Shattered Horizon

29 Bo

Chapter Twenty Eight

Bo

We clung to each other for what felt like hours, his breaths slowing, mine still quick and shallow. He teetered on the edge of sleep, but I was wide awake, a buzz of excitement coursing through me. Shifting slightly, I lifted my head from the pillow and rested it against his chest, the steady rhythm of his heartbeat a lullaby against my ear. Our connection felt raw, exposed – we'd ventured into uncharted territory, a place neither of us had explored before.

The door creaked open a sliver, and Iris's voice drifted in, "...We just..." Her sentence died in her throat as she took in the sight of both of you, decidedly undressed. A mischievous grin stretched across her face before she slammed the door shut with a resounding thud.

A scramble ensued as Liam and I fumbled for clothes, laughter bubbling up despite the urgency. Moments later, "Come in!" you called, both of you still flustered.

The door peeked open again, revealing Iris's apologetic smile. "Oh my gosh, I am so sorry!" she chirped, then her eyes darted to the splintered remains of the chair. "Whoa," she whistled, a giggle escaping her lips. "Looks like things got...intense."

"Shut up, Iris!" I threw a pillow at her, missing by a mile.

"Alright, alright," she chuckled, raising her hands in mock surrender. "Just letting you know we're heading out soon. And by the way, everyone pretty much heard that.."

Liam groaned, burying his face in a nearby cushion.

As we join Iris, Noah, and Joey, an older man passes by, offering both of us a knowing wink. A matching grin splits the older woman's face, but she gives a subtle headshake nonetheless. I glance at Liam. He's a vibrant shade of red, and it warms my heart. He's so adorable when flustered! Usually, he's quite guarded, so it's a pleasure to see him express himself so openly, whether in public or behind closed doors.

"Hey lovebirds," Iris calls out, a playful lilt to her voice. "Ready to roll?"

Liam glances back as the older couple hauls the ruined chair from the cabin and tosses it into the fire pit. "Yeah," he says with a sheepish smile, "let's go."

The bikes rattled along the trail, and after what felt like an eternity, we paused for water and snacks. Liam needed a break for his ankle, anyway.

"Liam! Liam!" Joey yelled, summoning him. He let go of my hand and jogged over to Joey and Noah, leaving me and Iris alone. She grinned at me. "Thanks for talking to him," I said.

"Anytime," she replied. An expectant pause hung in the air. "So..." she finally prodded, "Details?"

I laughed. "Nothing too crazy, honestly. We started small."

"Started small? You guys demolished a chair!"

"Hey, in our defense, that chair was a hazard waiting to happen," I retorted.

We burst into another round of laughter. "So," I countered, "what's going on with you and Noah?"

"Nothing," she said, but her smile betrayed her. "He's sweet, and well, let's just say he gets the job done. I like him."

Silence settles around us as we watch the guys and Joey. They walk over, Liam's hand clasped in Joey's, both of them beaming. Noah shares the same warm smile, and Lightning bounces excitedly. "Ready?" we ask. They nod.

"Altenta - 20 miles," Liam reads from a nearby sign.

"No sign of the giant yet," Noah adds.

Iris nods and mounts her bike. A sudden, sharp "BEEP BEEP" cuts through the air. We whip our heads around to see a military truck barreling towards us. My body goes rigid. "What do we do?" I hiss.

"Liam, take Joey and hide. You two are the most vulnerable," Iris barks, a hint of panic in her voice.

Liam scoops up Joey and vanishes into the bushes. Noah swiftly conceals the bikes.

The trucks rumble closer. "Stay calm. If they seem legit, we'll signal Liam and Joey," Iris whispers.

The truck finally arrived. An older man, maybe in his fifties or sixties, stepped out. His sharp blue eyes scanned the area."Come out from behind that bush. We're not here to hurt you," he called.

Liam and Joey remained hidden, but Lightning emerged, tail wagging.

"Who are you?" Iris asked.

"I'm Dan. We find survivors and bring them to our settlement in Atlanta," he said, handing her a piece of paper – the same one we'd seen at Zelmart.

"Who has the flier we found? I want to check something," Iris demanded.

"Liam does," I said.

"Okay." She nodded.

After a tense moment, Iris gave me a signal. I went and retrieved Liam and Joey. Liam limped forward, clutching Joey's hand. "I think my ankle brace broke again," he muttered. I helped him over to the others.

I knelt beside him, examining his ankle. "No, the brace is fine," I said, though everyone was watching with concern.

Dan approached and asked if he could take a look. I moved aside, squeezing Liam's hand. Dan smiled gently as he removed Liam's boot and brace. He inspected the foot, then patted Liam's leg. "I'm sorry, buddy, but it's broken." Dan waved to another man by the truck, who brought over what looked like a medical kit. He produced a needle.

"Whoa!" I exclaimed. "What is that?" Iris hurried over.

"You're not injecting him with that," Iris and I said in unison.

Dan's smile remained. "They're very protective of you," he said to Liam. "Don't worry, it's just a pain reliever." He offered the box to Iris, who took it with a hesitant nod. Liam clenched my hand tightly, looking away as Dan gave him the injection. Dan patted his leg again. "All done. You should feel relief in about ten minutes."

Liam nodded and looked at me. His sharp blue eyes, usually so fierce, were filled with a mix of pain and tenderness. I returned his gaze, trying to offer silent reassurance.

"Alright, unfortunately, we can't take the bikes," Dan said. He glanced at Liam with an odd expression, as if a memory was flickering at the edge of his mind. Liam stared back, then looked at me. Dan left to open the truck door and speak with the driver.

"You okay?" I asked Liam softly.

He nodded. I knelt to help him re-fasten his boot. The pain reliever was already taking effect.

"Alright, everyone, it's time to go." Dan held the truck door open. Iris helped Joey first, then we assisted Liam. The rest of us climbed in, and to my surprise, I saw the older couple who had given us shelter. They beamed at us. "It's so good to see you all!" the woman exclaimed.

Before Dan could shut the door, Iris cried, "Wait!"

Dan paused. "Where's Lightning?" she asked.

"I don't see him anywhere," Dan replied, looking around.

Iris stepped out of the truck. I heard her sharp whistle pierce the air, followed by excited barking. She returned with Lightning in her arms. The dog bounded around, tail wagging furiously, greeting each person with enthusiastic licks. Iris paused outside for a moment, then hopped back in. "I told him about the giant," she said. "He looked nervous, said we have to get back as soon as possible."

The truck engine rumbled to life, and we began the journey. Liam leaned his head on my shoulder and drifted off to sleep.