Eyes Of the Lost

12- Ashley

The next thing I know I'm being pulled along by Ethan, who is yanking me outside before I even have a chance to put my glasses on. The sun blinds me for a moment as I try to look away. But I'm not concerned about my eyesight. My only thoughts are of Samantha.
She's been found... Awfully vague. Is she okay?
Is she hurt?
Is she... Alive?
I shake the thoughts from my mind. All I can see is her face. Her wildly long hair, curly and black. Her clear complexion, skin a light tan. Her sweet smile and honey-like laugh. Her raspy and shrill screams that erupt as claws dig into flesh and bone.
My eyes water, the pit in my stomach growing like a giant sinkhole. It seemed as though I had nearly forgotten her... The memories are too hard to bear.
Ethan's grip on my hand is tight as we reach the edge of the forest. He stops, nearly making me trip over my own feet. His hand sweats as he finally lets go of mine. He turns and looks at me. His face is pale as if he has seen a ghost.
"Dad says he's meeting us here," he says quickly, his voice quiet.
"Is she okay?" I finally burst out with worry. My head pounds with the beat of my speeding heart.
Ethan sighs and look me straight in the eyes. He's crying.
"Listen," he whispers. "There's a story I need to tell you."
Ethan sits down in the dry grass below me. I follow suit, sitting in front of his slouching body.
He looks down as he speaks, nearly motionless.
"When I was younger, Dad and I were taken to a camp. A place where they sent people like me to work to death. People they considered worthless... Or in our case... Dangerous. They put us in restraints each day. Made us take a drug that rendered our abilities useless."
Ethan pauses, breathes, and continues.
"One day, we decided we weren't going to take it anymore. We escaped successfully, fleeing the camp and going deep into the forest. Eventually we were able to get a little community going. We had actual houses made from wood like the old days. That's when I met Samantha and her little sister Ashley. She and her little sister were orphans. Their parents had been caught in our escape. We had no doubts they were dead. Therefore Dad and I became kinda like their family. We cared for them in our house, my father treating them just as he treated me and you.
Then the men in their black armor came. They discovered our little village and burned it to the ground. At the time Dad was trying to find you. He trusted me to stay behind and escape with Samantha and Ashley. The forest floor was covered in blood and bodies. Gunfire sent our ears ringing as we ran in a desperate attempt to escape. I held Samantha's hand in one of mine, Ashley's in the other. Gunshot after gunshot flying past us as we rushed into the deep of the forest. That's when I felt one of the girl's hand go limp in mine. I looked back as Samantha continued to run, completely unaware of what had happened. I dropped to my knees in front of Ashley. Here eyes were half shut, blood spilling from her mouth. She had been shot twice, the blood's copper smell hanging in the air. Her lips faintly spelled out the words 'help me.' But I was a coward. I left Ashley there on the ground to die. I wanted to... To save her. B-but.... I...."
Ethan shatters. There's a pause of whimpers.
"I have debt to pay to Samantha. I'm not going to let her die before me. I will risk my own life to make sure she gets away. I'm not a coward anymore."
Ethan stands, his face blank.
"Samantha isn't dead. And I intend to keep it that way."