We had been stranded here for almost seven days now, with no sign of escape. The initial hope of being rescued had long faded, replaced by the harsh reality of survival.
Axel's condition had worsened. The wound on his arm, which he had insisted was nothing, had become infected. Last night, he had shivered uncontrollably, his forehead burning with fever.
Now, as I sat beside him, watching his pale face and damp forehead, fear gripped me in a way I had never experienced before. I had faced danger before—fought against attackers, taken bullets—but this? Watching someone suffer while I was helpless to do anything? This was worse.
"Axel," I whispered, shaking his shoulder gently. "Wake up. You need to drink water."
His eyelids fluttered, but he barely moved. His lips were dry, his breath uneven.
Panic bubbled in my chest. If I didn't find a way to treat him soon… I couldn't even finish that thought.
I had to do something. Now.
I searched for medicinal leaves while Axel remained hidden in the tree, his condition worsening. After finding some, I carefully placed them on his wound, hoping it would help.
By evening, his fever had finally subsided, and just like that, he was back to his usual self—flirting again.
I couldn't help but smile at his resilience. Without thinking, I leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead.
A silence settled between us. When I pulled back, I found Axel staring at me in surprise.
It had happened so fast—I hadn't even realized what I was doing.
Axel smirked, that familiar teasing glint in his eyes.
I couldn't help but smile too—not because of his usual antics, but because, for the first time in days, I knew he was safe.
Another four or five days passed, and still, nothing had changed. We were losing hope of ever being rescued. Axel, who had never been through such a tough situation before, was growing tired. The days of surviving on nothing but fruits from the forest were taking their toll. Despite everything, Axel remained my priority. I knew I had to keep searching for anything to feed him, anything that could help him regain some strength, even though it seemed like the forest was offering little in return.
The next morning, we started walking again. Axel was leaning on me, and I had his arm draped over my shoulder, supporting him as best as I could. I was exhausted too—my body felt like it couldn't move another inch, but I pushed myself forward for him. Then, I heard the faint sound of a vehicle moving in the distance. My heart skipped a beat. I gathered whatever strength I had left and guided Axel toward the sound.
We made our way to the road, and I raised my hand to flag down one of the cars. Thankfully, one stopped. I asked if I could use their phone, knowing I couldn't rely on Axel's contact numbers since I didn't have any of them. I called my agency, informing them of our location and that we had made it out. I felt a sense of relief wash over me. I couldn't get in touch with anyone at Axel's home, but at least help was on the way.