WINNER OF THE @WATTPADSERIES 'SERIES-OSLY GOOD READ' COMPETITION!!!
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When Wynnlow's Bunker is evacuated from an outside civilization known as Basilisk, his new world begins to explode, separating him from every one he has ever known. All his attem...
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As Wynn waited for Aeryn to return with Riverly, he took the moment to investigate his injuries. It seemed as though the bullet had been removed from his leg - he wasn't sure how they had managed that, but even in spite of the agony it left in its place, Wynnlow was confident that they had fixed it, somehow. The larger gashes on his arms had all been tended to, including the one he had felt on his face, and whatever had happened to his hand had been bandaged up.
But Wynn didn't remember his hand hurting, until now. He had no recollection of any pain or cutting of it. Curious, he began to peel at the edges of the bandage, uncovering what they had sealed away.
There, stained into his skin, slightly below the back of thumb: two letters.
S.R
He tried to wipe it off but failed, knowing from first sight what it was, but refusing to accept it. An anger boiled inside of him. First, they take his home. Then, they claim his body.
"Wynn?" Before he could even process his anger, understand what the letters even meant, a homely voice called out to him.
He looked over to where the sound came from, a warmth softening his heart as his brother hurried into the tent, running over to where he was. Ares' arms wrapped around Wynnlow's bruised frame, holding his brother tighter than ever before. His hand against the back of his head, Ares holding his younger brother unbreakably close.
When they finally pulled away, sharing the relief on each other's faces, Wynnlow looked behind him expectantly, waiting for Elara and his parents to follow behind. At the same time, Ares scanned the beds of people, searching for them, too.
"El? Mum and dad?"
Ares sighed reluctantly. "I thought they were with you." It was then he knew something was wrong.
Behind him, the girl stood: Riverly. She watched over the two brothers, twisting some sort of arrow around in her hand, seemingly unmoved by the intense emotion both boys felt.
She looked up at Wynnlow who was already staring. "Can I help you?"
Her words were cold. He wished there was someone else he could ask, anyone; Aeryn was busy tending to the rows of ill-fated bodies, and Riverly was the only other person he knew. He had no other choice, and it wasn't something he could let go unanswered.
"Where's our family?"
She sighed, her attitude suggesting that she couldn't be bothered to sympathise with their fears. "We took in all the survivors we could find. Alex was there with them, why don't you ask him?"
"Who's Alex?"
"I think she means me." His brother asnwered. "It's Ares by the way. Thanks." He directed to Riverly. She rolled her eyes in response, a little shake of the head accompanied.
Wynnlow looked up at his brother, too afraid to even ask.
"MaReya, Quill, Bas. You and me. That's it."
"And Azha. He's over there." Wynn nodded in his direction. It was too much of a shock for him to feel anything at this time. Almost everyone he knew was gone, ripped away as quick as the light came in.
"We need to find them, Res." It didn't even feel like a purpose to Wynn; more so, what he needed to do to, as if his life depended on it the same way his lungs depended on him breathing.
"We will. I'll figure it out. I'm sure they're safe; El'll be somewhere with mum and dad, all as worried about us as we are, them."
"We've been told there's four dead." Riverly spoke up. The boys hadn't even realised she was still there, much less, listening to their conversation.
"And don't get your hopes up about finding them. Even if they weren't killed in the raid, it's not likely that you'll see them again. Probably wouldn't recognise them if you did... Anyway, Riders wouldn't dare let them leave." She really wasn't at all good at making people feel alright.
"Riders?" Ares questioned. Wynn could recall Riverly having mentioned them before: in the bus - before it exploded, and when they were hiding in the cave before she went to retrieve the radio.
"Blood Riders. They're one of the other clans. Third Nation are also around."
"There's others?" Ares sparked up. "Maybe that's where everyone else is." He propped the idea into Wynnlow's mind; before he could dwell in the possibility, Riverly shut them off, again.
"Like I said. If Riders did take any survivors, don't expect a happy family reunion. They'll be Changed long before you have a chance to see them, if you do."
"You really suck at this comfort thing, don't you?" Wynnlow asked her, rather miserable at what she chose to tell them. "Hey, sorry that we just destroyed your home and almost everyone you knew is either dead or gone. Remind me to thank you Riverly, in case I ever forget." He could see that his words had angered her and it was likely to be he only hint of joy he would feel in a while.
"Trust me. Every time you talk, I regret it, too."
