Chapter 20

ANA

Amammoth hand with its obsidian claws reached for her. With a desperate gasp, she flung her arms around Quinn, burying her face in his shoulder. Bracing for the inevitable impact, she squeezed her eyes shut, but nothing came. Silence, thick and heavy, descended instead. Tentatively, she cracked open an eye, then the other. She saw a sight that both terrified and relieved her.

The juguais, frozen mid-strike, now stood as a grotesque statues. Stone fingers, inches from her face, mimicked a horrifying claw reaching for prey. Their massive heads, filled with viscous teeth, were forever locked in a silent snarl.

Relief washed over her, so profound it almost eclipsed the exhaustion gnawing at her limbs. She slumped to the ground.

"You didn't say cheese." A humorless laugh bubbled up her throat.

A faint groan from Quinn propelled her into action. She had to get him to safety. With renewed determination, she rose to unsteady feet. A silvery circle appeared high above him as she dragged him toward the cave. It grew larger, bathing them in an ethereal glow. Her breath hitched. Could it be the portal? A gateway back to her world?

Hope surged through her, a tidal wave threatening to drown her resolve. Home. Freedom. It could be her chance to escape this nightmare, to see Kember again, and Tig, and the job she loved. The weight of her yearning pulled her toward the light. With confidence, she knew it was also the key to her transformation back to human once more.

A choked sob escaped her. Turning her eyes back to Quinn, his battered and bruised body clawed not only at her conscience but at her heart as well. He had stood by her, a loyalty that ignited a fierce protectiveness within her. She tightened her jaw. She wouldn't let anything happen to him.

"No," he whimpered. His eyelids fluttered open, revealing a sliver of blue clouded with pain. He tried to speak again, but all that escaped his lips was a choked moan. His gaze landed on Ana, his eyes pleading despite the grimace etched on his face. It was a look that spoke volumes—a silent testament to the agony coursing through him.

"Shh, it's all right." Kneeling beside him, she whispered. "Don't worry, I'm here. I'm not leaving." Whether or not he heard her, it didn't matter. She stood unwavering, a silent promise etched in her gaze, a vow etched in the desperation of her touch. He was not alone.

She brushed his hair back, her caress trembling. "We'll be okay."

A single sob escaped her lips as he slipped back into unconsciousness. With a resolute push, she rose to her feet. The future was uncertain, filled with dangers unknown. Yet she wouldn't face them by herself.

Shame washed over her, hot and acrid. How could she even contemplate leaving him? Home wasn't a place anymore; it was a feeling. And that feeling, raw and unwavering, lay beside her.

An eerie silence blanketed the field around her, broken only by the rasping of her breath and the dragging of Quinn's body. The portal pulsed, a taunting beacon, amplifying the stillness surrounding her.

Then, a jarring ring shattered the quiet. It was her cell, a battered relic from a life that seemed a lifetime ago. Ana stared at it, a flicker of disbelief sparking in her eyes. In this desolate world, a phone call felt surreal, almost like a hallucination. The number on the screen was a jumbled mess of digits, completely unfamiliar.

"Hello?" she answered.

After a pause, a voice spoke. "Hi! I'm Jeannie, from the Vehicle Service Department calling about your vehicle's…." The call abruptly ended. She gawked at the cell, a hollow laugh escaping her lips. Home was calling, a life she could reclaim. Yet the cost weighed too much.

A soft thud from behind startled her. Her gaze darted toward the noise, but the darkness yielded nothing. Fear, cold and sharp, pricked at her. She hastened her steps with Quinn in tow.

Above them, the portal dimmed and vanished, leaving behind a clouded sky. She glanced back at Quinn, and a wave of poignant acceptance washed over her. She had stayed for him, knowing he was her future, and she needed to let go of her past.

Another sound pierced the silence—a soft mewling. A shiver ran down her spine. Did this new world hold another threat, another challenge? She gritted her teeth, a fierce resolve hardening her gaze. Despite any potential dangers, she would get Quinn to safety.

His whimper tore through the haze of fatigue clouding Ana's mind. "Hold on." Ignoring the pleas of her aching body, she focused solely on dragging him forward.

Each pull was a battle against her throbbing muscles, the ever-present ache in her wounds, and the growing terror gnawing at her insides. Her vision blurred with exhaustion, but she couldn't stop. Not now. Not when every fiber of her being screamed at her to reach the sanctuary of the cave.

With a final, desperate heave, she dragged Quinn through the cavern entrance. A wave of coolness washed over her as she pulled him inside.

The interior was a grotesque parody of beauty. White stalactites, some stained crimson, protruded like jagged teeth from the ceiling. The air hung heavy with the smell of damp earth and a faint metallic tang. Dripping water echoed in the cavernous hall, a haunting counterpoint to the pounding in her head. She dared not venture deeper, the darkness promising unseen terrors. Yet here, for now, they were safe. She desperately hoped that to be true.

Ana fought down the rising frantic that squeezed her heart. She needed to focus, not to panic. Ignoring the tremor in her hands, she surveyed his injuries. A need to heal him blossomed within her. He was her anchor, her reason for defying the impossible.

The quake that wracked her body threatened to topple her, but adrenaline fueled her trembling legs. Kneeling beside him, she cradled his head.

First, she needed to deal with the bleeding. She applied direct compression to his wounds. Moss, far from ideal, would have to do for now. Disregarding a fresh throb in her arm, she snatched a handful, teeth gritted. With gentle but firm movements, she packed it around the injuries, maintaining pressure as well as possible.

Clay wasn't sterile, but it could help slow the blood flow further. Scooping cautiously from the cave floor, she avoided any dirt or debris. Scooping it, she packed it over the moss, creating a makeshift barrier.

Tears still welled, but they were now fueled by a steely resolve. This wouldn't be perfect, but it was all they had. Keeping him warm and still was vital, too. She gathered any dry leaves she could obtain, providing a layer of insulation. Then, she carefully maneuvered him closer. Any more warmth she could offer, any shield against the cavern's chill, she would provide.

Her focus remained on his ragged breaths, willing them to stay steady. She needed to locate a more permanent solution, but for now, she hoped she had bought him precious time.

She questioned how anyone was going to find and aid them. The problem hung heavy in the air, unanswered. Horror clawed at her throat as his breaths shallowed, raspy gasps echoing in the cave's stillness. Tears streamed down her face.

The moon, a ghostly eye peering through the clouds and into the cave entrance, cast an ethereal glow on Quinn's face. It highlighted the lines of pain etched deep, the beads of sweat glistening on his brow. A rattling sound filled the cavern as his breathing grew more labored with each passing moment.

"No," she rasped. She pressed her hands against his wounds, willing the bleeding to stop, but her efforts were in vain. Crimson seeped through her fingers, staining them a horrifying red.

"Don't leave me," she pleaded. "Please, you can't give up on me now."

His body convulsed, a strangled gasp escaping his lips. Tears blurred her vision as she clutched him close, burying her face in his sweat-drenched hair. It was then, her voice thick with raw emotion, that the words tumbled out.

"I love you," she whispered, a desperate plea against the encroaching silence.

A violent shudder ripped through him, his limbs stiffening and jerking. Her heart hammered against her ribs as she stared in horror. His toes petrified, turning an unnatural white. It was a stark contrast to the blood pooling the ground. The transformation, slow at first, crept up his legs, a marbled tide stealing the warmth from his flesh.

"No," she screamed, the word a primal howl that echoed through the cavern. "You can't go."

Tears streamed down her face, blurring her vision. This couldn't be happening. Not Quinn. Not like this. Denial choked her as the chilling truth settled in. This wasn't just any injury. Quinn wasn't just bleeding out; he was turning to stone, just like the juguai. She had failed him.

As the petrification process crept upward, his form grew rigid and unresponsive. The fine details of his once-warm face hardened, turning into a cold, unyielding statue. With a final shuddering breath, he succumbed to the stone's embrace.

Grief, raw and searing, washed over her. She showered his face with frantic kisses, the taste of rock replacing the warmth she craved. His mouth, once soft and tempting, was now hard and foreign under her lips.

"Stay with me," she sobbed, her voice hoarse with a despair so deep it threatened to swallow her whole.

Her tears slid off his petrified skin like rain on marble.

A primal scream ripped from her throat, a sound of pure, unadulterated anguish. The weight of her choices, the realization of what she'd lost, slammed into her with the force of a juguai's fist. Sobs wracked her body as she collapsed beside him, her cheek pressed against the unforgiving coldness of his statue form. Her world had turned to stone, and she was left with nothing but the chilling echo of her grief.