The Survivalists

-Chapter 11-

Her feet pounded against the hard blanket of snow, it was growing dark, but she was determined. The snow seemed to fall from the very heavens, or perhaps, the darkest, deepest regions of hell. It was thick, frozen solid, and harsh. 

It was almost hail. 

She moved quicker, the setting sun melting into an array of colors on the horizon of snow mounds. 

She ran quicker, faster. 

A thin line of trees, a building. 

She was almost..somewhere. 

What was that in the distance? 

Her curiosity piqued, and confidence high, she knew soon that the black cloaked man might not be abale to avoid her questions any longer. Could that building possibly be where he was hiding out? 

In her peripheral vision: A flash of black. 

She stopped and suddenly the soft sashay of black material was in front of her, the dark hood and shadow casted over the face as he slowly moved forward, "What do you think you are doing?" 

She was at loss for words. She took a daring step forward and cocked her head slightly to the side. "I was right. That's your house, there?"

If she had been able to see his face, she might have guessed he was glaring as the silence drew on, he turned to leave when she let out a breath of air. 

"Stop. Wait. What's your village like?"

He stopped, and looked intently at her, she guessed, though he may just as well had been looking off behind her at the thick brush and piles of snow lost in the orange and red hues of the dying sun. 

"I'm forbidden to talk to you."

"I will intrude on your village then. I'll see for myself." She replied with a huff and walked forward. He stood still as she came forward, and as soon as she was beside him, he stuck a hand on her shoulder. 

"You'll be killed on sight." He replied in a whisper, "Quick, we can't stand here for much longer, there are others you know."

She looked at him nervously, "But you saved me..why would they kill-" 

"They're blood thirsty." He murmured, before grabbing her arm, "I need to speak with you, quickly." 

"I thought you were forbidden." She sneered with anger eveident in her eyes, her voice soft beneath the sound of hard ice falling to the ground.

"I am." He replied quickly, "Keep up." 

He ran forward and Tahlia felt the harsh wind blow across her face as she was left in his tracks, she ran but found it almost impossible to keep up. "I..I can't!" She yelled into the forest's silent air. 

He stopped suddenly, ahead of her only by  a small amount, but the distance they had already run took her breath away. She wouldn't able to run that fast for very much longer. "Fine then." He replied grabbing her by the waist delicately. 

Her breath escaped her lungs at the delicacy of his touch as he picked her up bridal style, pushing her head harsh against his chest where she found a heartbeat. A fast, furious, heartbeat. 

He took off and sped through the forest, breaking through multiple layers of trees before finally, slowing to a halt. 

She watched the multiple ice covered, dead, trees grow smaller in the distance. 

"We have to be quick." He replied slowly, setting her on a dead stump. "You can't go near that building again. You understand? They'll kill you before you even know what happened."