Page 21 of Einar

Answeringher,Igently run my fingers over her cheek. “No, they dumped us in here and that’s the lastI’veseen of them.I’mpretty sure the ship launched a little bit ago.Theair got weird there for a second and thenIfelt weightless.Thankfully, not long after you passed out, your leg stopped bleeding, but your wrist is black, so it must be broken.God,Ruby, what do we do now?”

Shockfills me when tears fill her eyes, and a jagged sob escapes her. “I’vefailed you.”

“Oh, pleaseRuby, if this is anyone’s fault it sure as hell’s not yours.I’mthe reason we were in that place to begin with.”

Ibarely get the last word out before a deep, rasping coughing fit takes hold of me.Thetaste of pennies fills my mouth asIreach up and wipe bright red blood from my lips.Ruby’svoice is full of sisterly concern as she asks, “Howlong has that been going on?”

“Toolong now,Ifear.Wehave enough to worry about right now.Youneed to rest while you can.Lordonly knows what horrors we’re going to be a part of next.”

Stretchingout next toRuby, we cuddle up next to one another, trying to find a modicum amount of comfort in this hellish existence.Herbody starts shaking andIgently pull her closer to me, trying to support her the only wayIcan as my lungs rattle with every breath.

Somehow, we must have both fallen asleep, because the next thingIknow,Rubyis pulling me away from the doorway, jarring me from the nothingness of sleep.Thosenasty insects are back.I’venoticed that they seem to like it best when the women scream, as if our rage and terror excite them somehow.

Thelimp woman that was bitten by theNagais the first to be snatched from the floor and drug out the door.Aweak moan escapes her lips, and dismay fills me asIrealize she’s still alive.Evenafter everything she’s been through, poor woman.Twomore women are grabbed before they seem satisfied and leave the room.

RubyandIhuddle together across the room from the other human woman.Everyoneis too scared to talk, just in case the bugs are listening to us.Noone wants to bring their attention back to the inhabitants of this room.

Timedrags on andIwonder how long we’ve been trapped on the bug ship.It’sobvious the bugs don’t care if we’re alive or dead.Awhile back, a couple of the girls demanded food and water … they were both removed from the room and haven’t returned.Whichis the same for anyone else they’ve taken from our holding cell.

Onceyou leave through that door … you don’t come back.

I’mworried aboutRuby.Herbody is in worse shape than mine, even thoughI’mslowly suffocating to death and my lungs are deteriorating from whateverI’mallergic to in the air in here.Notto mention the fact that we don’t have any facilities to relive ourselves.So, the additional stench of waste is making it even harder for me to breathe.Asit is,Ican get only the shortest of breaths in me, and each tiny inhalation burns like someone is shoving hot coals down my airway.

IguessIshould be concerned about the fact thatI’mno longer hungry or thirsty, but this isn’t the first timeI’vebeen deprived of those two things.Unfortunately,I’msemi-conditioned to suffer.

Rubyhowever, is not.Iknow her leg is infected because of the red streaks and the fact that she can barely move it.She’salso dangerously dehydrated; her lips dry and cracked.

We’vebeen left alone for a while now.Theother bugs ignore our dual huddle across the room and have been selecting women from the large group closer to the door.Thereisn’t much else to do but sleep to pass the time.I’mcurrently dozing, my mind in that comforting space between sleep and wakefulness, asRubygently plays with the ends of my hair.

Theswoosh of the door opening pulls me awake asRubygrabs me and pulls me closer to her.Myeyes land on the main bug.Theone that stabbedRubyin the leg when they took us.Itseems to be scanning the room, like it’s looking for something … orsomeone.

Analmost gleeful sound comes from its mouth when it spotsRubyandIhuddled together.Ruby, ever the big sister, pushes me behind her just as the it reaches us and spears her through the shoulder with one of its giant arms.Ityanks her limp body from me as it holds her suspended up in the air by her shoulder.

Shedoesn’t even scream out in pain.That’show far gone my beloved sister is.Ican’t just stand here and do nothing!

“Lether go, you prick!”

Itry to scream, but it comes out more of a mangled huff sinceIcan’t take a deep enough breath to yell.Launchingmyself off the ground,Islam into the bug, hitting it with all my might asIignore the pain that landing against its chitinous body causes me.Screechinganger, it whirls and hits me with its tail, launching me across the room whereIslam into the wall.Thecrack of my head against the unforgiving metal reverberates around the room.

Thelast thingIsee is the giant bug approaching me asIlose consciousness.

ChapterSixteen

ROWAN

I’mdisappointed whenIwake up.

Whatdid we do to deserve this?

Iwas hopeful that the blow to my head would be the final straw, and my body would just give up the fight soIcan rest.Afresh wave of guilt fills me at that thought.I’veturned into such a whimpering, self-absorbed weakling.

Rubyneeds me.

Withthat thought,Iforce myself to open my eyes asIlie in … this thing, gasping for air.Myvision is blurry,I’mnauseas and my head feels like it’s been split in two.However, that’s not even my biggest problem at the moment.Thenew room we’ve been deposited in is humid with air that feels so wet, it’s heavy.I’venever fared well in humid climates and have had to use my medication whenIwas far healthier thanIam right now.Asit is,I’mbarely able to inhale at all.Mywindpipe is almost completely closed and the rattling in my chest is an ominous warning of what is to come.

Itwon’t be long beforeIsuffocate and die.Ijust can’t get my airways to open.Thisasthma attack has taken its toll on my body and without any of my emergency medications or a hospital,I’mnot going to make it.Tootired to even lift my head,Iglance around at the … somethingI’mlaying in.I’ma bit confused at first, but the longerIlook, the more it looks likeI’mlying in a sort of nest.

Chillswrack my body, andIstart shivering.Experiencetells meI’min shock.

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