Regime Reconcile Recollection.

Chapter 4

Stevie felt her heart sink, all her excitement in the moment being crushed under the weight of those simple words. No can do.

    "But why?" She didn't want to come off as a pest or nuisance to Neil, but this was all she'd ever wanted for the past four years, and this young man was the one person who could make her dream come true.

    "Well for one," Neil begins, wincing and gripping his injured shoulder, "I'm about to pass out from blood loss and I'm in a lot of pain, thanks to you." He rolled his eyes and brushed his messy bangs to the side; off his forehead. "And we're here with an assigned task, we're not going back until that's taken care of."

    "Me and Keven!" Stevie blurted out, impulsively grabbing hold of the older boy's wrist. "Erm, we can help you."

Neil took a long breath before snatching his hand out of Stevie's grasp. He'd always been a lone wolf. He wouldn't be caught dead asking for help, let alone working alongside others. Kenny was the only person he worked with and that was because he'd been forced to and actually started taking a liking to him.

    "Who's Keven?" Neil asked, his eyes looking over her head.

    "My friend, we're trapped here together." Stevie turned around at the sound of footsteps, and as if on cue, Keven hobbled down the bumby path with a look of I'm-incredibly-pissed-off in his eyes. He was glaring at Neil and Kenny, almost confused or angry at the sight of other human beings besides Stevie. The initial meeting was awkwardly quiet, and she noticed something in Keven's hand that looked like a card of some sort.

   "Is that..?" Stevie reached for the mysterious item, and it was indeed a card granting entrance past the barrier. All the waves of excitment flooded back into her little body and she started jumping up and down like a little girl who just a recieved a pony on her birthday. She wrapped her arms around Keven and squeezed him in a tight hug.

    "We're finally getting out of here!"

Keven hugged her back, a smile plastered on his face. Even seeing Neil's same grim expression couldn't ruin the moment for him. Truthfully Keven was a little brat at times, but he did care about Stevie a lot, he loved seeing her so happy like this, and that's something that didn't happen too often. Neil  barely smirked and let out a soft chuckle.

    "So. I suppose the offer is void now." Neil grumbled, heading back in the direction of the cottage.    "Good luck in the Regime, you're gonna need it."

Neil disappeared in the dark home, Kenny close on his heels, only taking one look back at the pair and then lifting the fallen door back up from the floor. Keven shrugged, a disgusted expression aimed toward the home, his smile returning when he glanced back at Stevie. However, she looked more solemn.

   "C'mon, don't tell me you feel bad or somethin'." He put his hand on her shoulder and rocked her gently a few times, lifting his brows waiting for her answer.

   "No. I'm worried. Is the Regime.. safe?" She mumbled, remembering Kenny's good luck, saying they were going to need it. There had to have been a reason for the warning. Keven looked back at the wall, it gave nothing away. Not a trace of smoke above the concrete of a sign of buildings or even signs of life at all. The closer they got, there were still no sounds to be heard. If there really was civilization beyond the wall, what would it be like and how would they adapt? Keven protectively scooped his much larger hand around Stevie's; a kind gesture to reassure his scared companion.

   "There's only one way to find out."

AN: Short Chapter, I know. I just like ending the chapters properly and if I continued on, it would be really long. I hope people are really enjoying my book and the next chapter, things really get going! This isn't the last of Neil and Kenneth c;