20. Zoey

20

ZOEY

Z oey's heart pounded as the rumbling grew louder, the vibrations beneath her feet increasing with every passing second. She barely had time to process what was happening before she felt the ground shift beneath them.

"Lux, we need to move," Zoey said.

She grabbed Lux's hand, pulling her along as they scrambled to find stable footing. But the earth was treacherous, slipping away under their boots as the landslide began to take shape.

Lux nodded, but Zoey could see the pain etched on her face. Each step was a struggle, but there was no time to stop. They both knew that hesitating now could mean the end. The ground continued to tremble, small rocks tumbling down the hillside, followed by larger ones. The sound of the landslide was like a roar, growing louder and louder until it drowned out everything else.

"Stay close!" Zoey shouted.

She looked over at Lux, her heart tightening when she saw her wince with every step. But Lux kept moving, her jaw set in determination. Zoey focused on the path ahead, trying to find a route that would lead them away from the worst of it.

"We're almost there, just a little more!" Zoey said.

The air was thick with dust, making it hard to breathe. Zoey's lungs burned, but she didn't dare stop. Her eyes stung, and she blinked rapidly to clear them, but it was like trying to see through a cloud. Lux's grip on her hand was strong, and Zoey held on tight, determined not to let go.

The ground continued to shift beneath them, and the incline made it even harder to keep their footing. Zoey could hear the crack of trees snapping somewhere below them, the sound echoing through the chaos. She had to remind herself to breathe.

"Watch out!" Zoey yelled as a large rock tumbled down, barely missing them.

They dodged to the side, but the ground was giving way faster than they could move. Zoey's heart was in her throat as she pulled Lux to her feet again. The strain on Lux's face was impossible to ignore, and Zoey knew that she was pushing herself to the limit.

"Zoey, I—" Lux started.

"Don't. We're not stopping." Zoey's voice was fierce, leaving no room for argument.

They continued their desperate climb, the ground shifting underfoot, but Zoey's focus was entirely on getting them to safety. She barely noticed the scrapes on her hands and knees or the sting of dirt and rocks as they pelted her skin. All that mattered was moving forward.

The noise around them was deafening, the roar of the landslide filling her ears. Zoey felt the ground lurch again, and her heart skipped a beat as she saw a massive section of the hillside give way, sliding down with a terrifying speed.

"Move now!" Zoey said.

They surged forward, adrenaline coursing through Zoey's veins. She could hear Lux's labored breathing, but she didn't slow down. There was no time. The ground continued to crumble beneath them, but Zoey refused to let fear take over.

"We're going to make it," she said, more to herself than to Lux.

They kept moving, but Zoey could feel the strain in her muscles, the fatigue setting in. Her legs felt heavy, her breath coming in ragged gasps, but she pushed it all aside. There was no room for weakness here, not when their lives were on the line.

Suddenly, the ground beneath them gave a violent jolt, and Zoey felt herself lose her balance. She let out a gasp as she stumbled, pulling Lux down with her. They both hit the ground hard, but Zoey didn't waste a second. She was back on her feet in an instant, pulling Lux up beside her.

"Come on!" Zoey urged.

Lux winced as she tried to stand, her ankle buckling beneath her. Zoey's heart dropped at the sight, but there was no time to dwell on it. She wrapped an arm around Lux's waist, supporting her as they stumbled forward.

"We're almost there," Zoey said again, even though she wasn't sure where "there" was. All she knew was that they couldn't stay where they were.

The roar of the landslide was deafening now, the ground beneath them shaking with an intensity that made it hard to stay upright. Zoey could feel the fear clawing at her insides, but she shoved it down, focusing on Lux and the path ahead.

They moved as fast as they could, but the ground was slick with mud and debris, making every step a battle. Zoey's legs burned with the effort, but she didn't stop. She couldn't stop. Not when they were so close to getting out of this alive.

But then she heard it—a crack, louder than anything else around them. Zoey's eyes widened in horror as she looked up to see a massive boulder breaking free from the hillside above them.

"Run!" Zoey screamed, but there was nowhere to go.

The boulder crashed, and the ground trembled beneath the impact. Zoey's heart pounded as she tried to move, but the ground was shifting too fast and the mud pulled at her feet. She could feel the panic rising in her chest, but she forced herself to stay calm.

"Zoey!" Lux's voice was filled with fear, and Zoey turned just in time to see her stumble again, her ankle giving out beneath her.

"Lux!" Zoey's voice cracked as she reached out, grabbing Lux's hand just as she started to fall.

But the ground beneath them was giving way. Zoey could feel herself being pulled down, the weight of the mud dragging her down with it. She struggled to hold on, her grip on Lux's hand slipping as the ground shifted beneath them.

"No, no, no!" Zoey's voice was frantic as she tried to pull Lux back up, but it was no use.

Lux's foot was caught, and her ankle twisted painfully beneath the weight of the debris. Lux let out a cry of pain, her face contorting in agony as she tried to free herself. Zoey watched, helpless.

"Not again," Lux whispered.

Zoey's hands trembled as she tried to dig Lux's foot out, but the mud was too thick and the rocks too heavy. She could feel the panic rising in her chest, the fear threatening to overwhelm her. But she couldn't let that happen. She couldn't let Lux get hurt again.

"Hold on, Lux. I'm going to get you out of this," Zoey said.

But even as she said the words, Zoey could feel the ground shifting beneath them again, the landslide continuing its relentless descent. She heard the roar of the earth around them, the sound of trees snapping and rocks tumbling down the hillside. And in that moment, Zoey knew that they were running out of time.

She looked at Lux, her heart breaking at the sight of her in so much pain. But there was no time to hesitate, no time to think about what could happen next. Zoey had to act, and she had to act fast.

"Zoey, you have to go," Lux said.

"No. I'm not leaving you."

"Zoey, please," Lux said. "I can't do this again. I can't let you get hurt because of me."

Zoey shook her head, her jaw set in determination. "I'm not leaving you."

She could see the fear in Lux's eyes. But she also saw something else: trust. Lux trusted her, and Zoey wasn't about to let her down.

"I'm going to get you out of this," Zoey said. "I promise."

The ground had stopped rumbling, but the aftermath of the landslide had left chaos in its wake. Trees were uprooted, boulders scattered, and the path they'd been on was obliterated. Zoey's hands shook as she tried to clear the debris around Lux's leg, her breath coming in shallow gasps.

She glanced up at Lux, whose face was pale and streaked with dirt. "You have to hold on."

Lux nodded weakly, her lips pressed into a thin line. "I'm trying, Zoey."

Zoey saw the pain in her eyes. Lux's leg was pinned under a large branch, and every time Zoey tried to move it, Lux winced.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," Zoey whispered as she continued to pull at the branch. Her arms ached, and her hands were raw, but she didn't stop. She couldn't stop. She could feel her panic rising, but she forced it down.

"It's not your fault," Lux said softly. "Just…get me out of here."

Zoey put all her strength into moving the branch. It took several tries, but finally, with a grunt, she managed to shift it enough for Lux to pull her leg free. Lux let out a cry of pain as she did, and Zoey immediately knelt beside her, helping her sit up.

"Are you okay? Can you move?" Zoey asked, her eyes wide with concern.

Lux shook her head, tears welling. "My ankle…it's worse." She tried to move her foot, but the pain was too much, and she quickly stopped.

Zoey felt a surge of helplessness wash over her. She didn't know what to do. They were alone, far from any help, and Lux was injured. She swallowed hard, trying to think. They had to keep moving. They couldn't stay here, not with the fire still so close.

"Lux, we have to go. I'll help you. Lean on me, okay?"

Lux hesitated, then nodded. "Okay." Zoey helped her to her feet, and Lux leaned heavily on her as they started to make their way uphill again. Every step was a struggle, and Zoey could feel Lux's weight dragging her down, but she didn't complain. She just kept going, putting one foot in front of the other.

The air was thick with smoke, and Zoey's lungs burned with every breath. She could hear the crackling of the fire behind them, but it wasn't as close as before.

That was something, at least.

But the climb was steep, and with Lux injured, it was slow going. Zoey's muscles screamed in protest, but she pushed through the pain, determined to get them to safety.

Lux was silent, her face pale and sweaty. Zoey knew she was in a lot of pain, but she didn't say anything. She just kept going, Lux's grip on her shoulder tightening with every step.

"Just a little farther," Zoey said.

Zoey was careful with every step, making sure she didn't slip and bring them both down.

"We should try to find a place to rest," Lux said after a moment, wincing as she shifted her weight. "Somewhere we can wait for help."

Zoey wiped her eyes, taking a deep breath. "Okay. But we need to take it slow. I don't want you hurting yourself even more."

"I'll be fine," she said. "I just need to catch my breath."

The terrain was rough, and Lux's ankle was giving her trouble, but she didn't complain. Zoey kept a close eye on her, ready to catch her if she stumbled.

They walked in silence for a while, both too exhausted to talk. The forest around them was eerily quiet, the only sound the distant crackling of the fire. Zoey's mind was racing, thinking about everything that had happened, everything that could still happen. But she tried to push those thoughts away, focusing on the present, on getting them to safety.

After a while, they found an area sheltered by trees. It wasn't much, but it was better than nothing. Zoey helped Lux sit down, then collapsed beside her, her body aching all over.

"We'll rest here for now," Zoey said. "We'll figure out what to do next once we've had some sleep."