O U T | The Group Chat

CHAPTER 14

Humidity was weighing heavily in the air as dark clouds swirled and wreathed, becoming more and more ominous and making the world hold its breath, waiting for their uneven surfaces to break and unleash the liters of water they were keeping above. Between the age old trees a fog was slowly starting to appear, slowly but surely thickening up and coating the forest in a white blanket. It was still a few hours till dawn but the moody atmosphere made it seem darker than usual.

On the slippery moss five sets of feet were steadily making their way ahead, careful as to not slip on the wet leaf litter. They were marching alongside the main road, though kept a safe distance to its side as to not be immediately spotted by anyone who may happen to by striding on it.

Larry desperately tried and kept forcing his breath to remain level and steady but from time to time air would momentarily block his throat, forcing a quiet choke out of him. His legs shook slightly under him and hands desperately clutched to the backpack on his back, clasping its straps as if the notion single-handedly kept the thing together.

He's always hated the forest for how it made him feel when walking to the lab. But where he'd usually feel betrayal and anger forced into his brain now sat a weird sense of content, encouragement even. He'd glance up at the gray sky, ready to bury him underwater and yet the treetops seemed to bend above them protectively, almost like saying 'do not worry,  you are safe". It made Larry's steps ever so slightly more uneven even if his heart began warming up to the feeling.

Beside him, a few feet back Grunk was walking carefully as well, bag slung over his shoulder that he also clutched quite possessively. His face didn't have much of an expression at all. Aside from his clenched jaw it could be hard to tell he was stressed as well.

Nick was limping right behind him. He wasn't carrying anything as his arms were only occupied with hugging his abdomen and occasionally steadying him against the passing barks. He looked better now though given the amount of painkillers Larry forced into him it was only fair since he managed not to doze off and collapse completely.

Yumi and Tanner were walking closer to the back. The taller's eyes were clouded but his forehead was creasing a bit, showing he was a bit in thought. Tanner looked pale, and the veins on his neck showed he spared his teeth no reprieve while grinding them mercilessly. His moves were steady, almost too steady, somewhat robotic-like. He hated this forest. Hated that the trees were still gawking at him with pity and disrespect, as if he was a traitor. He hated how the humid air made his skin sweaty and forced his hair to gather in dripping wet strands. Uncomfortable — it was the only word he could use that would come close to describing how he currently felt in his own skin.

They were all wearing white clothes — t-shirts, jeans, cargo pants, anything they could find. Only the bottoms of their pants and their shoes were already damp and adopting some of the dirty, brown-greenish color palette which was consistent with the forest around them. They threw some dark clothes on top, hoodies and coats, just to not stand out so dangerously against the scenery.

That proved useful as from time to time a couple of guards would rush from or towards the lab. Tanner would hush at them all to crouch and they'd watch with held breaths as the smudges of whiteness passed not so far from them.

Larry's feet felt like lead. He kept on repeating the plan they had managed to hastily put together, over and over again like he did before freeing Tanner - looking for a hole, a mishap so he can take care of it now rather than stand face to face with it in the middle of chaos.

He threw the book on the counter and frantically scanned the contents page.

"Okay we get there and... How exactly are we gonna get inside?" Yumi massaged his eyebrows with his wrists.