Page 151 of Shhh…It’s A Killer Story

"I'm here!"

I found him beneath a collapsed section of wall half his body was buried beneath shattered cinder blocks his left leg... fuck. There wasn't enough left to call it a leg, dark blood soaked through the sand, running between broken bricks in thick black streams.

"Elias..."

His hands were shaking not from fear but from blood loss. I dropped beside him, throwing chunks of concrete aside until my gloves slipped on blood.

"Hang on."

"I can't feel..."

"Don't."

"I can't-"

"Don't you finish that sentence."

His breathing came in ragged gasps.

"You promised..."

His eyes found mine.

"...you promised we'd both go home."

My throat closed.

"I know."

"You promised."

"I know."

Gunfire erupted somewhere beyond the smoke, closer.

Too fucking close.

King appeared through the haze. His face was covered in dirt and someone else's blood.

"Elias!"

He already knew. One look. One glance. He knew Dawson wasn't making it.

"We've gotta move!"

"I'm not leaving him!"

"Elias!"

"I'm not leaving him!"

King grabbed my vest.

"Elias!"

I shoved him away.

"No!"