Page 136 of Beyond The Maples
I smile. It feels empty, but it's all I can manage. Willow would wear them down. I look over to where Linden is fussing over Deacon's injuries. Everyone finds a spot, slumping down and looking exhausted. We're only at the beginning of our journey; this does not bode well.
"Where are you from? Do you have siblings?" I catch only the tail-end, as Willow peppers my friends with questions.
"Will, give them a minute to breathe. We just sat down," I sigh, slumping beside Leo, who's gawking at my sister.
"They look so much like you," he says. Nodding to Linden. "And you didn't tell me your brother was hot," he adds, wagging his eyebrows a bit.
The dullness in his tone nearly has me bursting into tears. Is this what finally breaks him?
And if so, it's all my fault.
Willow and I share a look at Leo's comment, and she scrunches up her face in disgust. Leo chuckles, but I don't miss the curious look Farra gives my brother.
"So, these are your best friends," Willow sasses.
Deacon throws a pebble at Willow. "Her other best friends," he corrects with a fake scowl, smacking Linden's hand away.
"Farra, Leo, Tarius, Deacon," I say loudly, wanting to get introductions over with in one shot. Trying to ignore the way my heart constricts at the one name I leave out.He should be here.
"Briggs, Macklin -Mack, Linden, and Willow," I say, motioning my hands across the crooked circle we're all sitting in.
Everyone gives nods or awkward waves.
"If anyone has any injuries, my brother's an almost-doctor, he can take a look." I try to sound normal, but my tone comes out flat and I catch the worried glance Leo sends my way.
"Yeah, and the almost-doctor is annoying me already, so it's someone else's turn," Deacon grumbles, as Linden continues to pester him, checking over his torso.
"How was the getting here? Uneventful?" Leo asks Mack, who looks completely comfortable sitting in a pile of rubble he's claimed for himself.
"Not bad at all. There was an old woman who scared the beans out of us, though. What was her name again? She came out of nowhere hollering with a knife," Mack shudders, and I raise an eyebrow at Willow.
"Marta" she gives me a mischievous grin. "She caught us when we were passing through. We filled her in a bit, because we didn't want her to worry; but then she came out swinging at the boys, threatening to string them up if anything happened to us."
"She's terrifying," Briggs confirms.
"It's a chef thing, I think," I mumble, a small smile tugging at my lips, imagining Marta trying to take down the two burly boys, which feels about right. Thinkingof Marta makes me think of the chef on the base, and that makes my mind land on Berkley… which cause me to suck in a sharp breath, fresh pain lancing through my chest.
"I'm assuming everything... didn't go as planned on your way out?" Willow asks, gently. My eyes sting, and all I can do is shake my head. Luckily, Deacon comes in and saves me from having to explain it all. He tells everyone the simple version of what happened, and they listen. Willow comes over beside me, snuggling up to off me comfort.
At some point Briggs makes a small fire, and everyone hunkers down to sleep for the night. I must drift off because suddenly I'm back in that hallway, staring at Berkley's empty eyes. My own eyes fly open. I get up as quietly as I can, slipping from my spot in between Linden and Willow. I don't know why, but I feel like if I don't move my body, I'll be pulled underneath these feelings. Like I can walk away from the dread, and guilt, and grief I'm feeling somehow.
I decide a perimeter check is a good idea, anyway; I pull one handgun from my bag and tuck it in my tack holster, just in case. I look back, and everyone's sleeping. In hindsight, we should've set up a watch, but we were confident we'd be OK for the few hours of sleep we all needed before heading out in the morning to what will be a gruelling trek.
I walk around the brick building, pulling up my scarf, the dust swirling in lazy twirls that glitter faintly in the penetrating moonlight. It's almost peaceful. You'd never know I'm still covered in the blood of my friend.
I peek into one of the smaller buildings. It has no roof and only two walls standing, and I wonder briefly if it had been someone's home. If a little community had thrived here once, before the government decided everything was theirs. I continue on, when I hear something. It's faint—the wind muffles it—but it's there. Voices.
On instinct I pull out my gun, walking towards the noise as quietly as possible, willing my feet to only hit soft earth instead of rubble, that's when I see it. The large looming figure leaning beside one wall. I'd know that frame anywhere. I can't make out how many there are. The remaining wall shields the others. Ishouldturn back, warn our group, but anger takes hold of my muscles, and I lurch forward until I'm standing right behind him. In one swift motion; I click the safety off, and cock the gun aiming straight for the back of his head.
"Well, hello there, little menace," Tane drawls.
With trembling hands I widen my stance, and push the gun harder against the back of Tane's skull.
"What are you doing here?" I grind out through clenched teeth.
"We're here to talk," he says carefully. "You made quite the mess before you left. Care to explain cadet?"
Something about his tone sets me further on edge. In my peripheral, I see Vera standing alert with her hand on her weapon beside Lachlan, who looks as amused as he always does. I lean forward.
