracked with emotion.
He saw the two who were taking her vitals exchange a look before one of them spoke. “We’re going to do everything we can to save your Mom, son. She’s badly hurt but we’re not giving up, okay?”