The Life Beyond You

Chapter 9

I hit the water and instantly I was dragged down into a circumjacent of bubbles. Suddenly I was forced upside down, my body still being carried down into the darkness below. Then I emerged, everything went from upside down to rightside up. I gasped for air, my vision blurry from the water. I was freezing, my teeth chattering from the cold. My muscles ached as I held myself above the water, we were in the Hudson River. Back in New York. The sky was cloudy. I suddenly remembered Knox. I turned in circles, my voice to weak to call for him. When I tried, it came out as a faint whisper.

"K-knox!"

A loud splash came from behind me, and I felt arms wrap around my mostly numb waist, pulling me fast. I was to cold and numb to resist. I struggled to keep my eyes open, again I'm being dragged away as I blackout. Was this becoming a thing now? Let's hope not.

Knox

It took me a moment to realize we were back in New York. When I emerged through the water, Cyra was blue, her lips drained of there color. I grabbed her as fast as I could, swimming with her on my back. The river was wide, she would die from the freezing temperature if I didn't hurry up. my arms burned from pain as I dragged her up onto the shore. I yelled for help, but no one could hear me. I quickly flipped her over my shoulders, climbing up the bank.
I heard someone yell my name and a car honk. Esteria was infront of me suddenly, pulling me up the bank and to a beaten up green car. She helped lower Cyra into the back seat, her gray pale skin sending shivers up my arms.

"What the he-"

"Stop. Yell at me when she's not near death. Get us back home right now." My voice shaked as the words came out, and I slipped into the seat next to Cyra. I lowered her head into my lap, trying the get her to wake up. But no matter how hard I shook her, she didn't do anything. I started to fill with anger, not at Cyra but with myself. I felt warmer, but Cyra was still frozen. Esteria sped down the road, take a sharp turn and running through the fence, and up the hill to the Shrine.

"Jesus Esteria-"

"Cyra's death or a fence? Take your pick. You are so lucky I found you. I was on my way to pick up some things. then I saw you and Cyra in the river. Where were you both?!"

"I'll explain everything later." My voice shaked.

She pressed the gas, shoving the car up the hill even farther. I could feel the cool wave as we entered to protective barrier. Suddenly the Shrine came into sight. Esteria drove the car right up to the front, and I grabbed Cyra, carrying her inside.

"We need to move. Tell the others to grab as many children as they can and get them back home. I'll explain everything later, I can't risk them finding us."

Esteria didn't question me, and ran inside. I carried Cyra's cold and almost lifeless body to the firepit in the loft, laying her as close to it as I could. I ran quickly, grabbing as many sheets as I could and wrapped her up. I watched the color slowly creep back into her soft, pale pink lips. I sat, stiff across from her. All I wanted her to do was open her eyes.

Cyra

I jerked awake, struggling to free myself from the blankets I was wrapped up in. My mouth tastes dry and salty, I cringed at the taste of it. Something shifted in the dark next to me and I quickly turned, Knox giving me a serious look while posing in his meditative stance. I rubbed my head and let myself fall back down.

"A simple thank you would work." His voice was tired and deep.

"If I wasn't blacking out from severe trauma everytime we get dragged somewhere, a thank you wouldn't be needed."

"Why I said we needed to train."

I sighed and shivered, rolling back up in the blankets. I stared at his golden eyes for a moment, they closed shut and he went back to meditating.