Running

Chapter Seven

* Ryleah's POV *

Leader. With Madelyn.

Madelyn and I had left Sarah's office over a week ago, and the words still echoed through my mind like an unwanted nightmare.

We didn't say anything to her, just stood, staring at her dumbfounded.

And almost a week later, I still sit here. Dumbfounded. Staring at the wall, contemplating what I am going to do, what I am going to say.

"Rough talk with Sarah and Kaden?" Ryder asks, staring at me pointedly. This was the first time he had brought up the meeting that I had had with them. "Your mind has seemed... Preoccupied this past week."

"Kaden was sick." I said with a sigh. "But it was a bit different." I add lightly, glancing at him. "Curious much?"

He swats his hand at me, and annoyed expression on his face. "Not even a little bit."

I roll my eyes. "Schedule?"

I've been saying this for the past few days, and he'll give me a run through of the day. Just like normal. I'm falling into a pattern here, and I'm starting to like it.

So far, he's explained a few things to me about The Dome, which I was asked to lead and I have no idea what it even is.

It's a rebellion against the governments way of thinking. It's a protest, to go back to the way it was before. It started about three months after the government had started capturing girls. Five months after Madelyn and I ran.

He punches his eyes together as if trying to remember the answer on a test. I slap him, because I know that the schedule for today is practically imprinted on the back of his eyelids.

He rolls his eyes. "No fun?"

He has been a lot more let loose with me in the past week. I'm not sure how I like it.

"Just tell me the schedule, Ryder."

"Feisty. Okay, if that's how we're going to play..." He trails off at my glare, and holds his hands up in surrender. "Fine, fine. 11:30, lunch, seems how you slept through breakfast. 1:00, shooting lessons, and 3-4:45 is break time. Ah, yes. I've been meaning to ask you about this. 5-7 is leadership training, you and Madelyn both. Care to explain?"

I feel my face heat up. I hadn't even said yes yet!

"What does it sound like, idiot?" I hissed, anger lacing my words.

"It sounds like," he said, amusement crossing his face at my distressed look. "That you were asked to become leader. And that is why you have been asking about the dome."

Curse him and his very perceptive mind.

"Well I haven't accepted yet." I defended, crossing my arms over my chest. "So I'm not going to the stupid training."

"Oh you're going." Ryder said, a smug look on his face. "It's my job to take you places. And a place I intend on taking you to is that training."

"No. Absolutely not."

"Yes." He pointed a finger at me. "You're going wether you want to or not. So accept the fact that you are going now, and things will be a lot easier for you when the time rolls around to 5 o'clock."

I groan, clearly defeated. "Get dressed." He demands, an amused expression on his face. "Lunch is in thirty minutes."

Well crap.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀* * *

After lunch, Ryder and Brandon take me and Madelyn down to the shooting range, where a gruff looking man stands, his arms covered in tattoos.

"Grab a gun." He orders, his voice low.

I take a closer look at him, his brown hair in a buzz cut, but his eyes distracted me most. They set off his whole appearance, their soft brown hue making me wonder if he was really so gruff and tough.

Grabbing a gun, I proceeded to listen intently to his words as he continues to talk.

"My name is Christopher. But I prefer Chris." So basically, call him Christopher and he will knock your head off. Okay. "I will be leading your athletic training in all aspects. Hand to hand combat, knives, guns, self defense, all that fine and dandy stuff."

I hear Madelyn snort beside me. "Fine and dandy, yes."

He glares at her. "Mocking will not be tolerated. I thought I was dealing with mature 16 year olds, so I wouldn't feel the need to set ground rules. But apparently, I'm dealing with different 16 year olds than I thought."

His voice is cold, and threatening. Madelyn visibly shrinks back, her face looking slightly terrified.

"Sorry." She whispered, closing her eyes.

He grunted. Motioning to the targets, he continued his talk. "Find a target, and shoot the gun. I want to see your stance, so that I can critique from there."

I walked over, about 25 yards away from the target. I breathed in, taking my stance. Closing one eye, zeroing my gaze in on the target, I pulled the trigger, the force following easy to control, as I was used to it. The bullet strayed centimeters from the center. I smiled when I got the nod of approval from Chris, who then focused his attention on Madelyn.

This was going to be a long two hours.

A / N

*hides at you all throw cans at me for not updating*

I have been at a serious writers block for this story, and it took me a while to finally find a path to go down.

What do you all think of Chris, eh? I wasn't originally planning on having him in, but why not!

Sorry this is a short chapter, too. Tell me of any mistakes!

Thanks for reading!

Love,
~ Lacey ❤️

P. S.

New cover credit to _just_keep_writing_

Thanks babe. ❤️