Chapter 89
Tristan
You’d think it would be impossible to fall asleep when you are trapped underground in a parking garage in the aftermath of a massive earthquake.
But somehow, I doze off.
Sometime later, I don’t know how much later, I wake up and blink in confusion.
My body aches, my ankle feels stiff and hot, and my head is pounding.
My joints feel decades older as I force myself to sit up straight, and my muscles scream in protest as I pat the ground around me, looking for the flashlight.
My hand settles on it, and I switch it on with clumsy fingers. Beside me, Mathilde is also asleep.
Panic lances through me. What if she isn’t asleep? What if she’s dead?
“Mathilde!” I say roughly, shaking her.
I almost cry when she opens her eyes.
“Get the light out of my face,” she grumbles.
“Jesus, I thought you were dead.”
“No, just dreaming that I was in an earthquake and broke my leg. Oh, shit, is that real?”
“I’ve got bad news for you.”
“Fucking hell.”
Though my muscles and joints are still shrieking, I manage to stand. “I’m gonna try to dig through the rubble now. You gonna be okay here?”
“I’m coming with you.”
“I’ll be right there. You can see me.”
“I want to help.”
I raise my eyebrows skeptically. “Do you think you can?”
“Are you really in a position to not accept help right now?”
She has a point. “Okay. Just, please, be careful.”
“Help me over there.”
She holds up her arms, and I carefully help her to her feet. She keeps her weight off her broken leg, and together we hobble towards the mound of rubble.
We make it three steps before the shaking starts.