Us Against The World

Chapter 29

I stare at the fallen soldier for a few moments before gathering what is left of my senses and finding the switch that unlocks the main doors. It takes a few minutes, but when I finally do, I sigh of relief and mentally congratulate myself. 

The sirens continue to sound throughout the building and I know I need to get out as fast as possible, or else I will get caught up in the soldiers that I know are on their way.

I run out of the room and half way down the stairs before I realize that the man has some things I may need. I jog back up the few steps and kneel by his side. When I turn him over, a gasp escapes my lips and I back away as I take in the look on his face. His smile is still perfectly intact and it freaks me out.

I stare at and away from him for a few moments before quickly kneeling by his side once again. I take both of his guns, his vest, a hand grenade and his goggles that hung around his neck. When the items are securely in my bag and the guns are in the holsters on each of my legs, I run down the stairs once again and out the main doors toward the community.

As I grow closer and closer to the gates, I find two guards standing in front of them. I quietly curse at myself and hide behind a small bush. I peek every few seconds to make sure they don't see me. When I find just the right time, I run across the road to a nearby tree and duck behind it. I sigh of relief when I know they didn't see me. Now, I can see them more clearly.

I need to figure out how I'm going to get inside the gates, but they have guards now, so it's more difficult this time. I look at the walls surrounding the community and wonder if there is a possible way I can climb over them without being spotted by the guards or anyone inside. 

Then the idea hits me.

I throw my new bag off of my shoulders and yank it open. I grab the hand grenade and position myself so that I'm sitting cross-legged on the dirty earth floor. I twirl the explosive in my hand, examining it's fragile texture for a few minutes thinking about what to do with it.

If I pull the pin and throw the grenade, the guards and everyone inside the community gates will be alarmed and frantically running all over the place. Maybe that will give me enough time to run in the gates, find Jexton, and get out before anyone sees or notices us.

I sit back against the tree and sigh. I allow the grenade to roll out of my hand and a few inches away from me, and stare at it aimlessly. 

Why am I wasting my time and breath on a boy who has put me through so much? This adventure for me has been a roller coaster full of twists, turns and elevations thanks to him. He damn near got me killed four times in the span of two days! And I cannot get myself started on the trust issue dilemma him and I have. He killed my mother. I watched him violently kill two men with burning torches, and he tricked me twice.

But as soon as I think of all the negative things Jexton has put me through, I remember that if it wasn't for him, I probably wouldn't be alive right now. I wouldn't have this prevention shot or these weapons, and I sure as hell wouldn't have had company. I remember that I killed his mother, but that was to save him. 

I remember what he told me back at my house—how his father used to drink and hit him, and his mother never did anything about it. I remember he told me that he did all those things to me because his father had forced him and he didn't have a choice. 

Hell, if I were him, I'd chose to imprison somebody instead of being beaten, too. But with all of the things Jexton and I have put each other through—all of the things we have been through together—I can't go on without him.

I keep my head turned toward the guards as I quickly crawl over to the grenade, retrieve it and hustle back to my hiding spot behind the tree. I carefully twirl the pin in my thumb and index finger; examining it once more before making a final decision. 

I stand to my feet and peer out to the guards standing in front of the gate. I don't want to kill anyone, but startle them enough to not care about who enters or leaves the community. 

I close one eye and imagine the perfect aim. I pull the pin on the grenade and my pulse quickens. Adrenaline rushes through my body and I go into shock. All the sound all around me turns to white. My ears ring and I grow dizzy. I stare at the bomb and a mental clock begins ticking.

At the last second possible, I throw the handheld bomb, and just as it hits the floor only a few yards away from the guards, it explodes.