RUN

Green, Like the Trees.

      Adam rolled out from behind the cart and I jumped to my feet. A few boys ran after me as I made my way away from the cart. Kais came into sight from beside me. I could see him lunge forward. I tried to dodge him but he got my heel. I slammed into the dirt road.

"We have to run! The cart will explode!" I screamed.

      He looked back towards the cart of explosives. This distracted him enough for me to slip out of his grip. I scrambled away. He called after me but it was muffled by shouts of the others. I turned back once more. Adam had made it to the tree line. A panic spread through the makeshift camp at My shouts.There was two boys still chasing me. One, I recognized from inside the church. He had scars from what must be the church collapsing on him. He also had fury and a lust for revenge in his eyes. While the sparks from the dynamite had set fire to the cart, he grabbed me and shoved me back towards Kais. There was a small pffft of air. I threw the boy in the direction of the explosives. Then, it blew up.

     So, for like the hundredth time in the past few days, I was flung backwards. The boy in front of me had acted like a heat shield. He collapsed in the raging heat. The flames licked over his body. The trees flew backwards. I couldn't see Kais in the blinding light. My hands were seared by the fire. As the smoke cleared, I made my way towards the tree line where Adam was. There was a few boys laying on the ground, unmoving. One, lay in pieces. The fire was strong. It blacked out the sky above with its smoke. I tripped over something. I looked down. It was a pack. I flipped it over to read the initials. It read; K.D. I could guess it was Kais's. I made it to the tree line. The forest was also on fire so I made my way around.

      When I got to the other side, Adam lay over someone. I ran over to help. I stopped when I saw their face. It was Ethann.

"Adam! Don't trust him!" I said, trying to pull him away.

"I know him. We were bunkmates back in the camp." He said shrugging me off.

"He betrayed me Adam." I said, kneeling down next to them.

    This time, it wasn't Adam that spoke, but Ethann.

"I'm..I'm sorry. They made us get others or they would tie us down too"He said in a hoarse voice.

"Where is Isaac?" Adam asked.

      A tear fell from his face.

"He was trying to warn you. So he ran over to the cart. Then, it..it." He burst out in more tears.

    The heat of the fire was getting closer.

"Look, we have to go. Are you coming or not?" I asked.

     Adam didn't let him reply. He helped him up.

"Wait! My pack!" He said, looking back towards the fire.

"I think it's gone now," Adam said.

    We continued walking. The explosion would have been visible for miles. Probably the soldiers riding through Nancy could see it. I looked back one more time. The fire was growing larger by the minute. In this time of year, the forest was dry. It engulfed all in its path. A few boys ran through the chaos in terror. We kept moving.

We walked a little while longer in silence. The thick woods surrounded the dirt road. Adam walked ahead while Ethann trailed behind me.

"Hey, i'm sorry. I thought it was best for me and Isaac's survival." Ethann said, catching up to me.

"Yeah a lot of people have been doing what's best for them lately." I said.

"Isaac was too kind hearted for something like that. He didn't want hurt you. He hit you because they would beat you senseless otherwise." He said, sadly.

"And you?" I asked.

"I do whatever is best for him." He said.

"How did you know Isaac." I asked.

"We worked in the same field" he said numbly.

"Well I can understand. It's probably my fault he is dea..not here." I said, sympathetically.

      It was silent for a few moments while I thought. How many people have I killed? Between the church, the fire at Nancy and the explosives cart, I've ended the chances of winning for so many people. The thought seeped in and hurt. I paused.

"What's your favourite colour?" I asked.

    He looked at me for a long moment. Then, to the forest.

"Green. Like the trees." He said.

    I smiled and kept walking. We walked for the rest of the day. Passing through a small, bombed out village, we crossed Le Meuso. It was the last river before la Seine. We stopped on a tall hill as the sun began to set. I lit a small fire and we cooked Adam's dried meat and warmed one of his loaves of bread. I drank the rest of my water from my canteen.

"We should try and rest. Then tomorrow, we will run." Adam said, laying down.

    I laid my head on my pack. I looked down the hill. In the far distance, there was no light for the black smoke filled the sky. I closed my eyes and hoped for a better tomorrow.

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Hey everyone! Comment who your favourite character is and why for a shoutout in the next chapter!