I awoke to a haze of dust and smoke, my head pounding as if it had been struck with a hammer. My ears were ringing, a high-pitched whine filling the air. Groaning, I slowly pushed myself up onto my hands and knees, the ground beneath me uneven and rough.
The echoes of the crash still reverberated in my mind as I blinked my eyes, trying to clear the disorientation. Around me, the wreckage of the helicopter lay in a twisted mess, smoke billowing from the broken remains. The wailing sirens and distant gunfire reminded me that danger still loomed close.
My heart raced as I frantically scanned the wreckage, my voice barely more than a hoarse whisper as I called out, "Alexia? Myra?" Panic tightened my chest as I searched for any sign of them.
Then, relief washed over me as I spotted her - my daughter, Myra, lying among the debris, battered and wounded but alive. My heart ached with a mix of fear and gratitude. But I couldn't pause for long; the chaos surrounding us demanded my attention.
I made my way to Myra, crouching beside her. She was barely conscious, her eyes struggles to open from the pain. "Dad..." she croaked, her voice barely audible over the chaos.
"It's alright, Myra... Everything will be fine." I reassured her through my shaking voice
Suddenly, a spotlight pierced the gloom, cutting through the smoke and illuminating the crash site. Another helicopter hovered above, its searchlights sweeping the area in a desperate attempt to locate survivors. It was a small glimmer of hope in the midst of the devastation.
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Within moments, the helicopter dropped down several soldiers on ropes, their feet hitting the ground with a heavy thud. And the helicopter then heads out as quickly as it arrived. The soldiers moved with a sense of urgency, scanning the wreckage for any signs of life. Upon spotting me and Myra, they immediately rushes towards us.
The soldiers, their faces hidden behind masks and helmets, approached me and Myra cautiously. One of them called out, "Are you alright, sir?"
My voice choked with emotion, I nodded and said, "Yes... we're fine. Thank you for coming..."
The soldier nodded back and said, "We were sent here by Doctor Steven to rescue you and your family. We need to move quickly. The Riftborns are closing in."
As I stood up, my eyes frantically scanned the wreckage for any sign of my wife, Alexia. My heart pounded in my chest as I spotted her buried beneath a pile of debris. Without a second thought, I rushed towards her, my hands trembling as I tried to lift the heavy wreckage.
"Alexia!" I cried, my voice were filled with desperation. "Please, hold on."
But no matter how hard I tried, the debris wouldn't budge. One of the soldiers pulled me out, trying to calm me down while another checked on Alexia.
The soldier then looked back to me, his expressions somber. He shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, Sir... She's gone..."
Tears streamed down my face and I fell on my knees, my body shakes and my voice struggle to even utter her name.
One of the soldiers gently placed a hand on my shoulder and said, "Sir, I'm so sorry, but we have to go. We can't stay here any longer."
With a heavy heart, I nodded and slowly stood up, my sobs of grief echoing through the smoky air. I couldn't bear the thought leave my wife behind, but I knew there was no other choice. I gently picked up Myra and head out with soldiers.
As we leave the crash site, I glanced back for the final time. The sight makes me hesitate to move forward, but I know that we have to go. One of the soldiers looked at me and nodded, I then bit my lips and moved on.
After a while, we reached a clearing where a helicopter was waiting for us. It seems that the missile attacks have subsided as multiple aircrafts flew over us. The soldiers hurried us in as even though the missile attacks have stopped, the danger of the Riftborns is present, thunderous roar of gunfire and explosions continues to echo throughout the dark-red sky.
As the helicopter lifted off, the shattered skies of the once peaceful world faded into the distance, leaving behind a devastation that would continue to haunt my memories.
End of Chapter ------- Shattered Skies