The strength to resist

Chapter 2- And so we meet again

It has been weeks since I escaped Highland. And every second I felt guitly that I just left.

Sometimes when I felt lonely or sad on this journey I thought of her beauty mark above her lip that twitched everttime she laughed.

Go and get help. I need to find help.

I slowly walked down the long deserted road. It was full of potholes and stuck terribly to my soles because it was melting in the sun. No animal dared to go out in this heat. There was a mountain range that stretched as far as the eyes could see. Maybe if i had paid more attention in geography I could have named it.

I didn't know where I was going. I roamed what it felt like every city but there was nobody. I dind't find trace of Dorian either. Maybe he was captured ?

Suddenly I saw a silhouette on one of the mountain peaks. I thought I was going crazy. Maybe the solitude and the heat did something to my brain. But I turned around and I saw more and more figures. And so I ran.

I raced as fast as I could. I heard a car behind me and dared to look behind. A car was chasing me and itw as going way too.

I got off the road, hoping to outrun the car. But it didn't helped because I kept tripping on small stones. I turned around a second time and now people were chasing me by foot.

What have I gotten myself into, I thought. I should never have left. I was foolish to think that running away to find help would do anything. Ezra would never let me go. And now not only am I going to get punished but Amelia too.

There was a huge rock in front of me. I decided to go left but a car was coming from the left and then from the right as well. I was surrounded.

They turned down the engine and those who were chasing me halted too. Nobody moved or talked. And then a boy got out of one of the cars.

I could recognize these vehicles in my sleep. They were Highland vehicles. Ezra had ordered to paint a trident-like logo on all the back doors of them.

I was shaking. I was shaking because I had been running away for weeks, only for me to get caught again. Silly me, I thought that I could get away from him.

But suddenly I realized that I know this boy. Dorian...Ezra's best friend. Or should I say ex best friend.

He took a step back when he saw my face. His mouth was open. Had he recognized me? My brown braid fell to the side.

"Darcy." He snorted. "Take her."

My hands were tied together and I was thrown into one of the vans. I sat on the floor while they sat on benches.

I didn't understand. How could Dorian go back to Ezra ? I thought he ran away from him. And how would Ezra let him come back like nothing happened ? Dorian didn't even missed a hand or a leg.

But we were not going back north, we were going further south.

"Where are we going?" I asked. No one answered. "Are we going to Highland?" I asked, dreading the answer.

"We're not Ezra's people." Said one with loathing.

But I was not relieved by his answer. So who are they? Why is Dorian here? Ezra had made sure everyone was either with him or dead. So why are there so many people here running freely ?

"Then who are you?" I asked. Another one leaned down. "We're the remaining ones."