Chapter 11: Hell's In Your Heart

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North America, Area 1 (Previously Pennsylvania), 5:05pm October 13

Reds, blues, and pinks stretched across the sky, silhouetting the various pines and shrubs around us. The ground squished under our feet, a product of a slight drizzle. Somewhere, a wolf howled amongst the evening twittering of birds.

Plop.

I snapped my head around, looking over my shoulder at a fallen Korey. She groaned, never making an effort to get up. My Jen, who was leaning on me, also slid to the ground. Everyone was looking at me, so I naturally followed suit-as did everyone else. Our collective heavy breathing blended into the nightlife of the woods.

"That was nuts," Seth muttered.

"Agreed. And I hope never to do that ever again," Added Jinxx as he leaned back against a tree.

I looked around at all the girls, grimly reflecting on the fact that I didn't have to wonder what happened to them. My hand brushed up and down my Jens arm gently as she whimpered, laying very still on me. Her eyes were filled with trauma. I knew that look-she was reliving that rape over and over in her mind-and unfortunately, the other Jen and Korey also had an identical look on their expressions.

"Well," I stated, glancing at the sky, "Anyone got any idea how to build a fire out of nothing?"

"I got it," John replied, as an idea occurred to him. He stood up, gently laying Korey down, all the while assuring her he'd be back in a few minutes. She nodded and closed her eyes, plainly exhausted. The shrub rustled as he exited through the trees into the blackness of the forest.

Jinxx sighed, messing with a button on his jacket, "And I asked if we had an exit strategy."

"I did! Run like the devil himself was after us," I replied, wrapping my arms around my Jen as she started to whimper.

"I can't believe it."

"Hey, it worked didn't it?"

"Yeah, but those guards were strong, fast and knew their way around. We didn't."

"Well, somehow we got out alive," Korey chimed in quietly. She lifted her head, her ice blue eyes looking my way.

Ledger piped up, "She's right. I'm grateful all that happened to us was...well all that happened to us. We were beginning to be so afraid our attackers would kill us."

Seth shuddered, crawling over and gently moving her head on his shoulder as she started to cry.

"We really are out of there right," she sobbed.

"Yes," he replied quietly, rubbing her back, "we won't let them hurt you anymore."

It was almost completely night now. A bright, pale moon had risen, casting a beautifully eerie light through the trees. And like a chorus, the bright stars joined it.

"Look," I told Jen softly, pointing up at the sky. She obeyed, still sniffling.

"I-it's beautiful," she replied, "Kinda reminds me that there's more to life than what happens to us."

I leaned over and kissed her black hair, "You're right baby. You're right."

***7:30am October 14***

Chirp. Chirp. Chirpity-Chirp.

The sweet scent of smoke and pine greeted my nose as I slowly woke. The grass I layed on was covered in a light dew, wetting my skin. The fire we had last night was now a smoldering pile of ashes.

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