[18+] BOOK 2.5 (Novella)
A war that destroyed the world. It came and it went, leaving death and chaos in its wake.
In the resulting turmoil England has split into four regions, a safety measure that was 'essential' to ensure that violence would not...
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We fly through the field as fast as we can, reaching the other side within a couple of minutes. We duck down at the sight of an Enforcer truck rocketing up the main road to the left of us, watching as they holler and yell, heading straight for the inferno that we caused.
Standing back up, we leg it into the trees, weaving our way through the woodland for as long as we can.
Lyla slows to a walk first, breathing heavily, her hand on her chest as she peers back, wide-eyed, at the way we came.
I stop beside her, giving her a reassuring smile. "We're far enough away. We can walk."
"Are you sure?" Lyla murmurs.
Carl rounds on his heels and nods slowly at the scared brunette dressed in black. Rayden's widow.
Reaching out, I rest my hand against a tree, leaning against it and clutching my other hand to my side. "I think I have a stitch," I groan.
Carl chuckles. "Somehow, I think I ran through mine."
Lyla smiles at us. "We shouldn't have eaten before we came."
"I suppose," I murmur. "Although without it, I wouldn't even be functioning right now." Sliding down the trunk, I let my legs rest for a moment. Carl and Lyla follow suit. The sounds of our racing breaths ricochet around the trees.
My head drops between my thighs and I close my eyes, focusing on the cold December air that touches my bare cheeks. Reaching into the pocket of my coat, I pull out my black beanie hat and yank it over my blonde hair.
"Do you reckon they've made it through the wall yet?" Lyla asks after a minute.
I smile at the idea, the thought of Riley whooping and hollering his excitement if they have. "Hopefully," I answer softly, opening my eyes and looking at them both.
"Definitely," Carl counters. I can just about make out his reassuring grin in the moonlight.
"They did promise me that they'll be back, so..." I trail off with a smile. "I have full confidence in their plan."
Lyla nods, seemingly happy with my answer as she rests her head back against the trunk and closes her eyes.
I do the same, focusing on how my heart is beating uncontrollably, desperately urging it to slow down. Whether it's the amount of physical exercise, or the nerves that prickle my body at the idea of potentially being caught, I don't know... but it takes more than five minutes before I feel calm enough to open my eyes.
Lowering my head, I can still make out Carl's silhouette in the darkness. "We should probably move soon," I murmur. "We don't want them coming out this way looking for us."
"I think Lyla's asleep," Carl replies.
I smile, a low chuckle leaving my lips. "I don't blame her. That shit was freaking exhausting."
