Reaper Kissed

20. Captive

Chloe looked down at the sprawling slopes of Gomorrah.

"Christ it's gotten bigger." She muttered under her breath. The city was teeming with people, it had walls now – not just around the perimeter but gating the city off into segments. They saw proper buildings with tiled roofs and washing hanging from the windows, not just people living in ruins. The people of Solemn cheered, crying and hugging each other.

"We've made it!" They celebrated. Civilisation, safety – the promised land...

They'd been traveling at a snail's pace, vulnerable to attack and running low on food. The weakest hadn't made it and six had died on the journey – five they'd buried. One they hadn't. Somewhere out there, the warlock Pan had been dumped in a ditch, to rot and feed the birds.

Little Mason buried his face in the crook of Chloe's neck, startled by the noise and she held him closer.

"So that's Gomorrah, huh." Roxanne commented, standing at her side. They were the only two not happy. Chloe looked over her shoulder back at the convoy. She knew that they were keeping Ryder in the larger jeep – she knew but she hadn't been able to see him. The soldiers had kept him hidden and sedated.

Roxanne released a shaky breath. Chloe met her gaze and blinked back tears of her own. Re-adjusting her hold on Mason, she reached out and held Roxanne's hands. The girls were tanned and burnt now, with blisters and bites across their arms and legs. Roxanne's forehead was peeling badly, the flesh burnt raw and her lips were dry and cracked. Chloe's eye was puffed up with a dark bruise and blood had crusted and dried in her filthy clothing.

"Get moving." A man shouted at them, smacking Chloe across the back with a stick. She gasped in pain, instinctively putting up a hand to shield Mason's head. Roxanne quickly starting walking, her hands covering her baby girl. Roxanne had carried baby Mabel in a makeshift sling across her body throughout the long march.The child's stone skin seemed untroubled by the baking sunshine. Chloe started walking, not looking around to see who had hit her. She held her chin high, sweat shining on her brow.

         In the haze of hot air meeting the dry soil, they made out medic vehicles headed in their direction. Rylan called Roxanne and Chloe to a halt.

"Put down the child." He directed Chloe. She glared at him. His gaze was averted – unable to look her in the eye.

"Rylan-"

"Put him down." He barked roughly. Chloe complied, setting Mason gently on the ground but putting him behind her so that she stood protectively between him and Rylan.

"Rylan, we were friends once. Weren't we?"

"Hands together."

"You're going to tie me to the car again?!" Chloe's temper snapped. "I'm not a bloody slave for you to parade in triumph."

He grabbed her wrists, restraining them with one hand as he roughly tied them with the other.

"No, you're a traitor."

A tear slid down her dirty face.

"They'll kill me, they'll kill me if you tell them that. Are you ok with that?" Her gaze was pleading. Rylan finally looked her in the eye and his glare was cold.

"I tell them that, that I've caught all these traitors. And I'll get a promotion."

She spat at him.