Shattered Horizon

24 Bo

Chapter Twentyfour
Bo
Iris and I burst back into the house. The door gapes open. Lightning growls and races inside, followed by me and Iris. "Liam!"
I stumble into the living room. His shoes, his hoodie, his backpack...all abandoned by the couch. I hear Iris shriek Rose's name, then she's back, her face pale. Panic seized me. "They're gone!"
A loud thud echoes from upstairs. We sprint up, hearts pounding. It's just Lightning, knocking something over. Iris peeks into the other rooms, but they're empty.
Back downstairs, my fear escalates. "Where did they go?" I shout. "Why would they leave without their shoes and jackets?"
"Okay there must be a logical answer right?" Iris said to me
"Shh!" Iris hisses.
We freeze, straining to hear. Footsteps. Two men burst into the house, their raucous laughter jarring the silence.
"RaJa's gonna make 'em suffer," one cackles.
"Yeah, I saw him through the window yesterday," his partner rasps. "Spouting off about kissing that other guy! Disgusting!"
"Stupid faggot thought he could take Rara down!"
Iris releases me. Her eyes burn with determination. She mouths, "Left for me, right for you." I nod, mirroring her as she snatches a pan. The unspoken instruction hangs in the air: Hit hard, hit the head.
We split. My target appears moments later. Time stretches. I swing the pan with desperate force. She echoes my brutality. The men collapse with sickening thuds.
"Who are they?" I hissed.
"I don't know," Iris pants, "but they mentioned Liam and Rose!" She vanishes upstairs, returning with old sheets, then tears into the dining room, dragging out two chairs.
We work with grim efficiency, binding the men tightly. Slumping on the couch, Lightning pressed against us, we waited. One stirs.
"What theâ€"" he mumbles.
Iris rises, a slap echoing before he can finish. "I'm giving you one chance!" she snaps.
"I ain't tellin 'you nothin'!" the man spits.
Iris's next slap is even harder. "Where are Liam and Rose?" Her voice crackles with fury and desperation.
She points to Lightning. "One last chance, or the dog gets you." Lightning growls on cue, and I can't help a grim smile.
"What you smiling at, faggot!" the man snarls.
Iris delivers another blistering slap. "Don't talk to him! Answer me!"
I never seen Iris this angry before "Fuck you" said the man
"Fine, I'll give you till three. Then the dog gets its playtime, and after that… well, let's just say the vrys won't be kind."
"One," she hissed.
"Two…"
"Thrâ€"" His words choked off.
"Okay… okay. That faggot and the girl â€" they went to the camp. Raja's going to kill them. Make an example, show everyone there's no room for… difference in this new world." He spat the last word like venom.
Her hand lashed out again, the crack of the slap echoing in the silence. "Don't you ever call him that! Or I swear, I'll rip you apart myself!"
The hatred blazing in her eyes was almost a physical force. She stormed from the room, leaving me behind. "Lightning, watch them," I ordered. A low growl was his only response.
She raked a hand through her hair, pacing restlessly. "What do we do now?" I asked, voice tight with worry.
"We leave. Roseght," she said, the words clipped and harsh.
"But we can't abandon Liam and Rose!" I protested, my heart pounding.
"Bo, the way he said it…" Her voice faltered, a single tear tracing a path down her cheek. "I… I fear the worst."
"No, I don't believe it!" I insisted, desperation lacing my tone.
She met my eyes, their intensity burning into mine. "Bo, Liam… I care about you. I want you to survive! If we stay, others will come â€" for them, for us. We can't risk it."
She whirled to face me, her eyes blazing. "Do you trust me?" she demanded, the question hanging heavy in the tense silence.
My heart pounded a frantic rhythm, but I didn't hesitate. "I do," I said, my voice steadier than I felt.
We hurriedly packed, leaving the two men tied and yelling behind us. A knot of dread twisted in my gut â€" what if Liam came back and found us gone?
"Bo, come on!" Iris called from the doorway, her voice sharp with urgency.
"I can't just leave, Iris! What if he escapes?"
"We'll talk outside. I have a plan."
She shut the door, silencing their shouts. "Here's the deal," she said, lowering her voice. "There's a house up the street. If Liam makes it back, we regroup. But if he doesn't…" Her words trailed off. "We're running low on supplies â€" enough to last a week, maybe a week and a half. Then we move on. Liam's strong, Bo, but we have to be realistic."
She hugged me tightly, then took over as leader. I had no choice but to help her. A couple of days later, her prediction proved chillingly accurate. A group came looking for those two, searching the houses nearby. When they found them, we heard the shouts: "Your friend is dead! Come out, and we'll let you live."
Hours later, Iris went to bed. We barricaded the door to make sure no one could come in. After she vanished to the room upstairs, I collapsed on the couch, the reality sinking in. He could be in agony, or worse. Why does this keep happening to us? It's always me, or him, or Iris... We never should have helped Rose. She wouldn't have lifted a finger for us, though...maybe that's not true. With shaking hands, I finally picked up Joanna's letter. I hadn't dared to read it before.
It said:
Bo, My time grows short. My boy, you remind me so much of my own Danny â€" your heart overflows with love, just like his did. Don't let your emotions consume you. I found peace knowing I'd face the end alone, but then you and your friends came into my life. You saved me, even if just for a while. You filled my days with joy.
Bo, you have a bright future ahead. Remember to fight. Some will try to hurt you with words, maybe even try to pull you apart from those you love. But he loves you as deeply as you love him. Protect that love with all you have. And Bo, smile more â€" it brightens your handsome face. When I meet the Lord, I'll tell your parents how you've grown, how much love you carry.
Always have hope,
Love,
Joanna
P.s
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength, while loving someone deeply gives you courage" I heard this quote once and it stuck with me. I hope you find it useful just like I did.
She's right. I have to stay strong. For my family. For Liam. He will come back. He always does. I put the letter away. I look up at the moon. I say a prayer, hope kicking in. I haven't prayed for almost seven months. I told him I was sorry. But I did now. I ask the Lord to save him and bring him back. I ask him to keep my family safe, to protect Iris. I finish up my prayers. I lay next to his backpack and his jacket. I grab it and hold it. Tears build up, and I let them go. In the darkness of the room, I cry myself to sleep.
I wake up to Lightning's enthusiastic kisses. His tongue leaves a wet, slimy trail on my face.
"Okay, okay, I'm up!" I chuckle, sitting up slowly on the couch. It's a relief Iris chose a house with a gated backyard. I open the side door, and he trots out without a bark. He quickly does his business and bounds back inside.
I sink back onto the couch, still clutching Liam's jacket. Today. Maybe today he'll come back. Iris doesn't come downstairs for hours. I'm glad she's getting the rest she needs. To distract myself, I pace the living room and pick up a dusty photo album off the shelf. A smiling family stares back â€" twins with their parents. I set the album down on the mantle, a thin layer of dust coating it.
Hunger gnaws at me, so I head to the kitchen and start rummaging through the cabinets. Canned corn, peas, beans,potatoes... and then, a spark of joy! Three cans of peaches. I almost rip the first one open and grab a fork. The sugary nectar tastes unbelievably sweet. It reminds me of afternoons when Mom would cut up fresh strawberries and peaches for a snack.
Iris shuffles in, and I hand her the can and fork. "What's this?" she asks, her smile tentative. She takes a cautious sniff,then her eyes widen. "Peaches!" she exclaims. I grin, warmed by her delight.
We grab the remaining cans and head to the living room. "Wait!" I say, making her stop. "What?" she asks, looking around. "I never noticed this door before."
Adventure sparks in her eyes. She snatches the cans and sprints to fetch her flashlight. "Wanna check it out?"
"Probably just a basement," I say, trying to temper her enthusiasm.
"Doesn't matter! Maybe we'll find treasure. I heard people used to store food, board games, all sorts of stuff down there," she says excitedly. "Plus, it's still way too early to check for Liam."
I nod and open the door, gesturing with an exaggerated bow. "Ladies first."
We descend the basement stairs, the air damp and heavy. Cobwebs cling to forgotten corners, and random objects lie scattered â€" old TVs, worn clothes, cleaning supplies. I find a couple of dusty stuffed toys and toss them to Lightning.Further in, a green storage closet catches my eye. I yank open the doors and yell for Iris. "Bingo!"
I step aside, and her eyes widen with delight. Board games! Monopoly, Candyland, Clue, Uno... even some I've never seen before. She scoops them all up, her face glowing with excitement, and races back upstairs. I follow, grinning despite myself.
"You know," she pauses, opening the Monopoly box, "me and my family used to play this all the time. It'd take hours, but the best part was just... being together."
All the pieces are there. She sets everything up. "I'll be the dog!" she declares, grabbing the little token. I pick up the battleship and smile. "When I was younger, I wanted to be in the Red Cross. My mom told me they help people and prevent suffering when they're in need."
She beams at me. "I wanted to be a veterinarian. I love animals!" She gives Lightning a gentle scratch behind the ears.
She hands me the play money, and I place my battleship on GO. We play for hours.
"Welp, you're going to jail," she declares with a mischievous grin.
"That'll be $200," she says again when I land on her hotel.
Lightning enjoys the show. Suddenly, he gets up and pads toward the front door. "What's wrong, boy?" I said
"He must need to go out," Iris says, watching Lightning whine by the door.
"Let's take him for a quick walk, but we need to be careful," I caution.
She nods, a determined glint in her eyes. "Yeah. It's time to look for Liam too." She leaves the Monopoly game sprawled out. "I'll beat you when we get back. No more going easy on you," she adds with a playful grin.
I smile back. She grabs her jacket. "Let's leave the front barricaded and use the back," she instructs.
We slip out the back door, opening the gate. Lightning bursts free, ignoring our panicked calls. "Stupid dog," I mutter.
"He's just being a dog," Iris counters. We reach the road, and she carefully brushes away our footprints. I take a step and slam down hard on a patch of ice. "Dammit!"
Iris bursts into laughter. I scoop up a snowball and hurl it at her. She retaliates then tries to help me up, only to slip and crash beside me. We erupt in giggles… until a sharp bark echoes from the house where we left those two people.
I look at her, and she doesn't even need to say it. We both pull out our guns. "They shouldn't be back this soon," I whisper.
She puts a finger to her lips, her eyes hard. We creep towards the barking, a knot tightening in my stomach.
We dart into the house next door, peering out the window. No sign of anyone, but Lightning's barks grow frantic."Something's wrong," I say, my voice tight. Iris meets my eyes, mirroring my worry. The people would have... I can't finish the thought. My mind races, then goes blank.
Before she can stop me, I'm out the front door. Iris yells after me, her voice a blur.
The house stands there, the door ajar. Iris catches up, panting. "Bo," she pleads.
"Iris, something...a piece of me is in there," I choke out.
Lightning's barking echoes like a siren. I push through the doorway. A rotting stench fills the air. The dining room furniture is back in place. The living room lies empty. Iris checks behind me as I stammer, "Nothing."
Stairs beckon. Iris follows close behind. A closed door waits at the end of the hall. A Vry stands there banging on the door. "It's just Vry," I say, but my voice sounds hollow. Dread washes over me, anxiety squeezing my chest. "I...can't breathe," I gasp to Iris.
Suddenly, the Vry turns around. Iris eases me to the floor. "Just breathe! I'll be right back!"
I can nearly make out what she did. But the grunting stopped. She rushes over to me. "Just breathe Bo" she says again.
"I can't lose him! Iris," I say, shaking even more.
Another moan â€" this time human. The Vry is gone, but something else now lurks in that room. The door creaks open. Iris aims her gun. "Stop!" she warns. "Don't come any closer, or I'll shoot!"
"Iris..." A familiar voice rasps. My eyes widen, recognizing the faint smile, the haunted look. He's battered, bleeding,limping heavily.
A thud jolts us. Iris and I scramble to his side, carefully turning him over. A scream of agony rips through him."What's...wrong?" I stammer.
He gasps, eyes fluttering. Iris returns with a rag, gently dabbing his face. "Not safe," he chokes.
Iris and I exchange a panicked look. "How do we get him out of here?" she asks urgently.
He tries to sit up and cries out in pain.
We heave Liam to his feet, a collective grunt escaping our lips. A chorus of howls and snarls explodes from outside. Vrys.Panic jolts through me.
Iris lets out a sharp whistle, piercing the tense air. Moments later, Lightning explodes through the door, fur bristling.
We grab Liam under each arm, his weight a deadening anchor. My hand brushes against his back â€" slick, warm. Blood."Iris, hold him!" I bark.
She reacts instantly, taking his weight. The howls and snarls are closer now, punctuated by the unsettling scrape of claws against wood.
My heart hammers against my ribs. I reach behind Liam, dread churning in my stomach. Lifting his shirt reveals a horrifying scene. Crimson slashes mar his back, at least a dozen, raw and weeping. The sight makes me gag.
"What..." Iris's voice trails off, a gasp replacing the words. My hands shake as I pull Liam towards me. "Look," I force out, voice barely above a whisper.
Her eyes widened in horror. "Oh my god, Liam," she whimpers, her voice breaking as she shifts to support his other side.
"Careful on the stairs â€" he'll scream. We need to keep the Vrys away, get him back to the other house," I say, my voice tight. "The blood... they'll smell it for miles."
We wrestle Liam down the stairs, his moans turning into strangled cries with every step. A Vry lunges through the doorway, its grotesque form met with a deafening gunshot from Iris. Black blood splatters across the floor, the metallic tang acrid in the air.
"We're not gonna make it," I rasp, panic clawing at my throat.
Liam, pale and gaunt, manages a weak whisper. "Leave..."
"No!" I roar, defying him and my own fear. "Never again!"
Another Vry shrieks, its claws ripping through the doorway. Iris fires again, the sound echoing like a death knell.
"I have an idea," she shouts above the din, her eyes gleaming with fierce determination. She shoves Liam's weight onto me. "This will hurt."
Before I can react, she rips his shirt free, her movements controlled despite the chaos. She guides it over his arm, then carefully over his head. Liam lets out a choked groan, his body wracked with pain.
The shirt comes free, and Iris launches it towards the front door. Lightning, forever perceptive, explodes into action. He snatches the shirt in his jaws and darts out the door. We hear a cacophony of snarls and growls erupt as the Vrys follow the scent.
My heart hammers against my ribs. "He'll be a distraction," Iris says, her voice hoarse. "Let's move!"
I nod, a surge of protectiveness washing over me. We need to get Liam out of here, and Iris's plan, risky as it is, might just be their only hope.
We race for the house, Liam's weight a burden shared. Lightning did his part â€" the howls have faded, and Iris drops the few remaining stragglers with practiced aim.
Bursting through the gate, we haul Liam inside and up to a bedroom. Carefully, we lay him face down on the bed, his gasps of pain carving into my soul.
Iris rifles through cabinets. "Hydrogen peroxide," she snaps, then grabs a clean towel and soaks it. "Bo, downstairs! Every cabinet. Find a bowl, salt, vinegar. Grab snow, melt it over a fire. Hurry!"
I sprint down the stairs, heart pounding. A desperate scratching sounds at the back door. Relief floods me as I fling it open. Lightning bounds inside, tail wagging. A quick check confirms he's unharmed.
"Good boy!" I gasp, giving him a frantic scratch and a scavenged treat. There's no time for more â€" Iris needs supplies.
"Bo!" she yells, a new note of urgency in her voice. "Find a needle and thread too!"
The smell hits me first. Blood and disinfectant â€" a sickening sweetness that turns my stomach. Liam lies face down, his gasps shallow and ragged. Iris crouches beside him, her movements swift and sure, but her eyes betray a flicker of dread.
"Bo, rinse again," she orders, and I force myself to move. The melted snow turned water is pink with diluted blood. Each time I splash it on his shredded back, he lets out a strangled cry, a sound that tears at my insides. My hands tremble.
My guilt gnaws at me. This is my fault. If we hadn't helped, if we hadn't been so reckless... "Sorry," I choke out, tears blurring my vision.
"Focus," Iris snaps, but there's no real bite in her voice. Her hand squeezes my shoulder, a brief moment of comfort before she's back on task.
"Thread," she demands. I fumble for the needle, its silver glint making me queasy. The first sting of the suture draws a sharp groan from Liam. He thrashes, his body a taut bow of agony. Unable to bear it any longer, I drop the towel and reach for his hand. His fingers are cold and slick with sweat, but he squeezes back, weakly.
"Easy, Liam," I plead, my voice cracking. "We're almost done." My touch doesn't stop the pain, but I hope the warmth of my hand conveys what words can't. Another stitch, another choked cry. Bile rises in my throat, but I swallow it down. I won't be weak, not now. He needs me.
Sweat beads on my forehead, mingling with tears. The room spins. Is it the gruesome sight, the relentless odor, or the crushing weight of my own failures? I'm not sure.
"Bandages." Iris's voice sounds distant, filtered through the haze of fear and adrenaline. I stumble to the cabinet, ripping open packets, my hands clumsy and numb. When I turn back, Liam's hand has gone limp in mine. His breathing is shallow, his body a spent shell. I want to scream, to rage against this unfairness, but all I can manage is a broken sob.