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."

brightened again with no sign

water, Lacey's lips were

if winter had

beside her, holding her close, sharing

with too many collapsed buildings. Rescuers are coming-we

able to lift

time dragged on and darkness fell again,

They had barely spoken for hours, just waiting in

grew anxious.

you okay?" she whispered, her voice

her hand

hold on. She boldly wrapped

as if it might be their last, she couldn't bear to

just one bottle, and we could hold on for a few

days."

her exhaustion, her desperation, her reluctance to

answer, but his

of it had come through him. Now they were both trapped, and as a man, he desperately wanted to spare her this suffering, but

Jason bent down, cradled Lacey's face, and

eyes widened slowly, as if in

hers, the softness undeniably

gave in to the moment, even though she knew the kiss wasn't romantic-Jason was just trying to moisten her dry

she couldn't help but lose herself in this moment of intimacy. Both were nearly spent. Though they spoke of not giving up,

face, brushing away sand and smoothing her hair. "I'm sorry

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for all the

had rarely noticed. Now,

said,

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

immediately spilled down Lacey's cheeks as

she had almost

felt the wetness on her face in the darkness and gently wiped it away. "Don't cry.

couldn't

are you crying? Aren't you happy?" he

with sadness. "I am happy, but this moment came

firmly, "Then I'll carry you

face against Jason's chest,

was perhaps the most beautiful thing anyone had ever

don't think we'll get

her tightly, sharing

of warmth.

approached, they

rescuers had

barely keep

Jason urged, trying to

weakly, her eyelids impossibly

above them were removed one by one,

her eyes closed, but tears

they

as they were carried out, Lacey still clutched

frantically between Jason

her eyes open and handed him the photograph. "I finally

to you."

photo and burst into tears.

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