Guttural grunts and whistling hisses, Chris gasps with wide eyes.. above him were a flock of vultures, more commonly called buzzards, swirling high overhead on thermals 'which are currents of hot rising air.'
The sun has taken its place high up in the east, he sat up on what seem like an beach, and the event of dawn flooded like torrents into his memory, Realizing he was not the only one in the Water. he stood up to look for any survival among his team.
Standing up, he felt a sharp pain in his stomach, he raise his shirt and reach out for the wounded part, with his hand. He hisses when he touches the wound. Seeing the Laceration wound.. he tears up half his shirt and wraps it around his stomach.
Moving slowly with care to look for the others, After a long walk he spotted something that looks like human feet rooted out of sand. Excited and curious, he made his way there not minding the pain he was experiencing.
On getting there he trails his feet down to the head, recognizing the person at once who seems to be partially alive. he knelt and use his hands to push the sand aside until it was just the person's body before him.
He opened the person's shirt and Place his ear next to the person's mouth and nose to check to breathe... his hand reach out for the person's wrist. Placing two fingers between the bone and the tendon over the person's radial artery — which is located on the thumb side of his wrist. He felt the person's pulse slowly.
'CPR' Chris thought aloud.
Chris Place the heel of one hand in the center of his chest, with the other hand on top. then Give 10 chest compressions, but still no sign he Opens the person's airway to a past-neutral position using the head-tilt/chin-lift technique. Giving the first breath, no reaction as the 1st breath does not cause the chest to rise, he tilts the person's head and ensures a proper seal before giving the 2nd breath.
"Henry, henry" the agitation in his voice could be heard.
"SMACK" the resounding slap he gave to henry shows the sign of his frustration, after that he apply compression and this time Henry coughed water out of his mouth.
Chris fell back as he breathed out in relief, helping Henry sit on his butt.. he gently pat him on his shoulder. Henry touch his cheeks as he could feel the hotness and pain.. he turned to Chris.
"did you slap me?" Henry asked with a gaping mouth.
"I did it out of frustration.. thought you were gonna die" Chris answered with a beaming smile.
"So you consider that a process of reviving the half-and-half-dead back to life..?" Henry questioned with his hand on his burning cheeks still amused by the slap he had Received.
"It even works faster than I expected" Chris chuckles as the memory of him slapping his manager flashes through his mind.
"Aaah" they heard a lady scream.
They got on their feet and ran towards the direction where the sound was coming from, on reaching there it was Tessa. A Belcher's sea snake had bitten Tessa while she was on the river beach, and she had engaged in a battle with the snake.
However, she manage to kill the snake but was bitten by it, on her ankle. a glint of happiness flash through her eyes when she saw Henry and the wounded Chris make them toward her.
On getting there, Henry crouches down beside them as he inspects her ankle while she grunts in pain. henry tore the downline of his shirt and use it to wrap her ankle, trying to prevent the poison from spreading.
"Thanks" Tessa smiled sadly.
"does it hurt?" Henry asked concerned.
"very much but don't worry I can manage" Tessa smiled trying to suppress her pain. she noticed the redness and the mark of her fingers that appear visibly on Henry's face.
"sir were you hit?.."
A chuckle escapes Chris's lips as Henry shot him a glare, chris quickly control himself. he shift his eyes, spotting the Belcher's sea snake nearby and then his expression darkened.
"I will go look for the others, it will take time for you to walk Tessa. it will be best not to move at all" Henry advised.
"Am coming with you," Chris stood up intending on following Henry.
"No. you stay with her and wait for me here.. I can do this on my own" Henry refused a helping hand with a dejected heart.
Chris exhales deeply before replying with a hoarse voice "it's a Belcher's."
Swallowing hard, "She won't last more than 30 minutes, someone must be here beside her.. when she leaves" Henry's eyes filled with tears as it threatens to fall. "Please be here, I won't be able to handle this" A tear escapes his right eye, and he quickly wipes the tears And walks away.
Chris gave a sad smile before turning to Tessa.. he sat down beside her.
"Wow, the view here is so nice and comforting.. maybe next time when I take a lift, I would go to a nice place like this. Banana island it is" He grin.
"Yeah, maybe I will do that in my next life," Tessa said with hot tears that threatens to fall. On hearing what she said a frown swept across Chris's face, and he turn to look at her.
Sniffing, she continued "I understand am not gonna last long and I also know you're trying to conceal your pain and reassure me... but it all still ends with me dying." tears trickle down her cheeks.
"Don't say that.. it hurts because there's nothing I can do about it" Chris said as he try to control his emotion. He had watched Nora die without doing anything and now it's Tessa and there's thing nothing he can do.. it hurts.
"It's not your fault, My time came sooner than expected, at least am dying in some freaking bitches hands.." She extended her hands, and place his hand under her palm and then she place her other hand on his hand.
"Just promise me to stay alive to escape this Horrible place and tell the world about it all. Do not try to plot against these people 'cause you do not know their true intentions.. there's a high possibility they found us threats" Tessa sniffed.
"Do not talk craps" Chris turned his head trying to hide his fallen face.
"Fighting back is okay, but it shouldn't be on the perverse of Revenge.. cause Revenge is not a game but a responsibility. just find a way to get the rest of you to survive" Her voice lowered.
"I miss my family" she whispered.
Chris supported her as she lean on him "It hurts" she laments as tears roll down her cheeks, Chris sniff stroking her hair. After a while, he didn't hear her voice.. he looked at her and discover she was gone.
"Tessa, Tessa" he shake her violently but still did not respond, his conceal emotions outburst that he couldn't control himself any longer as he wailed.
The rest of the team, Henry, Frank, Abby, Adam, and Erica except smith met with the wailing Chris. Pain strive through the heart of everyone there.
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After they buried the body of Tessa, the team gather themselves on the beach, each of them arranging and piling up tons of stones as this was the old fashion of honoring the dead.
After that, they gave their respect and say their last words.. from their heart before Henry gave the general speech loud.
"My grandma once told me that there are many ways to honor the dead. our hearts bleed on your deaths as we had never thought of losing you in this way, we all still hope this is a dream but no matter what, we still wake up to find out it's real. Sorry, we couldn't help you in your dying moment but we loved and cherish you all. Hope we meet again in our next life.." Henry couldn't complete his last words as he fell on his knee crying.