The Last Revenant (Book 1): The Crash by J.S. Carter Read Free Book Online

here.”
    He tried to step out just as one of his men grabbed him by the arm. “Hey. What the fuck is he talking about?”
    Ryan shoved him back. “I said, MOVE.” He pointed at Martha as soon as she opened her mouth. “You're done here.” He caught my stare but said nothing as he stormed outside and his men reluctantly followed in silence.
    They lifted the wounded man away and he questioned where they were taking him, though nobody was able to give him a clear answer. They treated him like, what? Nothing? A bad sight?
    Was that what I had to look forward to in the new world? Certain death followed by silence? I didn't want to believe that everything I had known had devolved into survival, to pick and choose who to care about otherwise risk falling apart, but it didn't matter. The people on my side had already been chosen for me. Ryan had seen to that.
    “Jeremy?”
    I turned back to see Martha step over to the man that I dragged inside and I made a mental note to remember his name.
    She glanced over at me, this time much more worried than she had been with the first. “What happened? ”
    It felt like it was my fault. “I-I don't know.”
    Jeremy looked up and gave her a blood stained smile. “Hey, Mar.”
    She pulled his shirt up to show us dark purple blotches along his entire side and swore. “Jesus, Jere.”
    “Hey, at least I opted out on the belly button ring.” He smiled again and Martha caught his lip with a finger, but he nudged it off. “Don’t worry, that’s just how they said hello, first.”
    She put her hands on his chest. “Any trouble breathing?”
    “Are you kidding? I’m surrounded by beautiful woman.”
    She frowned at that. “Jeremy... I need you to take deep breaths.” She put her ears to his chest and listened for what to do next before spouting over my shoulder. “Amanda, I need water and ibuprofen, aspirin, codeine, whatever we have left.”
    I glanced back and was surprised to see the little girl that had found me in the field. I must not have noticed her earlier. I wasn't sure what to say.
    Thank you for saving my life so that I could get raped at gunpoint?
    Or was that too much? I decided to keep it simple. “Hi.”
    We stared at each other until she was prompted again to run off and find what we needed.
    Martha quickly continued with Jeremy and pressed her fingers into the dark colors in front of her, gauging his reaction. I could only guess what she was looking for.
    I didn't want to get in the way, but my curiosity got the best of me. “What happened?”
    Jeremy winced every time she continued to prod, so he answered in shallow breaths. “They needed help carrying some supplies, so we split up. I heard somebody shoot. That's when I found him...” He hovered a hand over his stomach, unsure. “Bleeding...I didn't really think about sticking around to find out why.” He clenched his jaw again. “It was probably a bear or something.”
    “A bear...” I started dryly.
    In the middle of nowhere.
    He took a moment to peer at me. “Okay, yeah, I don't know then. Nothing good.”
    Martha let herself breathe. “Well, as far as I can tell, you've fractured a rib or two, but I don’t think they’re broken.”
    “That sounds nice,” said Jeremy, staring down his belly. “Can you wrap it?” He gave her a short grin and she flicked his forehead with the tips of her fingers.
    “No, I can't wrap it. Do you really want me to risk putting extra pressure on this so that you can bleed into your lungs?”
    “Umm...” Jeremy moved back, trying not to twist his side as he lifted his arm to stop the assault.
    “Do you?”
    “What the hell?”
    She threatened to hit him again.
    “No—”
    “Then what in God’s name did you think you were doing? You nearly scared Amanda half to death and then come back looking like this? Do you have any idea what that does to someone her age?”
    “I was trying to find a way out.”
    “Then what?”
    “I came back?”
    “Really?” She