Page 159 of The Wishing Game

He doesn't acknowledge my words, and before I can blink, he's gone from my sight.

"Ze?" I call out, my eyes widening with fear. I run toward the spot he disappeared from, anxiously calling out his name. "Don't leave me alone..." My lips tremble as a sliver of fear washes through me. Maybe it's because we've been inseparable until now, but the thought of being alone in this world terrifies me.

Foolish thoughts and scenarios inundate my mind as I dash after him, still calling his name. It's as if between me and doom there's only him—only Ze. He's my buffer... my rock.

So focused am I on finding him that I no longer mind my surroundings or watch my steps.

A sharp pain erupts in my knees and palms as I trip and fall to the ground. But in my desperation, I barely register the fall. I get up, ready to continue my search for him.

But as I turn around, I note the sudden shift of the landscape as well as the dimming colors—as if darkness has suddenly consumed the entire sky.

"Ze..." I call out once more, my chest aflame with a spark of terror. Yet just as the word is out of my mouth, I frown, slowly forgetting my initial purpose. A cracking noise reverberates from my side, and as I turn to search for its source, my eyes are blinded by a sudden light. White tendrils slither forward and grip my body, pulling me into that light.

THIRTY-FIVE

Iblink my eyes open, a whooshing noise erupting in my ears as I find myself in the middle of a hallway. The walls are a familiar cream color, decorated with Mesoamerican motifs. The illustrated deities watch me from their lofty place near the ceiling, ready to mete out judgment on those who step out of line. A flurry of movement startles me, and I watch a few servant girls hurry up and down the corridor.

I take a step forward, but an insidious pain makes me gasp loudly. Slowly, I bring my hand to my shoulder. My fingers become coated in blood, the pain getting worse by the second.

W-what happened?

One moment I was in a forest... I was in a forest, wasn't I? My brows furrow together in confusion as I strain to remember. There's something inside of me that tells me I was doing something else—something important. It's on the tip of my tongue as I strain to remember.

There was another person with me too.

"Who was he?" I whisper. I can almost make out a tall, broad-shouldered figure in front of me. But as the seconds trail by, a thick fog descends upon my mind, the mist concealing all that important information until I no longer remember why it was important in the first place.

My wound pulsates, the pain assaulting my senses until I hunch over, breathing erratically. Taking one more look around, I realize I'm close to the staff kitchen—my initial destination.

Why did I stop in the middle of the hallway? I, better than anyone, know what will happen if Sergio catches me. Then it's not just going to be a bullet in my shoulder. It's going to be a lot more than that.

Pushing against the onslaught of pain, I hurry to the back kitchen, getting inside and closing the door behind me. Since this is a secondary kitchen, it's not often used, which allowed me to smuggle some sanitary items in case I ever needed them.

Going to the back, I open the pantry, looking for the hidden compartment on the bottom shelf. As my hand brushes against the handle of the secret door, I pull it open and take out the small first aid kit I stashed away. It's nothing fancy, since it's mainly comprised of items I've managed to steal from the drug testing facility. But it should be enough for now to ensure I won't get an infection. With Noelle so close to going into labor, I can't afford to become incapacitated. That would jeopardize her health and that of the baby, and I could never forgive myself for it.

I spread out the sanitary items over the kitchen counter, quickly surveying them and forming a mental plan. A quick glance at the clock on the wall tells me I have an hour to spare.

I purse my lips. Since time is limited, I need to work fast. Taking off my shirt, I undo my makeshift bandage and hold up a small mirror to see the extent of the damage. I wince at the red, angry wound and the red liquid oozing out of it. Every little movement hurts, the bullet wiggling inside my flesh and causing me more pain.

Goddamn it. Why did this happen today of all days? Why are we so unlucky? Since Sergio caught us attempting to escape a few months ago, it's been getting perpetually worse. He wants to make Noelle suffer for what she did to him, and he knows that he can do it through her baby and...through me.

I stifle a broken sob as I try not to think of the future. It's bleak anyway. As long as I can help Noelle and her baby survive this nightmare, I won't care what happens to me.

She has her whole life ahead of her.

Me... What is there left for me?

I have no family. No friends aside from her and...him. God, I have nothing but some broken and delusional dreams about a boy I once made the mistake of falling for; someone who for all intents and purposes might be married now, living his best life while I...

A tear rolls down my cheek.

There's no one waiting for me... At one time, I may have made the mistake of imagining what life would be like outside of the constricting walls of the hacienda—what I could do if I were free. But that's only brought me more misery for something that's never going to happen.

I've lived my worst moments on this land. But I've also had the most happiness. Maybe it was brief, but I'll always cherish the memory of the man who gave me a purpose...an identity. Because it's that identity that I'll take to my grave.

Somehow, that gives me an extra dose of courage as I pick up a pair of tweezers and douse it in disinfectant. I close my eyes for a moment, breathing in and out. The pain is unavoidable. I know that. I've had so much pain my entire life, I should be used to it by now.

"I can do this," I whisper to myself.

---