Chosen.

Chosen. Chapter 30

Chapter THIRTY

Heath

I'm coughing and hacking uncontrollably while at the same time trying to hold onto to Autumn's hand as Arris guides us both through the thick wall of smoke, "Where are we--," a fit of coughing hits me again before I can finish. "--going?" I gasp out when I finally catch my breath.

Arris responds brusquely without turning around, "Just keep moving and stay low, Heath. The fire isn't the only thing we have to worry about right now."

And almost immediately after he says this, a random person bumps into me seemingly from out of nowhere within the cloud of smoke around us. They push me away roughly, nearly knocking me down, and then I see them go into one of the tents. Wtf?? They have something tied around their face and nose, so I can't make out any facial features, but I instinctively know for a fact it isn't one of our people. Who the heck is that??

Autumn jerks me back to reality and on our path out of here, "Come on, Heath. Don't stop!" I put my head down and try not to look at all the chaos going on around me. "Keep moving," I chant to myself over and over. 

It suddenly hits me, and I know it is the other group from yesterday that we pranked. They must not have been too happy with the "mud pies" and parting gifts in their stolen packs and decided to seek revenge. But, I honestly can't believe they would go this far!! Starting fires around our camp, are they really that stupid?? This could spread over the whole isle and everyone could be in danger and terminated by morning!!

I hear someone cry out, "Help!!" But Autumn, keeps dragging me forward through the blaze of trees and bushes ignoring the screams. 

All of a sudden, I trip over a tree root and I lose my grip on Autumn's hand as I plunge forward to the ground. Oh no! Don't leave me, I think, but the smoke chokes me up so much I can't even scream.

I just lay there for a second in the dirt and leaves, while fireworks dance on the outside of my vision. Don't pass out Heath, I tell myself. But, it's so hard to put two thoughts together when I can't even get a clear breath. The dizziness fades after a minute and I finally manage to sit up and look around trying to see where Autumn and Arris went. 

To my left, I spot Kyle and Freddy fighting with two guys over the fishing gear. Oh, crap!! Kyle is losing his grip as one guy wraps his arm around him in a choke hold! Freddy tries to help Kyle, but his guy is much bigger and gives him a cheap elbow in the face! I'm about to run over and try to do what I can –-which, let's be honest, likely won't be much, given I'm 13 and these guys are almost double my age and size -- but from out of nowhere Shane and his Dad pop out of the woodworks and comes at the guy on Kyle from behind. They take him down in seconds. It looks like we'll at least be keeping the fishing supplies for now!

I try to get my bearings in all the smoke and figure out which way I should go to avoid the flames. It looks like they are coming from everywhere! I look around for a second, then look back to where Kyle, Freddy and Shane and his father stood just seconds ago.....and they are gone!! I am trying to control the panic welling up in my chest, as I contemplate which way I should take to escape. There is just fire, flames, smoke and haze everywhere!

Unexpectedly, I hear laughing behind me and when I look, I see a tall, skinny guy with dreads eating some of the boar that was smoking on our fire from earlier. He looks evil in the reflection of orange firelight. I bet this guy would be the bloodthirsty cannibal type if it was a different world, or maybe in the new world... The thought gives me a chill. Yup, time to go!

"Heath!! This way!" I turn and spy Autumn about 30 feet away waving me in her direction. I jump up and take off towards her before the flames can engulf my exit path. My lungs are burning while we run, but I try not to think of anything else but getting out of this place.