The Dark Side

Chapter 15 - Stranglers

Two days of pouring rain and we have to leave. We're all getting a bad feeling about how the IX still hasn't showed up. I also asked Jake if we could talk about the kiss- Yes, we still haven't- And he said that he promises we can this morning. We've already kissed twice too. Once yesterday after lunch. It was just a quick kiss though, because Drew was right there. Jake wanted a random kiss, but I quickly pulled away after two seconds, because something just felt wrong.

Ah crap. Not this again. I plead in my mind as the boys begin to argue over who I ride a horse with. They both hold the reins of their horses and take a step closer to each other as they argue, as if on cue.

"Ladies! Ladies!" I shout over their arguing. They both snap their heads in my direction, "How about I," I emphasis, pointing at myself as if they are both three year olds, "Choose who I ride with?" I suggest, still acting as if they are both stupid. Well, they are- or- they can be. Jake nods and steps back, away from Drew, Twilight throws her mane from over his shoulder, as if confident I will choose them.

"I agree. Let the lady choose, Drew." He emphasises the word 'Drew'- Who seems quite irritated by Jake's attitude.

I feel kind of annoyed by Jake's cocky attitude since we left Sector 7, but I haven't ridden with him in a while and we were supposed to talk.

I take a small step closer to Jake and he pulls me up close to him. He smiles, "See? Wasn't that easy?" He says to Drew, who has already turned his back on us, as he vaults his horse. I look down and kick the bright green grass, spattering morning dew everywhere. As I do so, Jake climbs onto Twilight.

I hear Snow Top stamp his hoof, waiting to finally move. We had stayed at the town for five nights now and the horses seemed to need an open field to run around in, rather than being tied up for five weekdays of no movement.

Jake offers a hand to me and I take it, as he pulls me up onto the horse swiftly. He gives me a small smile and I quickly return the favour.

We seem to have been going in the same direction for as long as Jake has been with us. He has almost been forcefully taking the lead, "Alright, let's go!" He orders, squeezing Twilight's sides to move her forward.

And the ride begins.

I decide to finally ask him once we are a little further off from Drew ahead. I feel his- almost suspicious- gaze on my back, as I wrap my arms around Jake to hold on, "About the kiss," I try to begin.

He seems to turn his head left a bit to try and look at me, "Right. About that." He says. I expect him to continue and explain what it meant, but he simply says nothing else.

"Jake," I start.

"Yeah, babe?" He questions.

"Did you just-" I'm about to rant, before he cuts me off.

"Jessica Holland," He doesn't wait for my response, "I want you to be my girlfriend."

I'm stunned. My eyes widen and my mouth gapes open, "Y-Yes." I mumble, "Yes!" I feel like screaming, but lower it to a shout. I feel him chuckle. I hug him from behind around his neck.

"Hey- Uh- Sorry to disturb you," I let go of him as I look to the left of us, where Drew has quickened Snow Top's pace to ride next to us. How much did he hear?

"You aren't typically disturbing anyone. Go on." I quickly say, before he continues.

"Well, there's sort of a Horde of I4's right behind us." He states, gesturing behind us. Jake seems to tense up, before sending his horse into a canter beside Drew's.

I look back, but see nothing. No, I'm not saying he's lying. I'm saying, I literally can't see anything.

Fog builds up around us, almost looking like a tinted blue kind of colour. How did I not notice this earlier?

Suddenly, there's a loud gunshot from somewhere behind us. Isn't that where the I4's were supposedly? I go to give Drew a confused look, but I can't see him anymore either. His horse, Snow Top, looks like just a white-grey wisp floating through the air. Snow Top's legs are just a blur beneath him. I begin to get worried about Drew, because I can't see him. That's before I notice his short white hair is actually visible too. Thanks, Snow Top. Both of them.

Another gunshot rings through the air, "Stranglers." I hear Jake mutter under his breath, "They use small hordes of zombies and lead them with gunshots, before attacking groups, even sectors sometimes." He says a bit louder for me to hear easier.

Suddenly, the loudest gunshot rings through the air. I hear a loud zip right by my ear and see the oncoming tree that Jake dodges his horse around has a brand new bullet hole in it, "They have hunting rifles," I say, "Judging by the bullet damage anyway."

"That's not good." Jake mumbles, before trying to get his horse to go faster. Twilight throws her mane and whinnies for all to hear. Her black mane seems to be just slight wisps of black in the fog. Jake continues to try and move her faster, but she continues whinnying and neighing ear piercingly loud.

"Jake! She can't go any faster!" I yell at him, "Let me take the reins!" I shout and try something we learnt to do if we were riding with someone and they were shot. I've never done it in a real situation though. I slowly stand up as the horse runs.

"Jessica! What the hell are you doing?" He exclaims, trying to keep Twilight running in a straight line to make it a bit easier for me.

"Move back further!" I yell down to him. He has no choice, but to do so. I climb over him and take the reins. I lean into earshot and whisper to Twilight, "C'mon girl. Just a little faster for me. For me, girl, c'mon." I urge her on. She throws her mane once more, before slowing down a bit, "C'mon, Twilight!" I command, patting her neck, before leaning back to a straighter position. I let go of her reins. She neighs and speeds even faster, whipping past trees, "Yes, Twilight! Yes!" I yell.

Jake wraps his arms around my waist tighter, "Oh shit. We're so dead now." I slightly hear him say over the wind whipping past us.

I'm confused- at least before I notice the slanted tree that is being slightly held up by a small tree or two. I take the reins again. The tree threatens to fall, but I take my chances and go as far off to the leaves side as possible that's higher up from the ground, "Jessica! There isn't enough room for us to pass!" I hear Jake exclaim, before a gunshot barely cuts him off.

Twilight rears and bucks just before the fallen tree, sending us flying forward. I'm thrown through the air and I barely have time to feel my back and head hit the tree log, when everything starts ringing. My vision gone blurry. I lay there for a couple of seconds, before someone wraps their arms around my torso and drags me off to the side as fast as possible. I feel like I can't move. I can look around with just my eyes, but I can't move my head, and my ears ring so loudly.

"Jessica, can you hear me?" I hear the male's voice, but it's not Drew, or Jake. I recognise the voice though.

I hear the sound of a single other person making their way over once the ringing dies away, "Son of a bitch left." I recognise that voice as Drew's.

I try to move my body from where I am, but find I can barely move. I turn my head to see Vincent.

Well, somebody has some explaining to do.

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