The storm raged on as I desperately tried to find shelter for Karun. The rain pounded down, intensifying with each passing moment, blurring my vision and making it nearly impossible to see or hear anything clearly. My heart raced as I struggled to keep us warm, remembering Daisy's warning—excessive bleeding in this cold could freeze the heart.
Without our gadgets, starting a fire was a challenge. I searched frantically through what little we had left, praying for something to spark. By some miracle, I managed to get a fire going, but the effort left me covered in ash. As I tended the flames, I heard a weak chuckle from behind me.
I turned, startled, to see Karun watching me with a faint smile. "You look like a stupid, Kathy," he rasped.
His words, simple as they were, shattered the dam holding back my emotions. I collapsed to my knees beside him, tears streaming down my face. Hearing his voice was a relief, but the paleness of his skin reminded me of how dire his situation was.
My sobs broke free as Karun pulled me into a weak embrace. "It's okay, Kathy. I'm just glad you're safe."
"Safe?" I choked out between tears. "Of course I am! I'm stronger than you, remember?"
Over the comm, Daisy's voice broke through our exchange. "Karun's awake, then?"
"Yeah," I replied, trying to steady my voice. "But the wound's bleeding again. I think his movement made it worse."
Daisy guided me through re-dressing the wound, her calm instructions helping to ground me. It was a slow and painful process—Karun groaned with every tightened bandage—but we had no anesthesia, no proper medical supplies. This was all I could do for him. When I finally managed to inject him with painkillers, he slipped back into a restless sleep.
With Karun settled, I moved him to a cleaner, warmer spot. The area we'd been in was soaked with blood and reeked of medicine. I stripped out of my bloodied suit, changing into the last dry set of clothes I had. The sun was beginning to rise, its light barely penetrating the thick clouds that still hung overhead.
I put out the fire as the temperature climbed, then asked over the comm, "What time is it?"
Damian's voice came through, sounding as exhausted as I felt. "11 AM."
Aiden chimed in, his tone weary and filled with guilt. "How's his injury?"
I glanced at Karun, still groaning in his sleep. "He's stable, but it's bad. You should rest, Aiden. You've been up all night."
But Aiden's voice grew more somber. "No, Kathy. It's my fault. I should've been more careful. Gibbard saved you, but I failed Karun... This is on me."
"Aiden, stop," I interrupted, trying to keep my voice steady. "You did your best. This wasn't your fault."
He hesitated, then spoke again, his voice thick with regret. "I'm sorry for not stopping him... That shot was meant for you, Kathy. Karun... he jumped in front of it."
The weight of his words hit me like a physical blow. My heart clenched painfully as I looked at Karun, still trembling with the aftershocks of his injury. Tears spilled down my cheeks again, mingling with the rain as I tried to process what Aiden had just revealed.
As I sat there, trying to process everything, a crushing realization hit me: this was all because of me. Karun had taken the shot meant for me. If I had been better, faster, stronger—he would be okay right now, safe by my side.
Voices over the comm buzzed in my ear, trying to comfort me. Astrid's voice was gentle but firm, "Kathy, it's okay. Karun knew what he was doing. He's your big brother—that's what brothers do."
Damian chimed in, his tone steady, "He did it because he cares about you, Kathy. Don't beat yourself up."
But none of their words reached me. The guilt was too heavy, the anger at myself too consuming. I couldn't shake the image of Karun bleeding because I wasn't good enough.
"I need a break," I muttered, my voice barely above a whisper. I was angry—angry at myself for failing him. If I had been better, Karun would be okay.
Daisy's voice cut through, full of concern, "Kathy, no, don't—"
But I couldn't listen. Ignoring their pleas, I ripped the comms off, desperate for silence, for a moment to breathe. The voices that had been a lifeline now felt suffocating.
I stepped out of the hideout, feeling the sun's rays piercing through the broken windows. The weather was clearing up, the storm outside finally subsiding. But inside my heart, the storm raged on, more violent than ever.