Page 76 of Mindeater

Alone.

Rotten.

I wait only a few more seconds before going to him.

I don’t want him to be alone.

The wind is knocked out of me as I double over. Saren rushes to me as I sway on my feet. The toll is a fickle bitch sometimes, and now it's rearing its head at the worst moment. Once the spinning starts, it doesn’t stop until I sleep it off. I feel him band an arm around my middle, taking the bulk of my weight off my weak legs.

“What’s happening? Why are your veins moving like that?” he asks, panicked.

“Get off me,” I protest weakly. His rainwater scent disorients me further, lulls me into a stupid state of trust.

I hate this man. I fucking hate him. And yet…

“Let me help. Please. I’m so sorry I did this.” He lowers me to the ground, grabs the canteen from my bag, and urges me to drink.

Through hooded eyes, I catch the worry in his. There’s that raw genuineness again. It stinks like a bad decision. It feels like impending regret.

“You know I’ll protect you,” he whispers, guiding me flat on my back.

The last thing I think before the toll takes me under is this:

No one ever protected him.

***

When I come to again, eyes still heavy, I blink through the fog and find myself alone.

“Saren?” I croak, pushing up on my elbows.

The fire is snuffed out; it’s dark everywhere, and I’m alone.

“Saren?” It’s louder, more urgent. When all I get is the night and emptiness, I start screaming. “Saren! Saren! SAREN!”

He’s just…gone. I know I told him to go but… “Where are you!”

Scrambling to my feet, I scan my surroundings and find a trail. He left? He actually fucking left me? But then I spot two more pairs of footprints. The trail I’m looking at is a long smudge in the dirt. The body is gone, too. Someone…took him?

How?

My eyes bulge as I dive for my bag. I sift through the dumped-out contents, frantically looking for the syringe, and come up empty. That was the only one left. The last of the serum.

“No,” I breathe, covered in sweat. The shadows morph into bodies, creatures, and monsters, closing in all around me.

I try to light a fire, but my fingers spasm and contort. I can’t get a good grip. White dots dance across my vision as my throat closes. A heavy weight slams against my chest. Too dark.

Too fucking dark.

I can’t swallow. Can’t breathe.

It’s just me and the monsters, ready to rip me apart.

28

Saren

Even though Ryx is passed out, I still light a fire.