RUN ✔️

Chapter Eight.

October 24th, Wednesday.
Chapter Eight.
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"...Death, destruction and devastation. Needn't I say more..."

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We drove all throughout the night. Only stopping to chance drivers and pee at a rest stop.

Reed and I had now switched over in driving. Everyone was exhausted, yet still on edge. Our eyes became heavy, some of us even managing to get sleep, whilst the rest of us replayed today over and over in our heads. Or at least I did. I couldn't sleep, my brain wouldn't allow me.

I kept in the front seat, only looking into the back seats when I was asked a question. I couldn't bear to look at Marie or Nevaeh as we drove into the darkness of the night and into the early hours of this morning. The silence was deafening. I wanted Reed to spark a conversation with a joke but even he didn't have it in him to talk.

My heart broke each time I looked at Reed. My heart shattered with every tear that slipped down his face as he silently cried. I knew of the thoughts that were swirling around in his mind. From the gate to the way he pulled Jason out of danger, he believed it was his fault.

As much as I wanted to discuss it with him, talk about it to relieve his pressure and tell Brad exactly what had happened, I couldn't. I physically couldn't. No word had left my mouth since I'd argued with Jack. I could only nod or shake my head. By the way my hands shook, I could tell my voice was going to as well.

Brad was now sat in the backseat on the middle seat with either girl on his side, resting their heads on his lap as though it were pillows. The two of them had cried themselves to sleep, but thankfully Brad hadn't seemed to mind. If he was in pain, he wasn't showing it.

Jack was now in the driver's seat of his own car, Landon, and Calvin, leading in front of us. Our plan that was devised thirty minutes ago was to stop at the next relatively quiet town we could find, which seemed to be taking a lot longer than we had hoped.

I couldn't seem to understand the concept and events that had taken place today, well technically yesterday now.

We met a family of three and left with only two of them.

Jason's dead. His burnt body is probably still laid on the couch where Landon had put a bullet through its chest.

How was I supposed to tell those two girls that their father is dead? How does a police officer stand at the threshold of a strangers house delivering the news to their loves ones, of their death? How does one describe death to a child? How do soldiers, trained to kill, do it with such ease and no regret? How does one stop a heart from breaking?

I'd made a promise to Jason, and I'd be damned if wasn't to uphold it. We took onboard the responsibility of these girls as soon as we stepped foot into that house.