Traveling Souls

Chapter 26

"Brianna, let them go." Brinley said sharply, kneeling on the ground next to Dustin and I.

"No no, just wait till Dia gets here. I left her back at camp. Then we'll see if you can leave or not!"

My eyes flicked between the bickering girls. Brianna held onto Griffin tightly, as if he were some prize, and Brinley wanted it.

Keeping my mouth shut, my mind wandered back to Talon. Where was he? Why hadn't he come for us?

He probably left, you know.

I shook my head at the thought and frowned, though a slight suspicion clawed at me, my thoughts going back to what he had said a while back.

"I didn't want to get close to anyone here besides Dusty. I was planning on leaving, actually."

I was left alone with my thoughts, while Brianna and Brinley glared at each other like a Mongoose and a snake.

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"Dia!"

Diana, I assumed, stepped out into the open, her hair pulled back into an extremely short pony tail. A few blonde strands of hair were out of the poorly made ponytail, her body tall, lean, and strong. Just like a leader. "Brianna?" she looked surprised at the large group.

She glanced around the area sourly, her face looking like a puckered up lemon. "Mmm..Bring each of them to me. I want to see which ones we can keep, the others can just be punching bags for the stronger ones," she paused, grinning.

Brianna, without any hesitation, lifted up Quinn and walked her sullenly towards the sour-faced girl.

I raised my eyes to the cloudy sky, strangely calm. She hasn't hurt us yet, so, everything's decent.

"Brunette. Time to go."

I stared at Brianna dumbly for a moment, heaving myself up. I nodded silently.

My eyes flicked back and forth to each side. On one side, stood the toughest people I'd ever seen, I swear. In that group, along with the actual members, laid Charlotte, Quinn, and Griffin. On the other side, stood Killian, Dustin, and Brinley, along with the other, apparent weaker members.

I swallow, wiping my palms on my shirt.

"Name?"

"L-Lucy Howell."

She raised an eyebrow at this. "Oh? Are you related to Brinley?"

I nodded slightly, unsure of her.

"Alright. Come on. Land a punch on me then."

"W-what?"

"You heard me. Can't you hear, Lucy?" she stared at me, and when I didn't move, sneered. "Of course. You wouldn't hit me. Well, let's see--what could set you off?"

I freeze, praying to anything that she didn't know about my mother.

"Hm, you know what?" she turned to look at the group behind her. "You'll probably be more useful in the weaker group. Go along," she snapped, shoving me towards Killian, Dustin, and Brinley.

I stood there awkwardly, holding onto Brinley.

Brinley leaned down to me and sighed. "Okay. Listen. You do whatever she says. No questions. No comments. Just do it. I'll get you guys, and us, out of here."

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A few days pass by, and we're still here. Brinley keeps me hopeful though. Diana seems close to breaking with Brinley constantly nagging her.