xxiii. forty five minutes
╰ avatar

GRACE had been shot. She was bleeding out, and no matter how much pressure Odessa placed on the wound, blood continued to seep through her fingers.

There were nearing the hallelujah mountains where the shack was. It's where Jake had told Trudy to go. He thought that he could get Norm into one of the pods, so his avatar could help connect one of the metal containers to Trudy's helicopter.

Light purples and blues lined where the sky met the ground in the distance. Morning was nearing.

The helicopter landed, and Odessa was the first one out. Norm helped her bring Grace inside, where she then placed her in one of the pods as a make shift bed.

Jake came in afterwards, placing his mask on the floor. He didn't get to close, not after seeing how Odessa had acted when she had been locked away. In a way, he was scared. But he knew that he had helped cause what had happened. He was partially responsible.

Odessa handed a med kit to Jake, she was quick in turning around and bringing as much stuff as she could to the one area. They'd only be taking one container, and not the other one that had the bunks and food.

Jake sighed, opening the med kit and pulling out what he could use to help Grace. He started to place things beside the injured woman.

"She doesn't hate you." Grace spoke weakly. Looking at him and she shifted in the pod.

Jake scoffed slightly, placing the almost empty little med kit on the floor. He started to unravel the gauze pads, hoping that they would help with the bleeding. "She does."

Grace moved onto her back so Jake could place the square gauze over top of her bullet wound. "She doesn't hate you, at all. Disappointed in you, yes. Angry, yes. Hate, no."

Jake frowned. "How can you be sure?"

"Because I know, Jake. I know."

🌍.

ODESSA held a needle in hand, placing it into Graces arm. The contents would help with any pain she had.

"Ouch." Grace groaned as the contents inside the vile were emptied beneath her skin.

"Oh you baby." Odessa said, her voice teasing and full of light. She pulled the blanket back slightly to see blood soaking through the bandages that had been placed across her abdomen.

"We're moving?" She questioned, having felt the container move and thud. Things falling with every movement that Trudy caused.

"We're gonna get you some help, Gracie." Odessa smiled, bring the blanket over Graces shoulders to help keep her warm.

Grace smiled slightly. "I'm a scientist, remember? I don't believe in fairy tales."

"I do. I'll believe for the both of us." Odessa whispered, grabbing a cloth and using it to wipe some of the sweat from Graces forehead. "The people will help you."

Grace squinted her eyes. "Why would they help us?"

Odessa paused. She actually didn't know why they would help. She figured that they wouldn't be able to say no to the woman who had been a teacher to them. "Just trust me and Jake, we'll get you help."

🌍.

THE link was running. Jake had told them all about his plan, where he would go and how he would get the people to help him.

Odessa had helped him make the plans. She had sat across from him as Grace slept and she told him what he could do.

She told him that Toruk may be his answers. If he came to the tree of souls, showed the people that he could tame it. Than not only would they be in awe, but see that he could do something.

"Why aren't you doing this?" Norm asked Odessa, leaning against the wall as Jake swung his legs over the side of the pod.

"Because when I link, I'll already be at the tree of souls. Jake has fourty five minutes before I wake, that's his time frame." Odessa told him as she looked over her shoulder. She shifted so she leaned over Jake. "Don't die."

She closed the pod, allowing Jake to enter his avatar.

Norm looked down at his watch. "Forty five minutes, starting now."