Page 21 of Savagely Yours
The mob had made it into the station.
“Tapley, ‘slow is smooth, and smooth is fast,’” I recited. “Don’t panic. It’s okay. I’m right here. I’ve got you.”
She coughed. “They sound close, Dez.”
“I’m closer.”
“Trying not to panic.”
“And you’re doing a great job.”
Gunshots rang out.
My heart rate doubled in less than a second.
Her foot slipped.
I reached for her arm, but she went careening down the other side of the metro-ceiling-rubble mountain. Despite the night vision device, I couldn’t see how she tumbled—whether she fell forward, risking a head injury, or slid on her butt, risking scrapes, but hopefully nothing too serious.
I picked up my pace, climbing and jumping where I could. “Tapley? Talk to me, baby. Are you okay?”
Nothing.
My heart beat faster.
“Come on, Tapley. Answer me.”
Please.
“I’m…I’m not hurt,” she answered, coughing. “Not bad anyway. I’m cut up.”
“Bleeding?”
“Feels like it.”
I crouched in front of her, mentally scolding myself for not having things better thought out. I hadn’t even thought ahead to bring a regular pair of NVGs. Then, I knew if I tried to give her the nocturnal device I was using, she wouldn’t see the logic in it and would refuse it. And that was assuming that using four lenses wouldn’t make it more challenging for her to see.
I touched the back of her thigh.
She hissed.
“Is it bad?” she asked.
“Doesn’t feel like it.” I pressed my forehead against her hip, closing my eyes. “The moment we get outside the city limits, I’ll fix you up. I promise.”
“Think I can get infected this way?”
“I won’t let anything happen to you, Tapley. I promise. I promise, with my life, that I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I ignored the voice in my head and kissed the side of her thigh as I stood. She tested the strength of the injured leg. The moment she was satisfied that she could move around—and with the noise behind us increasing—we started off again.
“The train,” I said, pointing. “Holy fuck, the train’s actually here. I was hoping, not expecting…”
“Can you operate one?” she asked.
“I’ll figure it out. If not, we can use it to hide or as cover until sunrise. We don’t have that long. The light might make us easier to spot, but it’ll be easier to maneuver through the city.”
Once we reached the doors, I attempted to pry them open. With the power shut down all over the city, and desperation on my side, I managed to slide them apart.
