The Land After Tomorrow (Completed)

Chapter 11: Vortex

They had spent all night watching them, specifically her. They watched from the woods, hidden in the shadows of the trees as the groups left throughout the day. Once the boss saw her leave, they packed up and began to follow her from a distance. He followed up close as the rest of the group trailed back. Her blond hair swayed throughout the wind as she carried a backpack upon her back and her rifle was swung over her shoulder. A boy walked beside her as they talked about pity things such as favorite color or animal. He wanted her back, he needed her.

She is the perfect likeness to her mother except for her eyes. Her mothers were a light blue but not as blue as her daughter. Her eyes were as bright as a clear ocean, they were beautiful to lay eyes upon. Her brother, had those same eyes but he wasn't enough. He needed her, and he needed her now. He would get her back no matter the cost, but right now he wanted her brother once again. He fell back into the woods finding his group of criminals and rogues. The boy walked along the edge of the group looking down at the ground. He could overhear a few of them talking about their killing stories bringing a slight smile to his face. These were his boys, his band of criminals and rogues and soon he will have both his children.

The day began to dim, and Caleb walked alongside the Rouges. He looked down at the ground in thought. They had been walking for days following closely behind his sister.

Dad just wants to make sure she's okay, why else would we be following her?

He kicked the leaves in front of him feeling the chill of insecurity and fear he felt the night before. He was exposed to something he had never felt before and fear entrapped him. He could feel his dad's hands running up onto his body. He saw his dad come through the shadows of the night and his heart stopped.

He does it because he loves me.... stop being a pussy and man up. He's my dad for fucks sake.

Caleb readjusted the scarf around his mouth as the toxic began to thicken the closer they got to a city. The rifle and back pack upon his shoulder created knots within his muscles. The leaves swayed in the night and laughter among the men echoed into the wind.

"Stop!" a voice screamed halting the men from their laughter and banter.

Caleb's father approached, "What is it?"

The man pointed into the sky towards a cloud of smoke and mist forming and moving throughout the sky, "Vortex."

Caleb's dad nodded and smiled, "Let's go!" The men shouted and screamed and began to sprint towards the moving spiral of clouds. Caleb followed suit keeping his head low throughout the rush of men.

"Keep up golden boy!" a man shouted his way. Caleb looked up from the ground towards the man who screamed out.

"What is it?!" Caleb screamed out through the voices and screams of those around him.

"It's a vortex! You're about to go through the biggest rush alive!"

Caleb cracked the branches underneath his feet and looked towards the glowing mist in the sky. His chest heaved for air as he took each breathe feeling the material of the scarf brush up against his mouth. His hair swayed throughout the wind and chills ran down his body. The men began to drop their bags and rifles as they neared the vortex. Caleb did the same. As they approached, the vortex was heading in the same direction as they were. It swirled into the air picking up trees and anything in its way. It moved slowly but not too slowly. It was about the pace of a walk but inside, the currents were much stronger and faster. Caleb's heart raced with adrenaline as he saw people jumping into the vortex, screaming, and hollering. As he neared, he could feel the rush of the wind against his skin. The winds started to lift him and at the last second, he jumped into the vortex. The winds swirled and whistled around him. Tree branches scratched against him that were caught up in the vortex. His heart raced with fear but for the first time he felt alive, he felt free.

There was no telling when it would end, but the rush streamed throughout his body as every nerve was finally awaken. He looked at the men screaming and raising their hands flying through the forceful circulation. He realized he was inching closer to the bottom of the vortex and a scream echoed outweighing the others around him. He watched as a man was beamed up over the vortex after he hit the bottom. His screams went flying until he was heard no more. Caleb's heart stopped with realization what was about to happen. Others began to shoot through the vortex into the night sky as they were dragged under. Caleb felt the urge of the winds pushing him farther and farther towards the bottom. He couldn't breathe, he couldn't move, he stood paralyzed in fear. He felt a last push of the wind as he was dragged to the bottom. He took a last breath before the vortex spit him high into the sky, scratching his eyes on a branch while he flew past.

He flew higher than the last tree standing, and he could see a light which showed a path to where the bags laid. Gravity started to pull him down and Caleb screamed with horror at the sight of what was below. Caleb was falling into the darkness of the night, inching closer to the ground. He smacked into the branches of trees descending farther down to the ground. Cuts and gashes opened into his skin and pain pierced throughout his body. His heart stopped and his breathes stopped while branches smacked up against him. He closed his eyes in fear as a sharp pain shattered throughout his arm and body. He screamed out in pain and gasped for a breath of air. He tried to see the night, but his eyes wobbled making it hard to see. Caleb tried to push himself up but the pain in his right arm was too much while he screamed for relief. He collapsed back onto the ground. He saw the night as a blurred figure ran towards him screaming something he could not hear. He felt his eyes close and the pain in his arm screamed for help, then darkness enraptured him.

The blurred figure ran to the sight of the boy. He examined the cuts across his face and a gash down his shin. The man cupped Caleb's head with his hands as he laid his head on his lap.

The man screamed into the night, "I need extra cloth now!!!" The voice echoed into the night and voices called back. A herd of men streamed throughout the shadows of the trees. "Somebody go and get his bag and bring me cloth!" he yelled again.

"First time I've ever seen you care about anyone but yourself," a built, muscular man proclaimed. The man has scrapes across his face like everyone else around him, his face was covered in dirt while his dark brown hair cut off at his ears was greasy from lack of maintenance.

"Chet, I don't want your opinion unless I ask for it. Is that clear?"

The man looked down at the ground clearly intimidated by the man's words, "Yes, sir."

"Why does this kid get special treatment?" another man asked. Murmurs spread throughout the men as the boss locked eyes on the man who spoke out.

"Because," the boss started, "he's my son." The murmurs stopped, and the world stood still.

"Thought you said you didn't care about family?"

The boss looked down at his son, "I don't." He then looked back up to the eyes of the man, "I care about something far more important. Control. I don't let wild dogs run loose from me. They need to be tamed to stay with their owners. My kids are wild dogs and need to be put back on a leash." Specially her, he thought to himself. She will pay for what she did to me.

A man came back running with a cloth handing it to the boss.