Those Who Remain

Home Sweet Hole

Aries's Point of View

One foot in front of the other, I teetered, trying to balance on the far edge of the tracks. I squinted at the bright sun, looking to Luke on the other side of me, attempting the same. I gave a smile, nearly toppling over before he grabbed my hand to steady me.

“Thanks,” I said, noticing how he remained holding onto it, grip softening before lacing his fingers between mine.

We continued on that way for a little while, saying nothing while keeping each other stable as we walked along toward the direction of towering buildings that grew nearer on the horizon.

“Hey lovebirds!” Ashton called back over his shoulder, already a few hundred feet ahead of us. “Keep it up!”

I blushed, barely thinking of it more than a way to help from falling off. Quickly, I hopped off to the side, dropping Luke’s hand to run and catch up with Ander.

“What was that about?” she asked me once I reached her.

“What?” I shrugged, readjusting the heavy backpack on my shoulders.

She simply turned her gaze back toward Luke, who walked silently along next to Calum.

“Oh, nothing,” I answered all too swiftly, as if I were trying to convince myself along with it. “We were just-”

“Casually holding hands?” Ander looked doubtful.

“It wasn’t like that, I swear,” I told her, shaking my head.

“Someone should tell him that,” she replied, glancing back again at the goofy smile plastered onto his face.

I smiled myself, but Ander didn’t find it as amusing.

“I’m serious, Ari,” her voice grew stern. “It’s obvious he likes you. As cute and mushy as it is, we have to stay focused. Survival first, remember?”

“Yeah,” I nodded, looking down at the ground.

“Luke and Aries sittin’ in a tree K-I-S-S-”

Michael’s yelling was stifled with a jab to the stomach.

“You’re not helping,” Ander tried to scold, behind suppressing a laugh. “Don’t you encourage him.”

“Whaaat?” Michael gave an easy smile, continuing onward.

Michael and Ander continued to talk, as I trailed behind them watching the sun slowly inch over our heads. For a while, I thought about what Ander had told me. Survival first, her voice rang in my head. Yet somehow, my mind kept wandering back to how gently his palm pressed against mine.

Okay, stop it, the memory shattered as I shook my head. Ander was wrong. It was nothing. He’s making up for almost drowning me, and that is all.

By the time the sun was well behinds us, we had stopped off to the side for some food and water. I sat next to Ander near a wooden post with barbed wire mangled on either side of it. Part of me missed the logs surrounding the campfire. but those were long gone. The city now loomed in close sight.

“We look about ten miles away,” Ashton announced, between taking big gulps out of the canteen. “We should make it before sundown.”

“What if we don’t?” I asked, growing worried. “Our flashlights won’t last all night.”

“We’ll make it,” Ashton replied decisively.

I glanced over at Ander, who seemed to share my doubt. There was no telling if we’d get there in time. Still, we pressed on, walking quickly now and with less caution. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw Michael fumbling to step onto the left side of the tracks.