My other senses returned.

I was soaking.

Rain sluiced from above, blackening the sky, slicking dirt into mud and leaves into slippery devils.

I couldn’t hear properly.

My ears rang with the final scream of the helicopter engine. The occasional boom of thunder in the distance grew louder the farther I crawled.

I tasted copper.

My face scrunched up as I investigated the cause of the metallic residue in my mouth. I’d bitten a chunk off the inside of my cheek upon impact.

I was in pain.

My injuries were localized—mainly throbbing in my chest—but they radiated out, stealing my energy far too fast.

I have to stop.

My crawling turned into a face plant on the sodden ground while the rain gathered strength and pummelled my back. The wet splatter against my uninflated life-jacket mocked me; wasn’t this safety device supposed to protect rather than ridicule?

Sadness I’d never felt before crushed me deeper into the dirt, hitching a ride on my aching shoulder blades, riding me into depression.

What would happen now?

Where am I?

Would someone find me?

I couldn’t think about the future. So I did the only thing I could.

I kept going.

Holding my side as pain spilled from my lips, I somehow managed to stumble to my feet. My chest compounded in agony and my suspicions about broken ribs were confirmed the longer I hobbled away from the crash.

As I moved, I took inventory.

My fingers worked. My arms and legs, too. I wasn’t bleeding too badly apart from a cut on my forehead and a long slice down my chest from the harness.

I was lucky.

I’d survived.

I’m the only one.

My feet suddenly refused to keep moving. What if they were back there? In serious pain and needing help? I froze, listening for an explosion from the spilling fuel tanks.

But there was no catastrophic boom, only the heavy splatter of rain and occasional sheet of lightning above the palm trees.

I’d flown with six other people, yet they’d all disappeared.

Where are they?

My eyes widened, doing their best to see through the dark wetness. But I couldn’t see. No hint of human shuffle or tease of companions.

I had to find them. I had to help them.

But I had to help myself, too.

If we’d landed on an inhabited island, I could alert the officials for ambulances and rescue.

Yes...

The idea formed and adrenaline flowed at the thought of falling into the arms of a doctor who could take away my pain and tell me it would all be okay. I would find a saviour, then I’d return to save the others.

One foot in front of the other.

Moving. Walking. Slogging through a forest where rain was the sky rather than the moon.

I’ll find someone to help us.

The world was a populated place. Someone close by would know what to do.

All I could do was keep moving.

Until I couldn’t anymore.

I was shattered pieces strung up with despair. The island was loneliness and terror. The sky my crying eyes. The drenched dirt my hopeless hope.

Time held no meaning as I finally reached the end of destruction from our crash. Before me rested pristine overgrown jungle, barricading my way with vines and densely grown weeds.

The loudest ricochet of thunder cymbaled across the earth.

I sucked in a panicked breath, wrenching my ribs with agony.

This can’t be real.

Let it all be a dream.

Feeling helpless, useless, and woefully unprepared for whatever my future held, I fell to my knees and looked to the heavens. Rainwater mixed with the blood on my forehead, turning into pink cascades, washing away my life as I knew it.

Anyone...please...

The tears I’d swallowed returned, and this time, I couldn’t stop them.

I cried.

I sobbed.

I begged.

Anyone...please...

Help us.

Chapter Ten

...............................................

G A L L O W A Y

......

I WAS NUMB.

But it was a crap load better than being in pain.

I didn’t remember anything past hitting the treetops and my head crunching against something hard. My brain shut down and the torrenting rain had woken me by trying to drown me as I rested unconscious on my back.

I’d somehow managed to cough myself awake, tear myself free from a strangling life-jacket, and scramble onto my elbows to assess what the hell had happened.

I didn’t know how I ended up with half a ripped seat belt still attached to me while lying in the middle of a jungle. I didn’t know how we’d gone from flying to this. But just because I couldn’t understand it, didn’t mean it hadn’t happened.

Lightning forked overhead. Each flash illuminated the forest with white light.

Nothing was familiar.

No buildings, no people, no signs of humanity anywhere; only the unapologetic backdrop of trees and undergrowth.

Tearing my gaze from my surroundings, I took stock of my injuries. Everything was slightly hazy. My eyes overcompensated to drag clarity with corneas that required glasses for proper use.

My glasses.

They’d vanished. The dent on the bridge of my nose gave me a clue that something had slammed the frame into my face. No doubt the optical prescription would be shattered.

You can order more online.

Taking comfort that my vision could be rectified the moment I was rescued, I glanced at my body.

The moment I looked at my right leg, I knew I was screwed.

My heart sank.

I was hurt.