Mutation

Chapter 8: Run

Suddenly everyone at the wedding was screaming, and desperately trying to get away from the mutant soldiers. Neo pulled Laura and Trista into the back of the church, unnoticed in the clamor. They huddled behind a wooden pew and watched the scene unfold behind the glass doors.

Lee and Jasmine, August's parents, fought as syringes loaded with drugs were plunged ito their arms, and then shoved into the back of a black army truck. A small child, about four, was wailing for his parents, but was tranqilized and put into a separate truck, for children. Some stragglers that had escaped and were running towards the parking lot were shot with machine guns, and fell heavily to the ground, never to rise again.

But the worst sight of all was Christie, being pulled away from Nick by two large raven hybrids, coal-black claws scratching her arms that were still reaching out for him.

Pulling her eyes away from the sight, Trista rocked back and forth on her heels, weeping. It's not supposed to be like this. No, no, no, no. Can't they understand? They're destroying everything. Children that will never get to see their parents again. Things will never be the same. How could this happen? Her parents had never told her. Why couldn't they give her the real truth? Why did they sugarcoat everything when the world was so bitter? There was only one word Trista could choke out. "Why?" She turned to them, but Laura had her face in her hands.

"Trista," said Neo, "We have to get out of here."

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August saw his parents being carried away, but he couldn't go after them. He would get caught also. So he was hiding under a chair, choking back tears that were threatening to spill. He had to get away somehow. That was what his father had whispered to him just as he had surrendered himself to the guards to try and save his son.

August glanced at the church door and saw Trista on the floor, rocking and crying. He could feel her pangs of despair and anguish, and the grief and dismay of her parents. It was his power to feel things, even if he didn't want to. The fear and shock of the people in the trucks was even stronger, but he blocked them out as much as he could. If he didn't, he knew he would be overcome with the despair, and he couldn't afford that. Not now.

He had to escape, and he had to hurry. Neo's family would be leaving soon, and he was going to go with them. Or die in the attempt.

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Laura tried to gently pull Trista away from the door. "Trista, please." she said urgently. "We have to leave while we still can."

Trista shook her head furiously. "No. I won't. I c-can't . . ." Her voice was on the edge of sobbing. She buried her face in her knees. "Everything is wrong."

"Someone is missing." said a loud voice from outside. "Check everywhere. Search the buildings . . ."

August crawled through the doors and came up beside Trista, who looked up. "August?"

"Please, if you're going, take me with you. Please." he pleaded. "The only other place I can go is those trucks."

"Of course we'll take you," said Laura, putting an arm around him.

"Search the parking lot," said the voice outside.

Now was their chance. Dashing outside, legs pumping, hearts fluttering, they ran across the small clearing towards the forest. Trista heard a shout from the church behind her, tried to look, and tripped, slamming her face into the ground. Laura started to help her up, but Trista was stopped by a throbbing pain in her ankle that would not allow her to stand.

"Neo!" Laura screamed.

Neo ran back to them, and scooped up Trista, who was wincing painfully. But before he was about to make it for the woods, he looked back at the church. Two large, black trucks were going on the opposite road from them, and a figure carrying something was moving steadily towards them, clearly frantic.

Laura followed Neo's gaze, and the figure soon came close enough to see their identity. It was Nick, Christie's husband, carrying a small girl of about four. Neo and Laura started running again, knowing that he would catch up.

They all entered the woods, crunching the last fallen leaves underfoot. The forest flashed by, but all seemed unfriendly. Gnarled roots poking up from the ground to trip them. The fall breeze whipped into a bitter wind, stinging their faces and uncovered skin. Mesquite trees with thorny branches reached out to grab hold and scratch.

Only when they were at least a half a mile away did Laura slow down and collapse behind the others. Neo rushed back to her and gently laid Trista down.

Neo held her hand in his, squeezing it. "Laura . . . Laura, please. We can't stay here." But he already knew from the look in her half-open, exhausted eyes that she couldn't continue.

"Neo . . ." said Laura. "I have to tell you something."

His brow furrowed, ash-gray eyes searching her face. "What? What happened?"

"Oh, I'm so sorry . . ." Laura curled up on her side, a tear rolling down her face. "It just . . . it had been so, so, long living in our woods that I thought that it was okay. That the danger had . . . the danger had passed."

A flash of understanding passed across Neo's face. "You're . . . ?"

Her hand stroked her stomach, and she looked up at him and nodded.

Neo closed his eyes and then fluttered them open. He took his hand in hers and smiled weakly. "I've always wanted another baby."

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Yep. Hoped you liked my awesome new cliffhanger! :D Sorry for the wait, and I hope you have the awesomest day ever!!! ♡

_pure_imagination_