United We Stand

33. United

One man glances over his shoulder and spots me. He turns away from the dead body and stomps toward me. I back away a few steps, fear overcoming my body.

              I hiccup, tears streaming down my face. I spin around and run down the hill, my vision blurry from my tears. I stumble down, looking over my shoulder. The man isn't chasing after me like I expected. He stops at the top of the hill, opening his mouth as a high pitched sound fills the air.

     I push my way past fighting people. Someone tries to attack me but someone else pushes them off. I keep running. People begin to shout, retreat! People start to run toward me, shoving past me as if they don't care who I am. No one tries to stop me as they run past. I trip over my foot, catching myself and straightening.

Someone steps on my wings, causing me to get yanked backwards. I trudge forward, heading straight toward the forest. My mind reels to a stop.

Liam.

         I quicken my pace, wiping my face with the back of my hand. I jump over a rock, wincing as my ankle scraps against it. I stumble over a fallen branch. I blink rapidly, trying to get rid of the tears. Jade is dead. I shake my head. She can't be. She's the best fighter I know...

     But if they shot her with a gun, then she might be dead. No one can out fight against a gun. A loud sob escapes my mouth. Jade can't be dead. She can't. She... She saved my life. I follow the trail to where I last saw Liam earlier today. I look around the forest for any hints from before. I trip over a root, my wings fluttering around to maintain balance.

I skid to a stop, rocks skittering. A body lays near the rock where me and Liam talked yesterday. I run to the body, praying that whoever that is, is alive. Deep inside, I know that body is Liam. I fall to my knees as I get to him, grabbing his shoulders. I shake him violently.

"Liam! Liam, please wake up." I croak.

                      His head lulls to the side, his cheek touching my lap. Liam's face is bruised with a trail of blood coming from his chin. His eyes are closed, although I can see through the cracks and only see white. He's passed out cold. Unless he isn't...

       I fumble around for his pulse. After a few heart wrenching moments I finally detect a faint heartbeat. His hair is covered in dirt and small rocks. His shirt is full with dirt as well, probably he fell at some point. What did Eleanor do to him? I wonder with terror. I shake him again, trying to get him to wake up.

His mouth cracks open.

                     My lips part as a sob leaves my mouth. "Please, Liam. I can't loose anyone else." I cry, burying my face into the crook of his shoulder. My tears begin to wet his shirt but I highly doubt he would care. I squeeze my eyes shut. Fear courses through me as I realize a chilling thought.

Dakota. And Brooklyn.

          Are they okay? I haven't seen them since...

"Skylar?" Rasps a voice that shakes me to the core. I rip my face away from Liam's neck. I blink rapidly, trying to see through my tears. And sure enough, Liam's eyes are cracked open, looking right back at me. I break out into more sobs as I suffocate him with a hug. His face gets stuffed into my shoulder.

                    "I-I thought you were dead." I hiccup. Liam pats my back weakly. I pull away from him, my heart swelling with joy. Liam gives me a small smile. "I'm glad it's your face I see when I first woke up." He says. I give him a watery smile, forgetting everything he did to me. Yes, I will deal with that later but for now, he is alive.