BORROWED [Watty Awards Finalist/NEWLY EDITED!]

Chapter Twenty

 |This is War|

I've always thought about how I would die. Now with the Borrowers closing in on the camp, I try to envision the way I might die, if I can even die from a wound fatal to any normal human being. I quickly push this thought away, watching everyone who is capable of fighting back scatter to obtain their rifles. The elderly and children are ushered to the east of camp, abandoning everything they've come to know as home.

Chase is in the distance, pushing through the frantic crowd. Heading straight for me, his face is strewn with worry, making him appear older than eighteen. He pushes me along with him back inside the tent with Kyler.

"Irissa, you need to leave with the others," he says, breathing hard. I look over at Kyler, who stares at us warily.

"No, I'm not leaving. This is my fight too!" I push past Chase, and stand near Kyler protectively.

Chase looks back and forth between the two of us and says, "You will stay because of that?" He points to Kyler.

I nod. "I will stay because of him. I'm staying because of you and Finn, too." The mentioning of Finn makes my heart race. I can't remain mad at him that easily.

Chase shakes his head, pacing the tent. "We have maybe five minutes, probably less, to make a decision here," he says. "Take a weapon and get out of here!"

"You have to help me get him loose first," I plead. "Chase, I think you owe me that much."

He grumbles. "Fine, I hate when you're right." Chase pulls out a pocket knife and kneels down behind Kyler. With a few fast strokes, he begins to cut into the thick rope.

Gunfire ignites the camp, screams follow shortly after. I look back over at Chase fumbling with the restraints. Kyler is more alert now, frantically trying to peek over his shoulder.

"Just leave me!" he says. "You're both idiots for trying to cut me loose!"

Chase yanks down on the rope. "I would leave you, but my little sister seems to think you're worth saving."

Kyler stares at me apologetically. "I was," he says, pausing, "before I became a Borrower."

I mouth silently to him, "You still are." He nods, attempting a smile, but the cut on his upper lip stops him from doing so.

Chase finally cuts the ropes free. I run over to them, helping Kyler to his feet. He staggers for a moment, and then sets off toward the front of the tent.

"What are you doing?" I say.

He looks back. "Getting us guns."

"Good idea," Chase says, swinging his rifle over his shoulder. "I don't want you empty handed." He stares at me, and lunges forward, pulling me into a tight hug.

Chase has never hugged me before.

"Okay, I can't breathe!" I push him back. He pats the top of my head, and heads out of the tent with Kyler. Before he goes, he says, "Stay here."

"I can't –"

He yells, "Stop being stubborn. Just this one time! Please?"

I surrender, nodding to him that I will listen. They both disappear out of sight, somewhere in the midst of the gunfire. I'm pacing, unable to control the adrenaline scorching through my body. How long will they expect me to stay in this tent?

More screams echo through the camp, jolting me. I can't stay here any longer, I have to help. Running outside, I find it hard to see without a bonfire lit nearby. The solar lights stuck into the ground expose the path. Up ahead, I see Ivy running toward me, an extra rifle in her hand.