From Darkness Comes - Book 2 in the Ash and Ember Series

Only Way Forward

He's finally fallen asleep when I make my decision. His breathing has improved, but he's still far too weak to travel. I have a limited number of options and none of them are great. Option 1) I can forge on without Kelly and try to rescue Wyler alone. Option 2) I could rescue Kelly on the way back, assuming I make it back or Option 3) I could try and take Kelly back to the dome now and beg my brother to help save him, but the likelihood of that having a successful outcome is slim to none. Wyler will be lost forever. Cassius will kill Kelly and punish me for my disobedience, or worse, make me watch while he slowly tortures Kelly. There's really only one choice.

I leave what's left of the damaged pack and its contents for Kelly. He needs it more than me. The only thing I take, is the knife, which means I'm leaving Kelly defenseless, injured and with a dwindling amount of oxygen in his lungs. I slip the blade in a sheath, wrapped around my calf, and pull my pants down over it. I open Kelly's palm and press the remaining leaves of the plant into his hand. He'll be lucky if he lasts more than a day.

This whole time I've been hoping that Aero and Cassius's goons wouldn't catch up with us and now I pray that they will. Maybe they'll take mercy on Kelly, or at least get him some oxygen until I can get back with Wyler.

I look at Kelly, sleeping peacefully, one last time before I turn to leave. I know that realistically, this will be the last time I lay eyes on him. My heart tears at my chest and my eyes sting with tears. I want to fill his lungs with my air one last time before I go, touch my lips to his, taste him one last time, but I fear that it will wake him and he will try to stop me from leaving. Not that he has the strength, but he would use what little strength he has and what little oxygen he has left, to try. I reach my hand out to cup his face, hovering so close to his cheek, I can feel his stubble tickle my palm. I hold my lips as close to his as I can without actually touching them.

"Goodbye," I mouth as I pull my hand away, clenching it into a fist. I squeeze my eyes shut, my fist so tight my nails make imprints in my skin. I let the sadness mixed with rage, roll through my body, feeling every ounce of it pulse in my veins. Then I take a deep breath, releasing the tension and looking at him one last time before I stand to leave the room.

***

The planet seems immense without Kelly and Coven: emptier, lonelier. An eerie silence whips across the barren dust bowl. I inhale deeply, filling my chest with the planet's thin air and then I run.

I run for hours, my head on a constant swivel, searching for danger, watching for what lurks in the shadows. My feet carry me furiously across the land. Without others to wait on, or a pack to carry, I'm more nimble, accelerating to a faster pace.

I was built for speed and endurance. I clear my mind and focus on each purposeful footstep. It feels good to be focused on this one goal. It feels manageable in the face of so many unknowns. I focus on what I can control: my breath, my steps, my intent. 1, 2, 1, 2, counting each rhythmic step as I fly across the strange surface of this planet. Small puffs of dust encircle each footstep for a split second before my next foot is down, leaving a trail in my wake.

Images and feelings of the nights I spent with both Wyler and Kelly flood my brain and body. They course through me in an endless stream of passion and love and confusion. I don't regret what I've done. But I do regret what it will do if I'm ever given the chance to make a choice.

I'm unsure how long I've been running when I spot it: another dome, nearly identical to ours, but much smaller in size and scope. I almost halt in my tracks, but stopping makes me vulnerable to predators and I can't risk dying when I've come all this way. So I keep running, towards this mysterious sister city. I can't believe it has been here, all this time. I wonder what else they haven't told us. What other secrets does this planet keep?

The wall that surrounds the dome is monstrous. Getting past it is step 1. Once on the other side, I will have to figure out a way to infiltrate the dome. I assume it functions the same as our dome as far as oxygen circulation. My plan is to enter through the intake vents. The only problem is that I don't have an insider for access like I did at the other dome. As soon as I break in, my presence will be known. I'll have to find a way to use that to my advantage, which is when I realize that there's no need to climb the wall or break in. I can walk straight through the entrance if I simply make my presence know.

I slow my pace as I approach the wall. Walking around the perimeter of the bubble, I search for cameras, but don't spot any. I know they're somewhere so I begin waving my arms, flailing them about.

Nothing.

I approach the wall and bang my fists against its surface. I give it several big kicks.

Nothing.

I bang and kick faster, harder, more furiously. I dance and jump up and down.

Still nothing.

I sit down on the dusty ground, bringing my legs up to my chest. I rest my arms on my knees and wait, taking several deep breaths. I begin to rethink my plan. Maybe no one is here. Maybe this place is just as deserted as the last one. Maybe I've come all this way and risked everything, and everyone, for nothing.

That's when I see something in the distance: dust kicking up. A swirl of debris moves toward me. I stare intently at the cloud to see if it will grow in size like the last dust storm but it stays small in stature. Then another dust storm starts to the left and another on the right. Each one several yards apart. As my brain begins to register what I am seeing, I hear a piercing cry, which is when I realize that these aren't dust storms. They're the creatures, kicking up dirt in their wake, just as I did, and their barreling towards me just as fast.

I jump to my feet and wave my arms frantically at the dome. I shout and scream. "Open up!" I yell.

Picking up what small rocks and pebbles I can find, I throw them at the wall.

The clouds are approaching quickly. They've multiplied to five. The creatures will be here within minutes. It can't end this way. I can't have come all this way to die just outside the wall of safety, alone. My mind flashes briefly to Kelly and I pray that they didn't find him first.

20 feet away.

10.

My heart races. I close my eyes and prepare myself for impact and what will surely be the sickeningly grotesque and excruciatingly painful last moments of my life.

The creatures release an ear piercing shriek, but not in the same way as before. These are cries of pain. My eyes spring open just as their bodies slam to a halt and flail about as electricity surges through their limbs. Their wings go limp and they fall to the ground with a thud so large it shakes the ground beneath my feet. Before I can fully comprehend what has happened, I feel myself being pulled from behind and dragged past the wall, towards the bubble. I kick and thrash in the arms of my attacker. Even though this is what I wanted mere moments ago, it seems safer now to be on the outside rather than in.

I'm dragged across the threshold of the bubble. The hole we enter through slides shut behind us.

My attacker releases me. A large man in a black mask paces in front of me. All that is visible are his eyes. I try to stand and he stops, holding up his weapon and pointing it at me. I raise my hands in surrender.

"Jesus," he says in a frustrated tone. "I thought you were smarter than this."

I furrow my bow in confusion as my capturer  raises the butt of his weapon.

"Sorry about this," he says, before bringing it down and smashing it against my head.