At End's Gate

THE PLAYING FIELD

The two of them sat down observing the monitor. They both were cool because the tense atmosphere between them had cleared. They resumed in their normal chatting of old time movies. Paige was happy because she now just felt a friendly atmosphere with him. She wasn't worried about betraying Erin because Conner and her had agreed to wait until they reach safety. If both of them felt something then she would consider being with him. She was convinced that maybe these emotions were being triggered by a sense of longing for affection in the middle of pain. For now she was going to focus on ensuring her brothers and the girls reach safety. She wasn't going to waste time thinking of guy trouble.

Conner looked at her. He could see that she was much more comfortable." I'm happy that you're not acting all weird with me. Again I apologize for making you feel uncomfortable. I know the hair tucking stuff is reserved for your boyfriend. I just don't know what's going on with me right now. I guess it's what you said. My emotions are all over the place."

"Don't even worry. It's okay. We both needed the affection part so I guess it got the best of us to the extent that we were ignoring each other like a real couple," she laughed," It's actually funny. We allowed these emotions to enable us to forget our losses."

"Yeah. True. It won't happen again. I'll try by all means to keep my head straight. I won't let anything cloud my judgment. That's a promise."

Paige nodded but she felt slightly unhappy inside. She wasn't pleased that the romantic aspect in their relationship had to stop. Although she's the one who suggested it she felt slightly pierced inside her. Like her brother had told her, her heart was difficult to tame. She didn't want to admit it to herself but her feelings for Conner were more than she herself could explain. He made her feel more than safe. He made her feel protected. She didn't dislike the way he held the strands of her gorgeous brown hair as he arranged her hair behind her ear. She hated the fact that it made her feel a sensation of deep attraction to him. Paige thought of the gun lesson. She felt her nerves getting high when Conner held her fingers, adjusting them for her to hold the gun properly. She felt a feeling that she never felt when she was with Erin but she concluded that if fate wanted them to find a way they would survive together. The thought of that scared her. She thought that she would lose him. She looked at his face. His skin was tan. His eyes green as the natural grass. The grass that she wouldn't mind spending all the days of her life in if she was an insect. His hair brown and soft. He noticed that she was looking at him." What's on your mind?"

"Ummm," she spoke nervously," I was just wondering why Dukilian is making everyone in the city suffer because of disagreements with a few people."

"He's just insane. I don't think he even cares at all. He's a heartless monster," his face full of rage and his hands formed into a fist.

"Conner," she said with a light tone," calm down."

"Paige I can't calm down. If I allow myself to stay calm I won't be able to bare it. I'm on the verge of breaking."

Paige took his hand and intertwining her fingers with his." I won't let you break."

"Thanks," he sighed removing his hand and covering his face with his fingers.

"Conner are you okay?"

"Yeah. I just can't have any form of physical contact with you because I can't cage those emotions when you hold me."

Paige blushed." Okay. If you're okay it's fine. Let's continue keeping watch."

They watched the monitor. An explosion occurred at the eastern part of the city. It had been long since the last explosion. Paige took James' phone. He was already asleep. She checked the next explosion site. Her face turned pale. Conner noticed." Paige what's wrong?"

"The sequence has broke. The explosion in the east should have happened after one had happened in the west."

"No!"

Paige started breathing heavily." It means we don't know where the next explosion is going to happen." She started crying.

"Paige no. Don't cry," he said using his thumb to remove the tears on her soft tan skin.

"Conner what are we going to tell them?" Paige asked looking at their companions fast asleep. She let out a miserable sigh.

"Paige look at me," he said cupping her face in his fingers." I promise you with every spec of my existence we're going to survive this. I need you to be strong. I need you to have hope. If you have hope that's enough for me to keep on going."

She nodded." Okay."

"Good. Wake up the others."

Paige woke up everyone.

"What's going on?" James asked. Paige was a bit shaken so she was stammering.

Conner assisted." The bombing sequence has changed."

"What?" Blake said with a face full of horror.

"What does that mean?" Lisa asked.

"It means we don't know where the next explosion will occur." Paige whispered and everyone heard.

Blake crossed his arms at the back of his head. Alexis fell to her knees. Lisa just remained silent.

James looked at his phone. His face glimpsed even more horror." Guys that's the least of our problems." Everyone looked at him." The explosion locations have changed. The monumental building was the one that was supposed to explode instead of the eastern bakery." He took a deep breath." It means any place here is a possible explosion site."

Alexis started to sob. Lisa hugged her but she was crying too. Blake was just quiet. He looked so afraid. Paige looked at everyone. She could sense the restlessness in the room. She looked at Conner. He was just quiet, lost in thought. James looked as if he was calculating something in his mind. Paige managed to get herself composed." Listen to me," she said in a commanding tone." We're not done yet. We're going to do everything we can to survive. Dukilian might have changed the playing field but we change the game. James can you alter your phone to detect radiation. If we know the degree of radioactivity we can assume possible explosion sites by changes in radiation."

James gave a small smile." Yes I can. That's amazingly clever Paige."

The girls were now giving sighs of relief. She looked at them." Girls I need you to get a grip. You want to survive. Don't you? If you do I need you to get stronger when the going gets tough." Her voice became comforting." I cried too but I was reminded that I'm not in this war alone. We're fighting together." She looked at Conner and then back to the girls." I need you to fight." The two girls were inspired.

"Thank you Paige," they said in unison.

She smiled." Good. I need you to count the supplies we have left in here."
They nodded. Paige turned to Blake" B I need you to map out any possible escape roots for us."

"K sis."

"Okay let's get to work."

Hope you liked this chapter. Good day.