by Karin Dahan
I contemplate screaming. Maybe someone will make it in time before he kills me.
No. I need to keep calm. Adira told me never to panic. The adrenaline surging through my body is making it hard to lie still. I move my hands at my side, trying to release some of the energy, trying to think of a plan that can save me. He couldn’t have come here just to kill me, or I would have been dead already. He wants something.
“This is what’s going to happen. I’m going to let you get up and you are going to stay quiet and follow me. If I hear as much as a whisper, I will cut you, just like I did Gilbert,” he whispers.
I don’t waste a moment thinking. Morrick using Gilbert’s name has me seeing red. “I will kill you for what you did to them,” I say, keeping my voice low.
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“Be quiet,” he says as he puts pressure on the knife. I strain my neck trying to get away from the sharp blade. But I have nowhere to go. His warning is clear.
He removes the knife and I take a deep breath now that the imminent threat is gone. He drags me to my feet by my arm. I let him. I know he’s planning to take me to a second location but the thought of being alone with him makes my whole body tense. I can’t let that happen. I have to take my chances here. If I can just get away from him, for even a second, I can scream for help or bolt to the door. If I die in the process, at least my death will mean something, Morrick will get the justice he deserves. A calm wash through my body as I make peace with my destiny. Luckily, my eyes have adjusted to the dark now. I can see the shapes of the room and of Morrick next to me.
He brings his hand out to open the door and I kick him hard in his calf, making him release me for a split second. As he does, I use all my power to push him away from me; away from blocking the path to my freedom. He lands on the wooden chair and a loud cracks echoes in the room. Just as I turn the handle on the door, he is behind me. He grabs my hair and throws me to the floor. He’s on top of me in an instant, his weight holding me down and his hand is brought up to cover
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my mouth just as I’m about to scream for help. I can almost make out his face as he leans closer to me.
“Somebody has become braver since last time.” His breath is warm on my face and I cringe. I bring up my arms to try to get him off, fighting like a caged animal. There’s no logic, I’m just using all my limbs to try to hurt him or push him off me. Before I can do much, the sharp metal is back at my neck and I stop instantly. I know if I move, it will break my skin. It does anyway. Morrick pushes it against me slightly and I feel something warm spills down my neck. Blood. Tears are streaming down my checks, not from pain. There’s only rage in my body now; rage that I’m left defenseless yet again; that I can’t make Morrick pay for what he did.
“I don’t want to hurt you. I promise you will be safe if you just come with me. Just behave,” he says as the blade eases away from me.
“How did you get here? It’s just not possible that you found me,” I whimper, failing to stay strong.
“I told you I was a good tracker. I found your lovely uncle first and then it wasn’t hard finding you,” he whispers. “We’ll have lots of time to catch up later. Now come on.”
“You killed him?” My voice is loud now. I can’t focus on the
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consequences. Right when I finish my sentence, a hard hit to my head knocks me out.
I wake up to someone shaking my shoulders and a voice I recognize sounds muffled in my ears. What happened? I force myself to open my eyes and the room spins as I do. Nausea bubbles up in me, making me quickly turn my head just before I vomit straight out. My hand goes up to my head where a throbbing feels like it will make my head explode.
“Eddie … We have to go!” Adira says as she’s trying to get me to my legs.
“I … I” I can’t speak. The pain is taking all my focus. I squeeze my eyes shut. The light in the room is making it worse. I can hear Adira talking to someone, barking out orders. But it sounds like it’s far away, muffled in cotton.
A pair of strong arms lift me. “You're gonna be okay. Just try to stay awake.” Ryker’s voice comes out clear. The warmth from his body makes me relax in his arms before the darkness takes me again.
“Eddie …. Eddie, come on; Time to wake up.” Phoenix’ voice reaches me in my deep sleep, and I struggle for a second, before I can open my
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eyes. The headache is back in an instant and a low moan escapes me as I try go back to sleep again. Being wrapped in darkness was much better.
“Oh, no you don’t,” he says. Something cold is pressed against my forehead. It makes me wince. “Take these. They will get rid of the pain.” He pushes some pills into my hand, while I’m lifted to a sitting position. I do as he says, too weak to argue.
“These pills are a new development; stolen from Tenebris himself. It works within seconds,” he says.
And he’s right, because, as I blink my eyes a few times, all the throbbing in my head is gone. I’m still slightly groggy as I look around a temporary camp site. The small clearing is surrounded by dense forest and the morning bathes it in an orange light. All of Ryker’s crew is here, the original five members that came to get me. Orland is busy building a fire and Boston is working on skinning a rabbit. Ryker and Gwennie are watching the forest, guns ready for any unwelcome visitors.
“Where is Adira?” Panic makes me sit up straight, trying to see any trace of her.
“Calm down. She’s safe. She went to look around the area,
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making sure we weren’t followed,” Phoenix says, trying to calm me down. He puts a hand on my shoulder. “How do you feel now, better?”
“Yeah, thank you.” I feel the strain of a bandage on my neck and I instinctively bring my hand up to touch it. Ryker sees me awake and walks over. His eyes look concerned when they meet mine. “Feeling better?”
I nod, trying to stay strong. A noise from behind us makes everyone bring up their weapons, reacting on instinct. I turn to see Adira walking up to us. She seems calm, even when faced with guns pointed in her direction. “No one is following us. But we should try to move soon,” she says as she walks up to me, kneeling by the side of me not taken up by Phoenix. “Here, take these berries. They’ll get your energy up.”
The blue colored fruits taste sour, but I eat them all; anything to feel better.
“What happened? It’s all a bit blurry,” I say.
“I was on the way back to my house when I saw the army setting up camp not far away from you. They were planning an attack on the cliff. Rose and I went back to warn you. I never expected to save you from an attack in your own room though,” Adira says, her tone serious.
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“Morrick …” I merely whisper his name. The memory of what he said and did to me comes back and my breath becomes labored and my whole body feels cold.
Adira’s hand is on my back. Her other hand gently moves my chin to make me face her, “Calm down … deep breaths … in and out … that’s it.”
I get lost in her eyes and her confidence and strength help me calm my breathing. “Is he dead?” I ask.
I can see the answer in her eyes. She doesn’t have to say it. The slight change tells me he’s still alive. I stand up, too angry to sit still. But I’m still weak so I fall to the side directly. Phoenix is there to help me. “How could you let him live?” I stammer.
“You are safe. He will not hurt you again,” Adira declares.
“You don’t know what he has done…what kind of monster he is. I’m not safe as long as he’s alive.”
“I told you before, when I’m in combat, I protect. I do hurt with intention to kill.”
I clench my jaw, trying to stay calm. Adira doesn’t know what she has done. Ryker comes to her defense. “When I came into the room, the one you call Morrick was thrown against the wall, unconscious. He
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might be dead for all we know. Our only focus was to get out. There was no time for anything else. Adira
acted precisely like anyone else in this team would have.” His voice full of authority. It turns lighter as his eyes meet mine. “You’re safe with us. You’ll never be in that situation again, I promise. I should have protected you better. I’m sorry.” Ryker’s sudden compassion surprises me, leaving me speechless.
Gwennie walks slowly towards us, eying me like a lion eying a meal, “Pfff…How do we know that it wasn’t you that orchestrated all of this in the first place? Is it only me that finds it strange that every time we’re with her the army shows up?”
“Yes. And I also planned to have Morrick cut my throat and knock me unconscious.” I clench my fists to keep my voice calm. I know she is trying to rile me up on purpose.
“From what I saw, your wound wasn’t that deep.” She lifts her finger to point at my neck before she continues. “Plus a bang to the head is a small price to pay for getting escorted right into headquarters.” She stops an arms-length away from me, mostly because Phoenix decided to block her way.
“This is not a debate worth having Gwen,” Ryker’s voice warns her.
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“I think it is,” Gwennie glares at both Ryker and Phoenix. “Just because the two of you have fallen for her little innocent act, doesn’t mean the rest of us have.” She crosses her hands over her chests and eyes me up and down. “Who’s to say that her parents are dead anyway. Maybe they’re all still working for Tenebris.”
I don’t even hear her finishing her sentence. My anger blocks out her voice. I jump at her with every ounce of energy that’s left in me. I don’t get far. Ryker’s strong arms grabs my waist and holds me back. “Let me go!” I claw at his arms, trying to get him to let me down. Instead, he carries me away; away from the group and Gwennie, who’s laughing at my feeble attempts at freedom.
When the trees hide the rest of the group, he gently puts me down. “Now is not the time or place for this. We need to keep our voices down and focus on our mission,” he says while looking at me to make sure I’m hearing what he’s saying.
“Stop treating me like a child. We’re basically the same age,” I hiss at him, trying to walk past him to get back.
He blocks my way, “Maybe start acting your age then …You have to cut Gwennie some slack. You can’t let her get to you.”
I stare at him; I can’t believe my ears. “Why are you having this conversation with me? She’s the one that started it!”
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“Gwennie is just like that. She’s been through some rough things in her life and it colors who she is today.”
“You’re kidding me, right? Everyone has been through things.” I throw my hands up in aspiration. “I have lost my parents and Adira lost her son! But do you see us acting that way?”
“Gwennie was just trying to get a reaction from you. I know none of the things she said are true. But you’re pretty hot-headed. None of this would be a problem if you could keep your cool,” Ryker says as he crosses his arms over his chest, raising one eyebrow as he looks at me.
Anger flares up in me again. “Of course you’re going to take her side in this.” I side-step him. But before I can even react, he is standing in front of me again, both of his hands gently on my shoulders. It’s strange being so close to him. It feels too intimate, like he can read my mind. He drops his hands and takes a small step backwards.
“Look, even though Gwennie can be difficult, I need you to know that we’re all on the same side here. I need you to understand that. We’ll protect you and we’ll get you to headquarters safe, ok?” He steps out of the way. Apparently, I’m allowed to go back to the group now.
I move slowly, my head still spinning a little when I move.
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Ryker matches his pace to mine.
“Will Morrick be a problem?” he asks.
“No, I don’t care one ounce about him anymore. He’s a liar and a murderer.”
“Ok good to know. But I mean is he a threat to us? We didn’t have time to bring him with us since the army was already at the front gate when we got to you. Was he the one that gave our location away?”
My checks burn from embarrassment. Of course, Ryker wasn’t talking about my romantic feelings towards Morrick. Stupid. I scramble to answer his question. “He probably was and if he’s alive I’m sure he’ll be coming for us. He’s an excellent tracker. That’s how he found me.”
“Everyone, let’s gather around the camp.” Ryker’s commander voice is back as we reach the others. No one asks any questions or hesitates over his orders. Adira stays in the background, leaning against a wide tree trunk as the rest of us sit down around the fire. Boston is roasting the rabbit above the flames and the air fills with a mouthwatering aroma.
“Let’s go over our options. We know we were lucky to get away from the cliff when it was attacked. Who knows how many others got caught,” Ryker starts. Everyone nods in agreement. “If Boston wouldn’t
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have been so quick with the escape stairs in the back of the cliff, the enemy would have had us cornered. Good work on that,” he nods towards Boston. “But we do have some problems. We hardly got away with any provisions and the map to headquarters is either with Rod somewhere or burnt if he didn’t get away in time.”
“Rod would have stayed and fought the bastards. Like we should have,” Gwennie spits out.
“We have a clear mission Gwen. It’s too valuable to risk. But you are right about Rod,” Ryker says, sternly enough to shut down any further complaints from Gwennie.
“I don’t need a map to headquarters. If we just follow the roads, I can take us there,” Boston says. He has his legs crossed in front of him. Unable to keep them still, he’s bouncing his foot back and forth. He has too much energy.
“Too risky taking the roads or walking anywhere near them,” Ryker says. “Any other ideas?”
“Eddie has a map,” Adira speaks up without moving in to join us.
“Yeah, but we would still need the location coordinates,” Phoenix turns to her.
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“I know them …” I say quietly.
“How?” Boston and Phoenix say in unison.
A smile grows on Ryker’s face. “Because she has photographic memory.” Turning to me, he answers slowly, “… and you saw the map in the office when we had the debriefing.”
I just nod. Boston claps his hands together once and let out a low cheer, while Phoenix whistles is amazement and Orland nods his head with a small smile. Gwennie’s face is like stone.
I close my eyes and mentally bring up the map I saw in Rod’s office in front of me, the red dots appearing along with the outlines of the different area. A plan forms as I see the route we should take to get to our goal. “Hope would be on the way to headquarters. Maybe we can stop there for provisions. I might know where we can get some,” I say.
“What about ammo? We need more of that, in case we have a run in with the army,” Phoenix says.
“Let’s do an inventory,” Ryker responds. “We will have to be smart with what we have.”
Everyone lays out their guns and ammunitions. It doesn’t look sparse to me but the crease in between Ryker’s eyes is a sign that he’s concerned.
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“We’ll go around Hope instead. It’s too risky to be in that village, surrounded by that many enemies when we aren’t armed for it,” Ryker says.
“Dude, we can handle it. We need the provisions if we are going to make this walk. We don’t have time for hunting,” Phoenix says.
Ryker doesn’t answer him. Instead, he stands up and kicks dirt over the fire with his shoe. The black smoke fills the air with an ashy smell.
Adira walks up to the rest of us. “I might know where the local gang in Hope hide their weapons. It will not be easy, but it’s worth a try.”
I shake my head slightly; she can’t be talking about the Scullys. That’s just suicidal. I close my eyes and hope that Ryker will say ‘no’ to her suggestion. He must see that this is not a good option.
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Chapter 19
The unknown of my uncle’s condition follows me every second of every day. Did Morrick kill him? I remember that night he was in my room. Now, even the smell and the touch of the cold blade is vivid and clear. I wish I could forget. I want to forget that he said that he had followed me to Edward’s. I even tried to convince Ryker that we should walk by the City, so I could check on him. But of course, he refused. I don’t blame him. I know it’s a risk we can’t take.
The trees have lost all their leaves now. Only the ferns look green and alive. Everything else has died. It’s fitting; just like my friends and family, all dead.
We have been walking for two days, only stopping at night when the cold is too dangerous. The first night we found a cave that helped us stay warm and the second night an abandoned house with a working fireplace. Now, we are just one day walk away from Hope. As we are getting closer, the vegetation is familiar. Something in me wishes we could walk around it, ignore going in for food and ammunition. It will stir up too many painful memories which I would rather avoid. Plus, stealing anything from the Scully’s is just full of
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dangerous pitfalls. But Ryker and the others insist that we need ammunition, that we would never survive an attack with what we have now. It’s like he doesn’t realize an attack from the Scully’s can be even worse. They are savage in a whole other way.