Page 28 of Marc
I took a few seconds to pull a mattress off one of the bunks onto the floor. There was no way I’d be able to lift him up onto the bed. I found some blankets, shook them out, then threw them down on the mattress.
“Here we go.”
He dropped down onto the makeshift bed with a pained sound.
I quickly went back and wedged the doors as closed as possible. I didn’t want some monster sneaking up on us.
When I knelt beside Marc, he looked even worse. “You’re going to be okay.”
“The stimulant and painkiller are wearing off, Colbie.” He swallowed. “It’s bad. I?—”
“No.”
His brow creased. “You need to save yourself. Get help. The squad will come back for me.”
I shook my head wildly. “I didn’t think you were a quitter, Marc Jackson.”
He growled. “Fuck, you’re stubborn.”
“I know.” I got a pillow behind him. “Now, I get to play doctor.” I circled the room, opening drawers and cabinets.
I found some bandages. They were old and deteriorating, but better than nothing. I moved back to him and shoved his shirt up. It was soaked in blood. The gash in his side was ragged and nasty. I pressed the bandages against it.
He made a sound, but eyes stayed closed.
“Don’t give up,” I whispered.
He opened his eyes, then raised one hand and cupped my chin. “I won’t.”
“Don’t leave me, Marc.”
“Promise.”
My body locked. I heard the lie in his voice. His chest was rising and falling slowly. I knew he’d lost a lot of blood and needed fluids. My worry was starting to turn into full-blown panic.
“Dove…” He stroked my jaw. “I liked the kiss.”
My chest squeezed. “Be quiet.”
“Wanted to kill that Spencer guy for holding your hand.”
My heart squeezed even more.
“I…don’t want to leave you.”
“Youaren’tleaving me.” Rising, I did another loop of the room, pulling out drawers, yanking the doors of cupboards open.
I found some water bottles and some food rations.Yes. They were old, and I hoped they wouldn’t kill us.
I gave him a drink, and he gulped the water down.
Then he grabbed my hand. “Just…stay here for a bit.”
His voice sounded so weak. I shifted so his head was resting on my lap. I stroked his hair.
“I was so afraid when I heard you’d crashed.”
His quiet confession made my heart squeeze. “I was terrified when it happened. But the thing that kept me going was knowing you’d be on the way.” I cleared my throat. “That Hunter Squad would come for me.”
