Page 39 of Gabbi's Goalie

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Page 39 of Gabbi's Goalie

"We need MedFlight out to the south end of the 4C trail," someone says over the radio attached to Deputy Hendrickson's hip. "We've got a situation out here."

My heart leaps into my throat. I stop breathing.

"What kind of situation?"

"Trauma patient," the voice calls back over the radio. "He fell down a ravine. It's not looking good."

No. God, no.

"Fuck," Deputy Hendrickson says, switching off the radio as I collapse to my knees. He jumps to his feet, rushing toward me as my world caves in around me, threatening to destroy me entirely.

"Atlas," I sob, choking on his name. Choking for air, and on shame, guilt, and regret. They swarm me from all sides, freezing the blood in my veins. Threatening to freeze me from the inside out.

This is all my fault. All of it.

"Gabbi!"

I curl in on myself, grasping for memories of Atlas, anything to sustain me. Anything to keep me from having to face reality.

"Temptation!"

I hear his voice echoing in my mind. See his little boy smirk dancing behind my eyes.

"Temptation!"

"What the fuck?" Deputy Hendrickson says from beside me, threatening to pull me back into reality.

I squeeze my eyes closed, reaching deeper for memories of Atlas.

"Temptation, where are you?"

His voice grows stronger in my mind as I sink deeper into some place only he can reach.

"Who the fuck is Temptation?" Hendrickson asks.

I snap my eyes open to tell him to stop talking and leave me alone. My mouth is open to spit the venomous words at him when what he said sinks in. He heard the same thing I did.

"Atlas?" I scramble to my feet, afraid to hope. Afraid to breathe. "Atlas?"

"Temptation!"

The shards of ice freezing in my veins crack and fall away.

"Atlas!" I yell, already racing toward the sound of his voice. "Atlas, I'm here!"

"Gabbi!"

I fly out onto the road, praying I'm not imagining things. That he really is out there, shouting for me.

As soon as I catch sight of him stumbling up the road, I know this isn't my imagination. That Atlas is naked, firelight a nimbus around him as he hovers over me exactly like last night. This one is sweat and pale, one side of his face covered in dried blood.

He's really here.

I race toward him, sobbing as he roars my name, relief coloring his tone this time. My feet fly across the ground, bringing me closer to the man of my dreams and my future.

I barely stop in front of him before he's got his arms around me, dragging me up against his chest.

"Thank you, God," he breathes, crushing me against him as a tremor works its way through him. "Thank you, God."




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