by CS Yelle
His face went slack, even more than before, and
he looked down at his hands in his lap. A sour grin curled
his lips as he looked back at me. “So a guy like me
doesn’t stand a chance. No matter how hard I try, no
matter how much I care. I don’t stand a chance as long as
you have Allister Parks in your life.”
Chills ran up my spine and the hair on the back of
my neck tingled. His words, a statement of sad fact,
resigned.
“Kendal, what are you thinking?” I whispered,
realization dawning I might have done something terrible. “As long as you have Allister, you will never be
mine.” He looked at me, his expression blank. “Kendal.” I stared intensely into his eyes hoping
to project the strength of my emotions. I wasn’t sure what
would come of it, but I needed to try. One thing I knew
for certain; I couldn’t forsake my love for Allister even to
help me escape Kendal. “I love Allister. If he were
beyond my reach, gone from me forever, I would still love him. My heart belongs to him and nothing will ever
change that.”
“Thank you for being honest.” He nodded slow
and deliberate as he got to his feet.
“What are you going to do?” My eyes followed
him.
“I think I have feelings for you, Britt. I don’t
know when it happened, but you have this power over
me, drawing me to you like a moth to a flame. No, maybe
love is too weak a word. I need you. I don’t want to live
without you. That pull you have on me is driving me
crazy. I think about you every minute of every day and,
for an Eternal, that is a damn long time. Since your heart
belongs and will always belong to Allister Parks, you
leave me no choice.” He sighed and began walking down
the dock, shoulders slumped from the weight of his
decision.
I sprang to my feet, racing to catch up with him.
“What choice, what are you going to do?”
“What I’ve been told to do.” He stopped and
stared down at me. “Hand you over to condemn Allister.” Fear flickered in my guts. “You were considering
something else?”
“I considered running away; just you and I
leaving all of this behind, letting Allister live in peace as
long as I had you.”
“We still can. We can go right now before the
others come. I’ll do it, Kendal. Let’s leave and not look
back,” I pleaded for Allister’s life, willing to sacrifice my
own happiness to be with Kendal in order to save his. “No, not now.” His smile was tinged with disgust.
“Now I know the truth that the only way you may come
to love me is if Allister is gone from your life.” “But if we go now he’ll never find us,” I cried,
trying to reason with him.
“You would always have the hope that he might
come back to you.” He shook his head, a twisted smile on
his lips. “If the council takes care of him, you will some
day realize I’m worthy of your love.”
He strode off as I stood watching, tears blurring
my vision, realizing my love for Allister had just
condemned him.
I ran back to the cabin, rushing past Kendal as he
walked through the door, running into the bedroom and
slamming the door behind me. I threw myself on the bed,
sobbing into the pillows.
“Allister, I love you,” I gasped into the pillows.
“I’m so sorry.”
I lay in bed, the hours passing unnoticed in the
small bedroom. Light faded outside and soon shadows
filled the space.
My eyes popped open at the sound of slamming
car doors. My heart stuttered. They’re here. I jumped
from bed, creeping to the door and opening it just enough
to peer through the crack.
Several men stood in the living room, movement
behind them alerted me to others in the kitchen. A small
man, no taller than Angelina, with his back to me
exposing a black pony tail reaching his waist, stood in
front of Kendal.
“She’s here?” the man asked.
“Yes.” Kendal nodded towards the door I peered
out of.
“Excellent,” the man said. He turned and his
silver tooth shone as he smiled and ran his tongue over it.
“You have done well my vile friend.”
“What are you going to do with her?” Kendal
asked.
“She will stand as evidence of Allister’s crime,”
the man said.
“After, what will happen to her after?” Kendal
pressed.
“Her fate will be at the discretion of the council. I,
for one, hope they dispose of her,” the man replied coolly. “What if she escaped capture?” Kendal asked. “The order stood at capture, dead or alive. Her
corpse will serve the same function as her breathing body.
In some ways, I’d prefer if she were a corpse; fewer
complications. If she gives us any trouble, we will kill her
to ease the transport.”
Kendal’s body tensed.
“I will get her ready to leave.” Kendal nodded. The man stepped aside and Kendal moved
towards the door. I slipped back, leaning against the bed;
the knowledge of my fate slowing my thinking as panic
overwhelmed me.
Kendal opened the door, stepped into the room,
and shut it behind him. He leaned against the door,
staring at me without saying a word as I looked back at
him, fear coursing through my body.
“You must run,” he said coming over to me,
taking me by my shoulders and leading me to the
window. He slid the window open and turned to me, unsnapped the bracelet from my wrist and handed me
something small and black.
My passport. I looked up in shock. “Where?” I
whispered slipping the passport into my jeans pocket. “I don’t know, but you mustn’t let them catch you.
You heard Bastion. They’ll kill you. Run, and keep
running until you’re safe. I’ll try to slow them, but you
must stay ahead of them.”
I slipped a leg out the window and stopped,
turning back to him, wanting to thank him, but the words
wouldn’t come.
He looked at me, curious for a moment, and then
pushed me out the rest of the way. I landed in a heap on
the ground covered in leaves and sticks. I pulled myself
to my feet and leaned into the window as he slid it closed. “Thank you,” I whispered as he stopped to look. He nodded, pushed me out of the way, and then
shut the window and pulled the shade.
Chapter 19 I ran. What direction, where, it didn’t matter. I ran to get as far away from Bastion as I could, as quickly as I could. I ran through brush, thick and clinging at my legs and waist. I ran around trees, dense and compact, sometimes needing to slip sideways to get through. The woods here, untouched by humans, impeded my progress yet I pressed on.
Darkness fell on the forest and soon I couldn’t see my hand before my face. I never knew what that meant until now. I stopped, listening for pursuit for the first time since fleeing. Nothing. Not a sound. Odd. Shouldn’t there be animals out here?
Out of nowhere, a loud engine roared and light lit up the blackness. The light shone maybe
thirty yards away; too close for my liking. I dove to the ground, sliding under a fallen log and digging myself into the soft, rotting debris, covering up completely so that each breath brought with it the stench of decaying matter.
The light shone around, searching, looking for me. I felt positive Bastion was behind the search. Only a small tickle in my mind for an instant gave me doubt. For the briefest moment I thought it might be Allister looking for me, but the risk of exposing myself was too great to chance.
I stayed buried, listening to the engine of a helicopter roar overhead. Even as it faded into the distance, I lay in my bed of rotting organic matter. The prickling of insects, crawling across my skin, made me want to scream, but I lay there, not willing to expose myself. I bit my lip as other creepy-crawlies moved across my exposed skin, some even getting under my clothing, still I kept out of sight.
I don’t know how long I stayed hidden. I knew I needed to get moving again to stay ahead of them. I understood their desire to have me, to bring the Parks down, was too great for them to ever stop.
I decided to stay put until first light. There was no point in stumbling through the darkness, possibly injuring myself, and making little progress besides. I closed my eyes and steadied myself against the insects moving around in the darkness. Nothing out here was poisonous, right?
When it was time to go I stood, brushed myself off, and picked as many bugs from me as I could find. After the last uncontrollable shudder from plucking a sizable insect from my hair and dropping it on the ground, I headed out. At least, I started to. Then I stopped, looking at the landmarks. They all appeared the same, and completely different from last night.
I turned back to the log where I spent the night. Noted the side I hid beneath, guessing my bed lay on the side of the log from the direction I came from. I grinned and stepped over the log and headed out, confident I moved away from the cabin, and certain capture.
I pushed through the thick woods for hours, often finding my path blocked by a thick growth of trees too dense to push through or a marshy low-lying area with mud that waited to suck me under the surface of the water. Several times I was forced to backtrack and find another way around. Nearing exhaustion, I broke out of the dense foliage unexpectedly, tumbling down a steep incline and rolling to a stop next to a gravel road.
I picked myself up, wiped the dirt from my face, and looked first one way and then the other at the road disappearing in either direction. I sat down, smiling to myself, proud to have found civilization again. Now I needed to find some people.
After resting a short time, I stood and
contemplated my next choice. Left or right? It sounded easy enough, but the wrong choice could wind me back around to where I started. I felt confident heading south, back to the states; the best option. I looked up at the sun sitting low in the sky already, sunset must be close. I turned and began to walk, taking the southern direction the road offered.
I didn’t stop as darkness fell. The moon rose high and bright in the sky, lighting the road well enough to continue on. Deer, raccoons, and even a bear startled me as I walked, though they didn’t show much interest in me other than a passing glance or a brief pause. I walked alone most of the night.
Once, something large and on four legs strode out ahead of me. I paused, waiting for it to clear my way. It looked at me, the eyes glowing in the moonlight, and then loped off into the woods. I continued on, but soon felt someone behind me. Glancing over my shoulder, the glowing eyes and lurking form padded silently behind me, never gaining, but maintaining an even distance between us.
I glanced back every so often as the yellow eyes stayed there. I felt a strange kinship with my escort, confident it intended me no harm and feeling less alone.
The animal I identified as a wolf, stayed with me until predawn and then, with a yip of goodbye, disappeared into the forest. In the dim before dawn I felt a pang for my companion, even being just an animal, its presence comforted me.
After another day of walking, not meeting any vehicles or seeing any signs of humans, I feared I might walk forever without coming across anyone. Just as hope waned, the gravel road intersected blacktop. I stared at the surface filled with disbelief and relief. Tears rolled down my cheeks and I scolded myself for being so foolish, but knowing I stood closer to rescue than before, I cried openly.
I followed the road, seeing nothing but trees and rocks all morning, and ready to jump into the roadside lined with high, uncut grasses at any sign of life. It was in this heightened state of anxiety when something recognizable crept into view. The longer I walked, the surer I felt the convenience store where Kendal and I stopped for gas and clothes lay ahead. I quickened my pace, my spirit lifting. I hurried to the door, swinging it in as the bell on the handle sounded. I rushed to the counter, the same lady sat on a stool, looking out the window.
“I’m so glad I found you,” I gasped, knowing the tattered image I must be.
The feeling started small, an itching just below the surface then it grew, becoming harder to ignore as I stared at the woman sitting motionless on her stool.
“Hello?” I said.
The woman didn’t move.
“Excuse me, I came in the other day,” I tried again.
The woman stared out the window as if I didn’t exist.
I inched around the counter moving next to her, studying her and seeing something unnatural about her posture, her stillness. I reached up, touching her shoulder with a finger. Her body moved under my touch then sprang back, stiff.
Terror rose up as I took a step closer to see her face looking out the window at the pumps. Her eyes stared, glassy, while her mouth hung open, slack and empty.
I leapt back, banging into the shelving holding the cigarettes and they tumbled down over me in an avalanche of white packages. A ping on the air hose by the pumps spun my attention outside. A small man with a long ponytail stepped out of the back seat of a large, black Mercedes. A dozen or more men hovered around two other cars and scanned the surroundings.
Bastion. My mind raced yet I stood frozen in place staring at the man as he slowly turned to look at the store. I ducked down behind the counter. Had he seen me?
I crawled along the counter and into the back room. Scrambling to my feet, I ran for the gray door leading out the back. I pulled the door open and burst out in a full sprint only to slam into someone so solid and hard, the wind shot from my lungs and I crumbled to the ground.
The man grabbed me by my forearms, pulling me to my feet as I gasped for air. He turned with me, his ponytail swinging around and brushing against my shoulder. I opened my mouth to scream, but his hand clamped down before even a whisper escaped.
He pulled me along, hand over my mouth, around the back of the store to a waiting car. He opened the door, threw me inside, and the car roared into motion before I could right myself.
I felt someone in the back seat next to me and I looked up, expecting to see Bastion. Angelina’s worried face met my gaze and I flung myself at her, hugging her tightly, my eyes clenched shut and the tears dripping down my cheek.
“You found me,” I sobbed. “You found me.”
The reunion, cut short as the Camaro squealed out of the parking lot amidst cries of protest from the men standing by the pumps. The sounds of pursuit and the ensuing roar of engines cut into my embrace and I righted myself in the seat to look out the back window as three black cars raced after us.
“How is she?” Allister shouted from the driver’s seat.
“Battered, bruised, and stinky, but she appears alright,” Angelina said.
“I’m okay,” I yelled over the engine noise, overjoyed to see his beautiful face again.
“We’re not out of this yet,” Taylor, the owner of the not-Bastion ponytail pointed out.
“We can’t outrun them,” Allister admitted, glancing back in his side mirror at the gaining caravan of Mercedes.
“They won’t be alone,” Taylor reminded him. “I’m sure they’ll ca
ll ahead for help.”
“We can’t let that happen,” Allister countered. “We have to take them out.”
“Take them out?” I shouted. “There’s at least a dozen of them and only four of us.”
“Fifteen, actually,” Taylor corrected, shrugging as I gave him a TMI look.
“Angelina, can you handle two?” Allister asked, glancing back at her in his rearview mirror.
“Two, maybe more.” She nodded.
“That leaves six for you and me.” He turned to Taylor.
“Got it.” Taylor nodded.
“What about me?” I asked. “How can I help?”
“You stay in the car, no matter what happens. Kick and hit anyone who tries to get to you. We’ll defend you the best we can.” Allister glanced over his shoulder, catching my eye and pausing for a split second. His determination and worry for me showed on his face.
“We have to do it now,” Taylor reminded.
Allister nodded, turning onto a side road running parallel to the main road, racing down the gravel surface with rocks pinging off the bottom of the car as we sped along.
The black cars followed close behind. The trees on either side of the road widened into meadow and Allister hit the brakes turning the wheel quickly, sliding along the grass to a stop.
Allister, Taylor, and Angelina exploded out the doors, advancing on the speeding cars before they could completely stop. I watched from my vantage point in the back seat, leaning forward to lock the doors and peer back at the three.
Allister raced full speed at one of the cars. He leapt at the last second dipping his shoulder and turning in midair. The grill and hood just missed him as he drove his leg through the windshield and into the driver. The car skidded to a stop as Allister scrambled across the hood and braced himself for the men hurrying to get out. Allister took each advancing man head on, rendering them unconscious one by one, smoothly and efficiently, with fluid punches and kicks.
I shook nervously at the chaotic scene, spotting Angelina grappling with a man twice her size. She used her greater speed to avoid his attempts to pluck out her heart.
She jumped over his outstretched arm, wrapping her arms around his neck as her body flew over his head and tossed him to the ground. In his dazed state, she struck him across his face, knocking him out.
Taylor stood surrounded by four men, all nearly as large as he. His expression bore no emotion as he stood rotating in place while the men tried to find an opening in his defenses. One took the offensive and fell to the ground after a well-placed strike to the head. Taylor turned to the other men in the shrinking circle.