Unveiled: The Survivor's Triumph

Chapter 304 Time to Turn Around

That night, no one in Greenfield Village slept.

After the major earthquake, rescue teams and supplies quickly arrived from surrounding areas. Greenfield Village had suffered extensively-many old houses had collapsed, landslides blocked roads near the mountains, and the once-clear river now ran red with mud.

The peaceful village had transformed into a scene of devastation. No one knew how many lives lay buried beneath the rubble.

When the house collapsed, Lacey was struck and knocked unconscious. When she finally opened her eyes, her eyelashes felt heavy with dust, and she couldn't move at all.

Remembering Jason, she frantically looked around, but could see nothing in the pitch darkness surrounding her.

"Jason," she called out, her voice hoarse from either weakness or fear.

"Jason!" she called again, her voice trembling now.

"I'm here!" came Jason's faint reply from somewhere in the darkness.

She strained her eyes toward the sound. His voice was weak, and though worried about him, she could see nothing. She reached out blindly, her hands searching. "Are you hurt?" she asked.

A large hand grasped hers in the darkness.

"I'm okay. How about you?"

"I'm fine too."

In truth, Lacey was far from fine. Her legs were pinned under a concrete slab, and she had no idea if she would ever walk again.

Unable to see each other, they clung to their joined hands, the only tangible proof of each other's existence. They had no way of knowing if it was day or night outside, or whether anyone would come to rescue them. Death felt just a breath away.

"I'm sorry," Lacey whispered. "I should have listened to you. I was foolish to think the aftershock wouldn't come so quickly, or that the house would withstand it. Now we're trapped, and it's my fault for dragging you into this."

After a moment, Jason sighed softly and tightened his grip on her hand. "It's not your fault."

Lacey's lips curved in a bitter smile. "Natural disasters like earthquakes are merciless. They don't care who you are they destroy everything in their path. That's how my dad died, you know."

"I've always been terrified of earthquakes. They're so merciless-they don't care if you're good or bad. They just take lives without warning. That's how Benjamin died, you know."

"Save your strength," Jason cautioned. "Someone will come for us."

Tears welled in Lacey's eyes. "I just want to talk while I still can. I'm afraid we might not have another chance."

"We will," Jason insisted.

"Do you think it's day or night right now?" Lacey asked.

After a pause, Jason replied, "Probably night. If it were daytime, some light would filter through, no matter how deep we're buried."

"So we haven't been trapped that long?"

"That's why you need to keep hoping. Don't give up."

When morning came, faint light seeped through the cracks between stones-just

enough for them to see each other. They were both filthy and disheveled.

When the concrete slab had fallen, Lacey had pushed Jason aside. He had landed in a triangular pocket of safety, while she was pinned beneath the concrete.

Lacey had been quiet for some time, feeling numb as her strength ebbed away.

Jason cleared away some rubble to move closer to her. Seeing her legs trapped and her lips blue with cold, he removed his jacket and draped it over her. "Hold on, Lacey."

After a night on the freezing floor, Lacey had developed a chill, her voice raspy. "I'm okay. I'll keep hoping, just like you said."

day darkened and brightened

days without water, Lacey's lips

as if winter had arrived early-it was

lay beside her, holding her close, sharing

give up. The disaster area must be huge, with too many

barely able to lift

darkness fell again, hope seemed

why Jason had emphasized conserving strength. They had barely spoken for hours, just waiting

darkness, unable to hear him, she grew anxious. Slowly, she raised

you okay?" she whispered, her voice

hand in his. "I'm

to hold on. She boldly wrapped her arms around his waist, clinging

might be their last,

one bottle, and we could hold

days."

heard her exhaustion, her desperation, her reluctance to leave

to answer, but his throat

had come through him. Now they were both trapped, and as a man, he desperately wanted

down, cradled Lacey's face,

widened slowly, as if in

lips moistened hers,

the kiss wasn't romantic-Jason was just

nearly spent. Though they spoke of not giving

ended, Jason held her face, brushing away sand and smoothing

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remorse for all the physical and emotional hardship he'd

he had rarely noticed. Now, he could no longer ignore

Lacey said,

her close and kissed her forehead. "I'm sorry. If we make it out alive, I'll

as she

had almost

in the darkness and gently wiped it

couldn't stop

you crying? Aren't you

sadness. "I am happy, but this moment came too late. I think I'm crippled

close, and after a moment, declared firmly, "Then I'll

her face against Jason's chest, clutching

the most beautiful thing anyone had ever said to

don't think we'll get that

just held her tightly,

of warmth.

dawn approached, they finally

rescuers had come at

could barely keep her eyes

urged, trying to

murmured weakly, her eyelids impossibly

removed one by one,

closed, but tears streamed

they were

carried out,

over, looking frantically between Jason

open and handed

to you."

photo and burst into tears.

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