•Apocalyptic•

Chapter 10. As Emerald as the Emerald City.

Hiccup's POV
All of us were guided to a large bedroom with mattresses on the floor.
"You lot will sleep in here." Peter, the young boy, informed. He turned on his heel and strode out of the room, slamming the door behind him.
"That was a bit rude!" Merida yelled after him. She lunged for the door handle but I pulled her back in time before she created her own stampede.
"Mer we need to figure out why we are here." Rapunzel said from beside Jack. She had worried look plastered onto her face, and it wasn't the mild kind.
"Punz, what's going on?" I stared at her with concern.
"I-I heard Belle whisper something to Beast." She shuddered.
"What was it?" Ariel said from her sitting position on one of the mattresses.
"That they've found us or something." She mumbled. Jack's eyes widened in shock and Merida immediately stopped squirming in my arms. Wait! Why am I still holding her?! I freed Merida from my restraining arms.
"The fuck?!" Jack said angrily. "They've found us?!" He repeated. Rapunzel nodded.
"We ave te get out of ere! They could be psychopaths!" Merida yelled.
"Guys I think we should be quiet!" I suddenly yelled into the forming circle. Suddenly, the room fell silent and the only noise that could be heard was the approaching thud of foot steps.
"Shit!" Jack whispered violently. They became louder as the steps got closer until they stopped outside of our door. We all remained still and quiet, not daring to move a muscle. After what felt like an eternity, the foot steps began to move again, slowly but surely away.
"We need to find a way out of here..." I whispered shouted. The others nodded in agreement.
"Wha about the window?" Merida pointed in the direction of the window. I stalked over to the window and examined it. I fiddled with the handle trying to open it.
"Dammit!" I grumbled. "Locked.." I mumbled to the others.
"Step aside boy!" Rapunzel said triumphantly. She pulled out a bobby pin from her hair and a few strands fell into her face. I noticed Jack's eyes widen. Punz slipped the pin into the lock and began to jiggle it around. After about thirty seconds a quiet but satisfying click sounded.
"You're welcome." Rapunzel smirked. I opened the window and inspected the drop the the ground.
"I think we can make it, maybe just shove a mattress out the window to break the fall."
"Fall?! How far is it?!" Emma cried out. She backed away from us, her eyes shining with fear. Jack crouched down in front of her and placed his large hands on her shoulders.
"Ems, it's our only way of escaping, okay? I'll go first alright, then I can catch you." He reassured her. Sheepishly, Emma agreed and hugged her brother.
"What will we do about Ariels foot?" Jim spoke up suddenly.
"Um.." I scratched my neck in thought.
"It's not that far of a drop Jim, I think Ariel will be okay on your back." Rapunzel smiled. The plan was set. Once the mattress had landed I would jump first, then Rapunzel, Merida then Jack. Jack would catch Emma and Jim will come down with Ariel on his back.
"Okay guys, are we ready?" I clapped my hands together in anticipation.
"Yes!" They all said in unison. As planned, I crouched on the small window ledge first before pushing off and landing on the mattress, legs bent at the knees.
"Okay Punz! Ready!" I called up, careful not to shout to loud incase I was heard. Rapunzel leapt from the window and landed elegantly before rolling off the mattress. She was followed by Jack then Emma and eventually Jim and Ariel.
"We ar gonna have te be careful, we ain't got no weapons." Merida said as we jogged away from the house.
"Once we find out how far we have been taken, I think I can take us to a place where there is plenty of weapons." Jack smirked as he jogged beside Rapunzel. Hmm those two seen awfully close at the moment.
Jack's POV
Rapidly, all of us raced into the forest. We didn't stop until the house was well out of sight. I clutched my chest as I leant against a tree to catch my breath.
"Everyone okay?" Merida said as she breathed heavily. I nodded before glancing around at everyone else. Then we heard it. The low, stomach churning growl of an infected.
"Shit..." Hiccup mumbled.
"What do we do?!" Rapunzel panicked.
"The only thing we can do right now...run!"
Our bodies whipped through the forest, twisting here and there. We didn't know if the infected were following us or not, but we weren't going to stop and find out.
~~~
The sky soon turned a milky purple colour and stars became visible. Hiccup poked the crackling fire with a stick, Merida laid on her back staring up at the night sky and Jim and Ariel were off canoodling somewhere.
I watched with a smile as Rapunzel plaited Emma's brown hair. Occasionally, they would break into a fit of giggles.
"What's going on here ladies?" I smirked as I crouched down next to Punz.
"Oh not much." Emma snickered.
"Emma was just telling me that you didn't stop sleeping with your blankie until you were seventeen." Punz said trying to conceal her laughter.
"Whaaaat...?" I said trying to play it cool.
"It was blue with little red cars on it." Emma blurted out in between giggles. I scratched the back off my neck in attempts to keep cool.
"I never had a blankie Em." I chuckled nervously.
The girls keeled over in laughter, clutching their stomachs as if they were about to burst. Eventually, Rapunzel stood up and patted my back.
"It's okay Jack," She smiled, "I used to sleep with a stuffed toy chameleon." I grinned back at her before grabbing her hand.
"Let's go collect more wood." I whisked her away off into the trees.
Rapunzel's POV
I studied Jack as he collected fire wood. He was very different from any other boy I'd been friends with before. His tattoos were intricate and meaning full, like his eyes. He was chilled out but still sensible. I felt a blush rise upon my cheeks as he handed me the firewood, his smirk was knee buckling.
"Tell me about yourself." I suddenly blurted out. Jack glanced at me with a confused look on his face.
"Huh?" He mumbled.
"I'm curious..." I said shyly. Jack plopped to the ground and patted the space next to him, I sat beside him leaving the firewood behind.
"There isn't much to tell. I'm a nineteen year old with no story." He said as he stared up at the stars.
"No regrets or wishes?" I pushed on. He shrugged his shoulders. His eyes showed he was deep in thought.
"I regret dropping out of college. I wish I could've save my mom. However I'm glad I met you." He turned to face me, cupping my cheek with one hand. I found myself easing into his gentle touch.
"Rapunzel." He mumbled as he edged closer.
"Yes?" I replied half heartedly, his touch was distracting me. It felt like electricity was pulsing in my cheek.
"Your eyes, are as emerald as the emerald city." He chuckled, inches away from my face.
"Smooth Jack." I smirked.
"What can I say? That's just how I roll." Our lips brushed together cautiously. Adrenaline raced through me, I wrapped me arms around his neck and pulled Jack in eagerly. He smiled into the kiss.
For once, in these horrific months of death and decay, I had experienced something good.