Silent Rebellion

Chapter 17.) New Worlds?

A couple months later

We've managed to set up a small village for ourselves. Luckily, no one's been caught. We have people that go into town to stock up with food. It's a day's trip to get to Zale, and a day's trip back. Today was one of those days to stock up. The fall leaves crunched under everyone's feet. The majority of the 48 are at their homes. Everyone except Nick, Jason, Morgan, Noelle, and me.

"Evelyn? Are you okay?" Elliot pulled himself up and onto the tree I was in.

"Yeah," I replied, "I'm just thinking."

"About?" He scooted closer to me. I laughed.

"I think about impossible things, you know that. I was thinking 'What if we could go home? What if we could live normal lives?'" Now Elliot laughed, "Oh Evelyn." He wrapped an arm around me. I rested my head on his shoulder. We just stayed in this position, and I felt safe around him.

"Goodness, Evelyn! You're freezing!" He said, beginning to take off his jacket.

"No, I'm fine. I'll be okay," I insisted, but he wrapped his leather jacket around me, engulfing me in the smell of pine from his habit of climbing so many trees.

"I- I really like you, Evelyn," he said, his voice low. I smiled and looked down.

"I know you're matched to Jason, but I can't help it. I just-" I shushed him by a kiss on the cheek.

"It's okay," I told him, staring into his beautiful brown eyes. "I know how you feel, I-"

"Eve? Cam's back." Nick said, sounding firm and almost angry. I gave Elliot another kiss on the cheek and climbed down the tree.

"You alright?" I asked Nick. He looked at his shoes and nodded.

"Hey," I said, patting his shoulder. "We'll figure this out."

"It's not that," he said. I was about to ask him what he meant, but he continued. "Never mind. I'll talk to you later." And with that, he left. I looked back into the tree for Elliot, but he was gone.

I walked around in search of Cam.

Camilla, one of the women we rescued from the prison, came running to me with paper bags of food.

"Evelyn!" She shouted. "Evelyn, your mother has a message for you!"

"What is it?" I asked, running over to her.

"She says your father is alive."

Oh my god.

"There's more," she began, sounding cautious.

"Wh- what is it?" I asked slowly.

"I overheard some officials talking about searching the forest for us."