Stranded

Chapter 35 ~ Sophie

We're finally going home! It's all I can think about. Home.

I try to remember what home was like.

It was comforting, loving, and.... There is more.... I know there's more

There were other people.

And maybe someone.....

I used to have a crush on him, but I don't know.... I can't remember.

I look around me. What's going to happen to us?

I look at the children in the middle of our group. They will re-adjust back to their old lives fine. I doubt they will even remember this, remember us older girls.

I look at the prisoners that are also in the middle, then around me.

We won't.

Some of us has seen bodies, seen the dead. Hannah and Ralph watched someone die.

All of us has seen the madness of the Savages.

I look up at the head of the group, at Ralph and Cassie.

I don't know what is keeping Ralph moving. Cassie on the other hand....

I actually knew of her before this. I didn't really know her, but I knew of her.

She was one of those people who always had her head in a book, isolated from everyone, even her few selected friends. When she had an idea, she would suggest it, but not fight for it.

I didn't know her, I never even spoke to her.

But there was one day that she stood out.

Someone attacked the school.

We were in class, the teacher left for a few moments, and something happened, there was an explosion.

Everyone panicked except for her.

She convinced everyone to be quiet and hide. Then she turned off all the lights.

Someone opened the door what felt like hours after, but it probably wasn't that long. That person then left, and we stayed hidden, terrified.

Eventually, the police arrived and found us. The person was a terrorist and many children had gotten hurt, some may have died, my parents didn't allow me to know. It happened a few years ago.

Cassie is strong and is a leader. She is going to come out of this and find a way back to the normal world faster than any of us, assuming that the rest of us even can.

***

We're almost there, I think to myself as we near the beach, then there is a scream from behind me. I don't need to look to know the Savages have found us.

"Core camp, stand ground, Mountain run!!" I hear Cassie's voice yell as I turn. I understand the orders even though those terms have never been used before.

Those that were on the mountain's camp run, grabbing some of the younger kids as they go. The rest take the cue and bolt as do the prisoners.

I, however, turn and run away from the beach towards the fight that's going on at the back of our group and engage.

I dodge as a spear is shoved towards me by a savage.

"Hannah!! Down!" I hear Claire yell. I slam into the ground as she jumps over me and kicks the savage that was attacking me in the stomach. I jump up and attack a different savage, stabbing him in the arm.

And then I once again realize how hard it is to pull a spear with barbs out of flesh while the prey is still living. Oh God, that looks painful.

I let go of my spear and take the savage's spear for my own.