Mortality

Chapter 23: Savannah

We’d caught up with the militia and were hanging back, less than a block away, when it was time for Cole to go and get our reinforcements. We couldn’t delay any longer.

He hugged me goodbye and lingered a little longer than necessary.

“I’ll be fine,” I whispered, suspecting he was thinking of backing out.

“I know you will. Just keep your head down and do what you can.” We both tried to reassure the other, but I knew it was time to move forward.

“I won’t run off and make any grand sacrifices, I promise. We’ll see each other soon.”

Cole’s blue eyes locked on mine once more, but he was finally out of pep talk material. “Do you need anything else? Food?”

“I’m sure they’ll at least manage to feed me,” I said, pressing my lips together. It would only be a matter of minutes before I reached the point of no return.

“If something goes wrong, and you need to get away, meet me back at the school.”

“Okay, okay. I know. We have contingency plan after contingency plan. You have to go, though. I’ll never be able to pull this off if I know you’re hovering in the bushes, watching my performance.”

“What if you get into trouble?”

“Then you need to go get help that much faster. Pronto and all that jazz.”

Cole nodded, his mind made up. “Fine.”

“Fine.” Neither of us moved. “So, goodbye then.”

“Good luck, Savannah. And thank you. Really.”

“Don’t thank me yet.” I offered him a hearty smile that I wasn’t sure even I believed.

He left after that, looking over his shoulder at me twice before finally disappearing between two houses. Not once did I consider running after him, but part of me still wished he could have stuck around just a little longer.

I was banking on my theory that Zack’s treatment was caused by his resistance. From what I’d learned of the militia since that night, there was no reason to think they’d be rough with me if I volunteered myself willingly. You can’t have an army without soldiers.

Just like when Zack was taken, I found myself hidden in the forest on the side of a long stretch of road. The difference was, this time I meant to be caught.

This group seemed calm and efficient. There was no shouting or firing bullets randomly into the forest. They had both purpose and direction, and I intended to go with them.

My heart raced as I considered how to best approach the group. Moving slowly through the woods, I measured each step as Cole had shown me, trying to be silent as well as keep pace with the rear of the convoy. Causing a commotion that held up the whole group wouldn’t get me anything other than trouble. If I tried just walking out of the forest, someone could shoot me without checking to see if I was actually infected. Cole thought they were probably more disciplined than that, but I wasn’t about to risk my own neck on probably.

I’d have to get caught following them.

Once I was close enough so anyone looking into the forest would spot me in my white jacket, I forced myself to speed up.

Stepping on a branch, I made sure to put enough weight down that it snapped with a loud crunch. One of the soldiers stopped right away and turned toward me.

“Is someone out there?” the man called, his hand resting on the butt of his gun.

“I come in peace,” I yelled back when nothing inspired a better opening line.