Can't Love You {Sequel to "Not Sherlock Holmes"}

Chapter Twelve

Veronica's POV

Our camp is small and easy to pick up and pack. We need it to be like this, in case we need to move quickly. We've always had temporary camps. We've been on the move for years.

The thought of a permanent place to settle down, though... it sounds nice. A luxury that we all sort of took for granted before the governments around the world fell apart, the rest of civilization along with it.

We don't stay in one place, though. We can't afford to. We are told stories by stragglers all the time of the horror that The Soldiers cause.

We don't know who The Soldiers are. More than likely, it's just an ominous name given to a band of ruffians who like to wreak havoc. So we do everything in our power to avoid them by avoiding all major cities (or what used to be major cities).

We have, however, seen the carnage that The Soldiers leave behind. It's the one reason we haven't tried to meet them head on and take them down. Because the strewn body parts and the blood soaking into the dirt terrified us.

What are these Soldiers capable of? Is it just one group? Or are there several bands everywhere?

We've decided, after seeing the fields of blood, that we don't want to find out.

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We've been in this camp for several weeks, and it's about the time when our group would decide to move. Now, though, we are waiting for Benedict to recover.

He's been in the nurse's tent for a few days, now, though, and I'm hoping he'll be able to walk soon. I feel uncomfortable staying in one place for so long, and I can tell that Ian is getting antsy.

I throw the flap back as I enter the tent, and Ben is sitting up, and he meets my eyes. Just as quickly though, he looks away, and I feel my heart tear a bit.

"How are you doing?" I ask, my voice clipped. He nods slowly.

"I'm feeling much better, thank you." I incline my head.

"Excellent. About how long before you can walk?"

"Veronica!" the nurse scolds as she redresses his wounds.

"I need to know, Beth. We have to move, and soon. I would just like to know." Beth still looks at me disapprovingly, but Benedict is compliant.

"I can move tomorrow." He looks at me for the first time, those green/blue eyes piercing, even in the dark tent.

"Don't feel like you have to move because Nica's rushin' you, sweetheart," the nurse babies, but Ben shakes his head jerkily.

"I don't feel rushed. I can move tomorrow."

"Miss, can I see you outside?" Beth commands rather than asks, but I oblige either way.

"What is it?" I ask when we step outside, and I try to keep my impatience with the situation buried.

"He has been shot. Twice. He needs rest, and-"

"Beth, we need to move. He says he can. I think we're fine."

"He doesn't know what's fine for him..."

"I don't care, he deserves much worse suffering," I retort bitterly, even though I don't truly mean it. Still, I almost hope that Ben has overheard. I'm not sure why.

"You weren't like this when I first joined you," Beth says gently, stroking my arm. I don't meet her eyes. "What he did... I don't think he would have done it on purpose," she reasons. I finally look at her again.

"We move tomorrow. Make sure he's ready."