The Third Message novel · Chapter 5 of 24

Chapter 5: You Never Asked

When I woke, there was sun on a white ceiling and a drip in the back of my hand.

My left leg was wrapped to the hip. It hurt, but it was the clean kind of hurt.

Burke was in the chair beside the bed with his glasses off and his eyes red.

He reached for my hand.

I moved it under the blanket.

"Lana." His voice cracked. "I went back for you. The rescue team said they already had you. Why were you in surgery?"

"Because of my leg."

"What about your leg?"

"I told you it was injured. Twice. What did the doctor say?"

He opened his mouth.

"What did my scans say, Burke? You were at the dorm gate when I showed them to you."

He looked at the floor.

"I thought it was minor."

"You never asked," I said.

The door opened, and the rescue captain walked in with his helmet under his arm.

Behind him came the whole survey team, all ten of them, in a line.

Nobody looked comfortable.

The captain went to the foot of my bed and spoke to the room.

"I wanted these students to hear this from me. She was alone for three hours, on a leg with a trapped nerve. Another night and she might not have walked again."

The guy who had snapped at me stared at his shoes.

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