Group Z

Chapter 34 (End)

My shoulder slams into the ground followed by my back then legs. 'Ouch.' I wince, lying flat on my back and winded.

Sapphire steps over me holding out her hand. 'You wimp.' She jokes pulling me to my feet and sticking out her tongue.

Three months into our newfound jobs we have set into a comfortable rhythm. We take it in turns to sleep and find food, as well as exploring our section. Noting every nook and cranny. We occasionally see other groups and exchange information but other than that the forest is quiet, and we see nothing of any real interest.

I love it. Being out in the wilderness leaves me feeling freer than I ever have before. The animals become our allies and we learn to read their behaviour as well as the forest around us. Every so often we even hear wolves howling but we've yet to meet any.

In our spare time, like now, Sapphire demanded that I keep teaching her to fight. Now she has become a real force to be reckoned with and has come close to beating me in spars several times.

Standing up I look at her, in the now many months since we first met her face has hardened and she's gained some scars over her body. Across her cheek is a freshly blossoming bruise from a previous spar with Lizzie where she gave as good as she got, Lizzie now sporting a black eye. Her and Damon are somewhere in the trees behind us doing their own training. Damon has also become leaner, fitter and the four of us have turned into a comfortable unit, able to communicate without speaking.

Suddenly a loud whirring noise to our left breaks the silent tranquillity. Lizzie and Damon immediately materialise, and our various weapons appear in our hands. We run to the whirring when a yell breaks up its monotony.

We run faster, pushing past trees that have become so familiar to us, our feet finding unseen paths as we run. The yell comes again, more urgency in it this time as we push through some bushes taking thorns for our pains and come into a horrific scene of violence.

The group consisting of Zeph, Zach, Zara and Eliza have been set upon by two drones. Eliza lies on the floor, her eyes unseeing, blood from a bullet hole in the middle of her forehead staining her white hair a ghastly shade of pink. Even as I watch the drone opens fire on where Zach and Zeph hide, crouched behind an old log. The wood sprays up and Zeph is practically shredded apart. Zach lets out a shout of agony as a piece of wood finds a home in his leg.

For a moment there is nothing but a faint roaring in my ears and I suddenly feel dizzy. So suddenly we've lost family. We have to... We have to...

Somebody, I think Lizzie jostles into me, her elbow digging hard into my back, on purpose or not I don't know but it snaps me out of my haze.

Looking around frantically I see Zara, hidden under an outcrop of rock holding a bullet wound in her shoulder that is leaking blood, her face colourless.

I snap into action commanding Lizzie and Damon. 'Get Zach now!' Before bombing for Zara.

I throw myself to my knees and haul her out gripping her under the arms.

Behind us Lizzie and Damon have retreated to the trees with Zach whilst the drone readies its guns with a tell-tale click aiming now at us. I grit my teeth and pull harder on Zara who lets out a groan of agony, promptly passing out. Grabbing her arm, I haul her over my shoulder in a fireman's lift and look around for Sapphire.

She's throwing rocks at the drone distracting it, dipping in and out of sight behind a tree. I give off two sharp whistles and the next time she ducks behind the tree she doesn't reappear. I sprint for the treeline Zara a heavy weight on my shoulder, her blood soaking into my back. I don't stop running as I bolt for the closest hideaway. A room hidden in the trunk of an old tree. I pray that everybody else chose this one to go to as well.