Descent

Chapter 9

"We should probably get a move on."

Mai's head snapped to Thomas, nearly forgetting he was there entirely. She looked around, realizing how late it was getting. The Seed woman had gotten so lost in the moment, she could have sworn she was back in Hope County for a split second. Being around the animals in this area reminded her of the time she'd spend as a child with her dog Boomer and the cougar Peaches. Simpler times. Happier times. A time before she was packed alongside thirty, maybe forty other children sitting in their own filth. She met eyes with the gentle giant she had been petting for who knows how long, planting a gentle kiss on their snout.

"Goodbye my friend." she murmured into the horse's fur as she pulled away.

She looked to Thomas apologetically, "Sorry for getting us sidetracked. I had to get out of my own head for a moment."

"You don't have to apologize for anything Cap'." he assured her, "You've been through more than anyone else I've ever met. Take it at your own pace. I'll be right beside you no matter what."

Thomas always had a way of lulling her to the sense that everything was going to be okay. They would find Roger and Malik, find a way back to Hope County, and go back to life before she made the mistake of coming here. That begged the question though, what would Thomas do after this was all said and done. She had just gotten him back, and she would be devastated to leave him so soon, especially as the feelings she held so long ago began to resurface with violent ferocity. This was all based on the likelihood of their success of course. There was a chance they may never leave these walls at all. As Mai gathered herself, she glanced over to the way they had entered, freezing with trepidation. Thomas saw the change in her body language and followed her eyes, cursing under his breath. A squad of Highwaymen approached, hauling a decent size wagon behind them.

"I have a feeling we're not supposed to be in this area." Thomas said.

"I'm going to agree with you on that notion."

Mai grabbed Thomas' hand as they looked for the nearest bit of cover. They moved quickly and quietly, ducking behind an old bathtub, repurposed as a feeding trough. Mai could not help but peer over the rim of the tub, curious as to what was going on.

"This the one?" one of the Highwaymen asked their cohorts as they approached the horse she had just became acquainted with.

Another Highwayman, this one a bit more aggravated responded, "Who cares. Crocodiles ain't picky. Just grab it and load it onto the wagon."

They began to process of trying to get the horse onto the wagon itself, dropping down a ramp for it to walk upon. Mai felt an over looming doom hanging over her, like something awful was going to happen. The horse was hesitant to step onto the ramp, prompting one of the raiders to prod her with some sort of metal stick that caused her to cry out. Mai's body tensed, her grip on Thomas' hand tightening.

"Easy there Cap." he tried to calm her, "Ain't nothing we can do right now."

Oh but there was plenty of things she could do. She could take that metal stick and shove it so far up that Highwayman's ass that it'd come out his throat. She could dislocate their arms and bash their heads with their own helmets. That last thought prompted her to settle down, at least until she saw one of the raiders brandishing a gun and aiming it at the horse. Mai couldn't feel her own body at that point. She was on the outside looking in. She saw herself launching over the feeding trough and Thomas reaching out for her to stop. She was too late to save the horse. The gun went off the moment Mai reached the first Highwayman. The horse's body collapsed onto the wagon, the eye's lifeless and void.

Mai took down two of the Highwaymen by the time they managed to take her down. One of them jabbed her with the same metal stick. She had never seen such a device before but the pain was immeasurable. She felt an electric current coursing through her body while the part of her body that was being jabbed started burning.