MJ Fantasy- Traveling Soldier

Ch. 8

There is no time to find anyone. I turn and flee not caring of my actions. Only of my safety. The world has transformed to flames and smoke. Burning branches fall from trees and crack at my feet. I find a backpack two yards away from where I stand and I run towards it. Inside can hold anything, and it will probably help me as I try to get out of this wasteland burning to ash and dust. Once it’s wrapped on my shoulder, all I do is follow the others, the rabbits, deer and even a wild pack of dogs. I trust their sense of direction because their instincts are sharper than mine.

The heat is horrible, but worse than the heat is the smoke, which threatens to suffocate me at any moment. I tug the top up higher over and am greatful to find it soaking in sweat. It offers a thin veil of protection.

I run, choking, my face being grazed with branches that materializes from the gray haze without warning. Only one word comes to mind as I try to find my way out of here.

‘Attacked!'

We were attacked unexpectedly by the other side. Because this was no campfire gone out of control, no accidental occurrence. The flames that bare down on me have unnatural height. I hurdle over a broken log. Not high enough. The tail end of my shirt catches on fire and I have to stop to rip it form my body and stamp out the flames. But I don’t dare leave the shirt, scorched and smoldering as it is. I take the risk of shoving it in my bag, hoping the lack of air will quell what I haven’t extinguished. This is all I have, what I carry on my back and it’s little enough to survive with.

In a matter of minutes, my throat and nose are burning. The coughing begins soon after and my lungs begin to feel as if they were actually being cooked. Discomfort turns to distress until each breath sends a searing pain through my chest. I manage to take cover under a stone outcropping just as the vomiting begins and I lose my supper and whatever water has remained in my stomach.

Crouching on my hands and knees, I retch until there’s nothing left to come up. I know I need to keep moving, but I’m trembling and light headed now, gasping for air. I allow myself a sip of water to rinse my mouth and spit then take a few swallows from my bottle. I give myself a little time to recuperate and during that time I see what I have in the backpack. What I have to work with. A container filled with purified water, pack of dried beef, dried fruit, crackers, sleeping bag, a gun, some extra ammo, an extra shirt and a bottle of iodine.

I messily stuff everything back in the backpack, my minute’s up. I know it’s time to move, but the smoke has clouded my thoughts. The swift- footed animals that were my compass have left me behind. A hiss sound comes from behind me when I stand and push myself up and run. Run as fast as my weak legs can run.

Whatever vague plan I had conceived regarding returning to a pond is wiped from my mind as I zigzag and dive and leap to avoid the fireballs.

When I’m near the forest’s edge I hear a hiss from my right. My muscles react, only not fast enough. A bullet wedges itself in my left calf and I fall forward onto a burning log. Seeing my pant leg on fire sends me over the edge. I twist and scuttle backwards on my hands and feet screaming in pain. When I finally regain enough sense, I roll the leg back and forth on the ground, which stifles the worst of it. But then, without thinking I rip away the remaining fabric with my bare hands. My calf is screaming. I’m shaking too hard to move. If they wanna finish me off they can now. Now is the time.

Without looking at my calf, I drag myself into the woods away from the fire and away from the heat. I drag and drag and drag until I get under the comfort of a huge rock that allows confinement for a couple of hours. I take a deep breath and pull out my container of water. I take small sips of it trying to distract myself form looking at the wound.

Once I’ve got the courage to actually look I place my pack to the side of me and prop myself up against the rock and look down. The blood… their bullet... the burned flesh… the bone…

I fall backwards hitting my head on a large rock hard. Everything goes dark.

.

Alice’s P.O.V

.

“I cant do this. I cant! Please Jake, don’t make me!” Jacob’s trying to get me out of the car, but he cant. I’m too scared! Daddy will never forgive and I don’t know what I would do if says I’m not his baby girl anymore. I was stupid and this baby was a mistake! A HUGE MISTAKE!!! This never should’ve happened and I wish it didn’t.

“Yes you can Ali. Your overreacting! I’m gonna be there with you, your not telling them alone.”

“But Jake, my family is gonna hate me. Daddy is probably gonna kick me out!!” I say sobbing, grabbing onto his arm and pulling him down. “What am I gonna do if I get kicked out of my house?!” I asked worried. This is my home. It’s where I was born and raised. Where I spent my childhood at and where all my family lives.

“Your not gonna get kicked out.” Jacob says confidently.

“How do you know?” I ask irritated.

“Because this is your family. They’ll always love you no matter what you do. Your father will always love you because your his daughter and nothing can change that. Your brothers will always be here for you and will always do everythin in their power to protect you because you’re their little sister. They’re baby sister. And your mother… well, because I know her very well, she’ll love you and this baby,” Jacob puts his hand on my stomach with shaking fingers and smiles up at me. “with all her heart.”

I look down at my stomach where his hand still lays and it feels very strange having his hand there. Any hand there would feel weird because it still doesn’t seem real. Me being pregnant… it’s like a dream. A dram I might wake up from. Soon I hope. “I’ve got to be honest,” He says after a while. “I don’t want you to have high hopes. You are gonna shock and disappoint them, but they will have to accept it because it happened. It happened and they cant change that…” I look down.

I want to keep my baby. I really do, but I cant do it unless I have my family’s support and love. I already have Jacob’s, but I cant ask Jacob for everything. This is not his baby, nor his responsibility. It’s mine. I look down at my stomach then at my house. Jacob stands and reaches his hand back out to me. Repressing the fear, I reach out and grasp his offered hand tightly in my own. "Okay." I mutter. He lifts me up and guides my limp body to the door.

He reaches in my back pocket and grabs the keys when I don’t. Jake opens the door and calls out, “Demetria?... Anthony?” He never uses their actual name. They always get suspious when he does and now they know something is up. Jake likes to call them ‘Demi’ and ‘Tony’.

“We’re in here Jake.” Mom calls from the living room. Damn it! My body involuntarily stiffens at the sound of her voice. I hoped for silence, indicating that no one was home.

Jacob pulls me into the living room and I see daddy and mommy sitting on the couch watching T.V while Edward and Bella sit quietly in the corner. Why is Bella here!? I don’t want her here.

Jacob looks at me expectantly and when he sees my tense body, he rubs my arm soothingly. “It will be okay.” He whispers softly. He nods his head towards the opening of the living room.

I sigh and close my eyes tightly before speaking, “Can we talk to you guys for a sec?” I ask hoarsely, clearing my throat, after Jacob nudges me.

“Sure, what’s up baby girl?” Daddy says turning to face me. My voice seems to alarm Bella and Edward enough that they stop their conversation and look at us waiting. Now all eyes are on me. I cant do this!

I look at Jacob with eyes of worry, “Please?” I ask him sadly.

He nods his head and turns to face them all. “We have something to tell you guys.” Jacob says grabbing my hand. I keep my head down when mom asks,

“Baby… what’s this about?” When she calls me that I let a tear shed. Before Jake can tell them I whisper,

“I’m sorry daddy.”

And then Jake reveals it, “Alice is pregnant…”