Chapter 6
HARDISON
Imade a deli sandwich with fries and fruit because all the food we’d consumed seemed to disappear. It happened all the time with me and rice. My stomach felt empty, like I hadn't eaten in years.
I asked Emberlynn if she wanted anything, but as soon as I walked to her door, I heard her on the phone talking to someone.
“So, girl, you never told him you didn’t plan to stay?”
“No, what was I supposed to say? Sorry you’re in pain, but I lost my job and can’t afford to stay. No, I couldn’t do that to him.”
“Why, because he’s injured? You need to figure out what you want to do. There’s no reason to drag this on for him if you’re ready to leave.”
“That’s just it.”
I moved away from the door, removing myself from listening to her conversation.
Emberlynn was too good to be true. I’d thought I’d stumbled upon an angel, only to find out that she was a liar instead.
It was not like we were in love or anything.
She’d only been here for two days, so she’d had no real reason not to be honest. I guess you couldn’t find innocent people anywhere.
Moving through the heavy thickets of trees, I ducked as bullets zoomed past me. Wooden stalks splintered as I passed them. High weeds and big leaves slowed down my escape. I’d studied the map of the area so much that I felt like each path out of here was etched in my brain.
“Curie, you’ve got to move, or I won’t be able to stay to retrieve you. They’ve got choppers on the way. I see cars along the hillside, and there’s something moving in the water.”
Shots whizzed around me, hitting rocks, trees, and even bodies.
The cries of wounded soldiers sang out in a harmonious defeat.
I tried to help rescue them, but there was no way I would have time to help men who were dead.
I’d sent two men ahead of me with a female soldier who’d been held hostage for months.
She’d been forgotten for over thirty years in this land, and I wouldn’t let her die here.
Even if I couldn’t make it to safety, she would.
“Get out of there, Curie! You’re surrounded on the west. Abort the mission. Move your ass!”
I lifted my hand to press the comm when I saw the clearing I was looking for.
I picked up speed, and as soon as I was out of the wooded area, a bullet pierced my thigh.
Losing my balance, I fell headfirst onto the ground, where a rock cut into my face.
Pain drummed through my body so hard that I couldn’t breathe.
Something wet leaked from my face as I sputtered to speak.
Movement came from the direction I was running.
A shit ton of ammunition was unloaded around me.
Then I felt hands lifting me. Before I could object to letting them know there was something inside my face, I was lifted from the ground.
Cursing sounded as I was carried to the chopper. The sky whirled as they rushed me to safety. I didn’t think I was going to make it, so it was all for nothing. I hope there were no lives lost to save me because I was about to join them.
AIR.
I gasped for as much of it as I could. I felt a presence nearby, and struck out to kill, not harm. The person jumped back, and when I went for them again, there was a feminine scream that brought me back to reality, and the light flipped on.
Emberlynn.
I closed my eyes tight and tried to breathe through the anxiety taking over. I almost killed her.
Not. Enough. Air.
My face. I touched it only to find it dry and scarred. Tightness made my chest heavy, as if a fuel truck was sitting on it.
Barely. Breathing.
The bullet pierced my thigh again. I squeezed my eyes closed as a bell rang inside my ears. Over. And. Over. Blood. I was covered in it and trying to focus, but the chopper…
“Hardison!”
I opened my eyes to see Emberlynn’s worried face.
“Stop clawing at your leg.” She pointed at it, but all I saw was blood. “Breathe.”
How? There wasn’t any air.
“Watch me.” She took a deep breath, but when I tried, I felt like I would pass out.
She approached me and placed her hand on my chest and mine on hers. “Follow me.”
Emberlynn touched my face, and relief followed. “Breathe.”
I closed my eyes, and she snapped her fingers. “Eyes on me, beret.”
I followed her breathing patterns until I calmed down. Even then, we continued breathing until she smiled. I kept doing it for as long as she wanted me to if it would keep her smiling like that.
“Much better. Would you like to talk about it?” she asked.
“No.” I couldn’t. Not when I didn’t trust her.
“Would you like me to sit with you for a while until you fall back to sleep?”
I shook my head. “I’m good. Just needed to snap out of it, is all. I’ll be fine.”
“Okay, please remember to talk to the therapist about it when she comes tomorrow. Maybe she can help you work out where it’s coming from.”
“Yeah, maybe.” Or I could already know. I’d had nightmares before I’d signed up for another tour. But when I got hurt this last time, they magnified in frequency and intensity—one of those injuries that couldn’t be seen.
She disappeared into the bathroom and reappeared with alcohol, ointment, and Band-Aids. She cleaned the scratches I’d made on my leg and then put everything away.
“How’d you know I was a beret?” I asked as she turned to leave.
“I saw a picture of you. And you look good in that uniform, by the way.” Emberlynn smiled warmly at me.
Was it real, though?
“What picture?” I squinted.
“There’s one of you on social media. My best friend found it when she was stalking you to make sure that you wouldn’t steal me away. It’s much better than the photo you used on your Love Catered profile.”
“Well, I wasn’t supposed to be on there, so I used something that was a little more discreet.”
“Understood. Well, I’m in the other room. Call me if you need me. Otherwise, try to get some sleep. Or if you change your mind, we could hang out in the living room until you’re tired.”
“Thanks. I think I’m going to go back to sleep, though.”
Emberlynn shrugged and gave me a small wave before disappearing into her room.
I exhaled a heavy sigh, grateful that I hadn’t hurt her. Though I didn’t know if I could trust her, I didn’t want her dead. Bad dreams didn’t need to result in bodies being removed from the house.
No longer tired, I pulled on some sweats and then watched TV. I turned on something lighthearted to distract me from the lurking darkness. I could feel it on the edge of my vision, threatening to come back in full picture mode.
I didn't need that.