"Come on, honeypie. Go to daddy!"

"Daddy!"

"Oof, look at you! My princess is looking very pretty in her new outfit."

"Yes, and I think she actually likes it."

"Shall we go buy it, then?"

"Yay!"

"Well, it's just a little concussion. Your friend here, though, has two broken ribs," a nurse tells me, "What exactly happened to you?"

"We fell," I state bluntly, it's not like I lied but it's also not like I can just tell her we fell from the sky riding a stolen space pod.

The nurse gives me a side-eye then sighs, "Whatever, I'm used to you soldiers acting this way. I just thought you looked too young."

I'm about to mention that I am in fact too young but change my mind. I don't need her asking more questions. After crash-landing here, Lyra and I trudged through the battlefield, almost dying 6 times, until we reached the medical corps. The nurses carried Lyra into one of the tents telling me to follow. I don't know how we survived 10 whole minutes in this horrendous place. The sounds of blasters and arrows filled my ears, followed by the screams of the wounded soldiers and the shouts of their comrades. The scent of blood and ash filled my nostrils making me wish we never decided to take that space pod. Lyra and I were thrown in the air more than once because of bombs detonating dangerously close to us. I didn't realise how lucky we were until now. What are the chances that we survive that with only some scratches and bruises... and two broken bones.

"Do you think they're ok?" Lyra asks, "I've been here for less than a day and I already want to die."

I know who she's talking about. Jacklinso. Liz. Maybe even Gartel.

"I don't know, Lyra," I whisper to her, the thought of Jack spending time here pains me more than anything else. I need to stop thinking about it. I'll probably spiral into a panic attack or something.

"I want to see Jack again," I mutter, "I don't want him to die in this horrible place."

"I suppose all we can do is wish them luck," Lyra states.

"No," I say, "That's not all we can do," and I know I have that face right now, the one I make when I'm going to do something troublesome, the one JC always points out. My JC. No one and nothing can take him from me. Especially not this stupid, worthless war.

"What else can we do then?" Lyra questions.

"I'll find him. I'll take him and run. Surely there's a place on this wretched planet not occupied by war. Even if there's no shelter, no food, I don't care! I'll find him."

Lyra sighs and turns around in her bed facing away from me. She probably thinks I'm pathetic. Maybe I am, but Jack is my friend. He is worth being pathetic for, he is worth all the anguish it'll take to find him because he's my one and only friend. The only person who took me in, even when I was young and whiny, even when I caused him trouble. He is my family now and I will find him. With that thought I drift to sleep, hoping that when I wake up, I have a plan.

"Lyra, Lyra," I whisper her name shaking her softly to wake her up.

"Ellie, what do you want," she asks groggily, "Look at how dark it is, it's probably midnight right now, go back to sleep."

"I'm leaving, are you coming?"

"No," and with that, she turns back around and falls asleep.

'Sarn it. She wasn't even listening to me, was she? It's not like she can walk in her state either way. I'll just leave her here, it was her choice. I need to find Jack and yet I don't even know where to start. I remember being taught that the 18-year-olds are sent 40km away from the front lines. This camp is about 32km away from the front lines according to our nurse. So, I have about 8km to walk. How long will that take? Even if I am able to walk that whole distance it's not like there will be a sign telling me 'Jacklinso is here'. Stars! What am I thinking? I need to leave now if I want to reach Jack.

I look around the tent and find a bag full of medical supplies. I empty the bag except for some bandages and alcohol for any injuries I might acquire on this treacherous adventure I'm about to take. I also find some canned food and a canteen full of water. This'll have to do. Taking the supplies, I rush out of the tent. Will he be ok? Will I even be able to find him?

As soon as I exit the tent, I spot two soldiers sitting near me. Grrrrrreat! I make up my mind quickly and decide to make a run for it. They won't shoot me, will they? I dash away from them as fast as my throbbing head allows me. Suddenly, they both stand up and start shouting. I can hear them telling me that they'll shoot and warning me of what happens to traitors.

"We've warned you, coward!" is the last thing I hear before I'm thrown forward because of a force on my right shoulder. I feel warm liquid flowing on my arm and it takes me a whole minute to realise that it's blood. I can smell its metallic scent, and yet I don't feel pain. Not as much as I should, anyway. Is it because I'm in shock? I can't be in shock. I need to get up. I need to find Jack. Get up, Ellie! Get up! Get up! This is only a shoulder injury! I remember what they told us at the orphanage. The first thing you should do is cover the injury to stop blood loss and avoid infection. I reach for the bag and clumsily pull out the bandage. 'Sarn it, why isn't this stupid thing cooperating with me. This hurts so bad! Perhaps being in shock was better. I wrap the bandages as best as I can around my shoulder.

How come the soldiers didn't come after me? Did they just expect me to die here? How pathetic! Stupid soldiers. Stupid war. Stupid humans. I need to stand up! And I do, slowly, and very painfully, walking away from the camp and making my way to JC. The bandages aren't exactly stopping the bleeding. My lousy job of wrapping them will lead to my death. 'Sarn it! 'Sarn it! Of course, I had to get shot! I knew I was too lucky! Surviving a crash land. Surviving this warzone. Surviving one whole hour on this godforsaken planet! It was all pure luck and now I'm out.

I take two whole steps before my breathing starts to become heavy; I've lost too much blood and the pain is too much now. I spot a little sand dune and go behind it, trying to get a little protection from the soldiers at the camp. They won't look for me, right? They probably will and I'll die here. Without Jacklinso. Suddenly everything becomes hazy, and my eyelids are too heavy. The world turns black, and my last thought is that I'll die alone.

I slowly open my eyes trying to remember what happened. I groan as I remember that I'm on Planet-E. Then I gasp, as I touch my shoulder. I wince as it hurts but this pain is nothing compared to how I felt when I got shot. Then I laugh as I realise that I'm not dead. I'm still alive! I can find Jack! We can be- my gratitude is cut short as I spot two red eyes staring at me and gulp as I realise that they're attached to the metallic body of a robot. A robot with a blaster aimed at my chest.

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How was this chapter? Tell me your opinions and thanks for reading and as always, ✨Cya✨