Playing with Fire

14

Air bubbles bust out of my mouth as I try to call out for help. 

It is NOT helping my burns which I obtained from the fire which I started but didn't finish. But I did finish the forest for sure. They constantly sting as I wave my limbs about, trying to get to the surface.

My chest burns by the lack of oxygen.

At the corner of my eyes, I can see darkness edging towards the centre, crawling if it was human.

I cry out and suddenly-

I stop and I am limp.

Help me...

*

Daniel stands above me, shaking me vigorously alongside Adam and Ruben who is holding a mewing Willow.

"Luckily you were packed with a pistol," it is Toboni. Holding a dark grey gun in her hand. The other on her hip.

I cough violently, regurgitate some river water down in front of myself and I say a dozen of swear words I wish I can say to him but I cannot since my voice and chest is so sore-

So sore that I cannot thank whoever revived me.

"What do you- OH MY EFFIN' GOD TOBONI! YOU SHOT HIM!" Adam yells.

"He deserved it." Toboni's shirt was now sprayed with blood, so is her face but it has specks of it glistening in the light of day.

I take a glance at a dead man who looks like he's staring up at the sky. His head is in a pool of crimson red blood and he looks very familiar.

 "Steven, grab the syringe,"  

No. 

No way.

Toboni Wilson killed Steven.

His black hair still greasy but now having droplets of red added on to it, his white suit stained red.

Everything is red upon him.

I rasp out a voice.

Come on, answer!!

"I can hear you, Lawrence," Daniel reads my mind.

Just this once. You need to read my thoughts.

"Got it. Now, what do you need to say?"

We need to go.

"Look, we need to go."

All stare at Daniel as his commanding voice booms across the silent forest-like area. He sounds like me when I am telling everyone what to do, except that he's more calmer than I am.

"Right, I think the closest area to here is-"

Let me guess... New Elizabeth.

"-Haven." Lee informs us.

I raise an eyebrow.

"How do you know?" a small and hoarse voice creeps out of my mouth.

"I think we're close to Haven, Lawrence." he then walks in front of us.

He can see-

I know it.

Running her fingers down her short hair implicitly (and slowly), Toboni smiles at Lee. But I beat her to it. She looks at me and squints at me, giving me like what I'd call a death glare.

(Shut up.)

As we keep walking, I spot the words READING THE MOVE AND ALWAYS WILL painted onto the trees in silver metallic paint.

"What does that mean?" I ask.

They keep on walking.

"Hello! I'm asking an asking!" I yell.

They all turn around.

Adam strides towards me and analyses the words. "'READING THE MOVE' shows that whoever wrote this knows our step and they always will," he glances at me. "And don't say "asking an asking" again. There's no such thing as an "asking" but there's such thing as a "question"."

"A question." I nod. "Okay. Thanks."

He bows his head but I do not look at him. I just stare at the words scrawled upon the trees which seems normal with the bark and all but abnormal by the paint.

"Are you coming or not?"

I snap out of the trance and stare into Adam's twinkling eyes.

"Oh, yes. Yes I will be."

I follow Adam where I join up with the rest and we all make our way to Haven until-