Counterfeit ✓

Chapter 13

MILA HAD A hazy memory of the rest of the so-called hunt. She ignored Amy's screams and followed Stephen back to camp without hesitation. When the guards arrived, they threw Amy back into the prison and led Mila to the shared tent with Stephen.

The area darkened after a few hours. She welcomed the night with open arms, relieved that the atrocities of the previous afternoon could be forgotten. She blinked, staring at nothing in particular. She didn't have the energy to fight him at this point. Her courage had been sapped by the hunt.

Her tears streamed down her cheek. Amy had been abandoned, she had pretended not to know her, and she had kept every emotion out of her body. Mila wiped her tears away, biting her lower lip. She opened her eyes again, realizing she had to find a solution on her own. But it wasn't for that reason that she looked again.

Outside her tent, there was a commotion. Mila couldn't sleep because of the noise. People appeared to be running away from something. Her legs shook as she walked to the tarp and pushed it aside. She took a deep breath before pulling it away to get a better look. Stephen could have another crazy idea or continue his hunt within the camp's walls.

After a minute, she calmed herself. She opened the tarp and her brow furrowed. People ran in all directions: panic was legible on their faces. Moving from one foot to the other, Mila wasn't sure what action to take at this point. This could be a test from Stephen. Any wrong move gave him an advantage.

Scratching the back of her neck, she sighed. The uproar could also be the ideal time to find Amy and escape from this hell. Doubt overwhelmed her. She stepped back into the safety of her tent. Or whatever she could call safety.

Mila paused for a half-minute to consider her options. She had already abandoned her friend earlier in the day, and she refused to do so again. She quickly pulled on her coat, which was halfway over the chair, and tied the laces of her shoes. Amy was worth taking a chance on.

She jogged out of the tent, came to a halt, and braced herself for an electric shock that could strike at any moment. Nothing. She ran on, frowning, dodging the oncoming crowd. She'd rather grab someone's arm and ask what was going on right now, but she was short on time.

She had forgotten which side of the prison she was on amid the chaos. Tents of camp residents collapsed, and people rushed to the gate to get out of the camp, while a pack of hungry wolves waited outside the gate for prey. She noticed how upset the people were. And she didn't know why.

Mila shook off her thoughts. She pushed her way through the crowds gathered in the main square to the tents at the back of the camp. Her heart sank into her boots with each step. Amy could have died because of her injuries. Swallowing, she allowed Amy's lonely death to consume her. Her friend deserved better; she had contributed to her friend's death and failed to defend her.

She shivered in front of the prison. She raised an eyebrow at the rusted lock on the muddy ground. Did Amy manage to flee, or was she apprehended and the lock thrown to the ground in frustration? Mila didn't dare to open the tarp right now because she was terrified of what she was about to discover.

The other camp inmates' fears faded into the background. Mila grabbed the tarp, inhaled through her nose and exhaled through her mouth, and yanked the sail aside. Empty.

The sound of gunshots reminded her to stay focused. She quickly turned around, her mouth open, and stared at the scene in front of her. Blood dripped over the clothes of the camp inmates, some even stumbled forward with open wounds. She rushed to the nearest group, tired of the ignorance. She grabbed a jacket sleeve and pulled it so the person was looking at her.

"What exactly is going on?" she yelled above the din.

"Invasion! We have no idea either!"

Panic oozed from his pores. She wasn't sure if Stephen wasn't behind this attack; on the contrary, the adversary could be worse than Stephen. Her stomach clenched. Mila let go of the sleeve, thanked the individual, and ran back to the camp's center. She couldn't leave Amy alone when no one was safe, invasion or not.