Instinct {Book 1 in Instinct}

Chapter Three

Chapter Three
The walk started out very quiet. Milo started a few steps ahead of us while I stayed a few steps ahead of Damian and Lenna. I wasn’t ready to explain myself to anyone. I don’t know if it was the shock of everything, or if I was just angry. I had reasons for both. My father was gone and I was extremely close to him. He understood what emotions I had towards everything that had happened.
~~~~~
10 years ago
“Daddy I’m scared.” I muttered to my dad as he tucked me in.
“Everything will be okay sweetheart.” He promised as he kissed my forehead.
“But what if it’s not? What they did was horrible.” I whined as tears began to fall.
“Listen, you will be okay I promise. What you saw wasn’t the best but it was something that you were bound to see. Allonia you’re young and this will be something you remember whether it is for the best or not it will feed whatever you are set to do. What you do with that is up to you.” he told me as he held me for a bit.
“But what if I can’t help?”
“You will babygirl, don't worry. Now go to sleep, I love you goodnight.” He told me as he kissed my forehead and left my room.
“I love you too dad.”
~~~~~
“So how long is this going to take?” I asked Milo, picking up my pace so that I was in step with him. He barely looked at me and just raised an eyebrow. “How long will it take for us to get to your camp?”
“A week if we are lucky, maybe closer to two.” He responded.
“Why that long?” I asked.
“We have to see my leader and she is a ways out.” He somewhat explained.
“Could you go a little more in depth? If you don’t mind.” I say sarcastically.
“You are a bit rude for someone who needs my help, you know that right?” He said. I could hear the smirk in his voice. He found me amusing, great.
“I need your leader and you are the only one who is willing to help. Even if Tamia made you do it.”
“She didn’t force me.” He mumbled.
“She just slightly nudged you?” I said, amusement evident in my voice.
“Hey guys I hate to break this up but I heard noises.” Lenna told us. This made Milo go into full alert mode and ushering for us to hide. We hid behind some trees and a few wild bushes. Damian looked scared shittless, well of course he was; he has never been outside of the confines of the town.
“We shouldn’t be here. We have strict orders.” A timid voice stated.
“And the orders said keep an eye on the people in town and make sure they stay where they are supposed to be. I saw a few kids come out here.” Another voice stated.
“So what? They can get killed by those crazy foresters.” The timid voice responded. As soon as they brought up the foresters I saw Milo tense up. I’m assuming from anger but also he seemed like he was slightly upset from that statement.
    “Shhh. I heard them come this way.” the other one stated as their voices came closer. Milo was ready to jump and attack but I grabbed him, picking up a rock and throwing it away from us. The officers followed the noise as I grabbed his arm and motioned for everyone to start moving quickly but quietly. When we got far enough away we started back at our normal pace. 
   “Thank you.” Milo stated and kept walking. After another hour or so of waiting Milo brought us to a small building that was heavily hidden. We probably would have missed it otherwise but then again that is probably the point.
   “This is one of the few places we have that has running water and clothing to stop at. You guys can do what you need but keep the lights off. There are candles you can light or small flashlights. We are staying here for the rest of the night.” Milo told us as he put his bag down and went into the small kitchen.
Everyone else went to find clothes and where they would sleep. While I walked into the kitchen to find something to eat. I started going through the pantry and cabinets until I found a box of strawberry poptarts. I smiled happily because these are my favorite and went to grab one when Milo stopped me.
    “I wouldn’t eat that.” He told me as he ate a granola bar.
    “Why not?” I asked skeptically.
    “Look at the expiration date.” When he said that I did look and it said 03/13/2025.
    “Seriously?” I groaned. “Why is this even here then? This is, false advertisement.” All he did was laugh and tossed me a granola bar. “How long have you been doing all of this?” I finally asked to break the silence.
    “Elaborate what this is.”
    “How long have you been a part of the foresters?” When the words foresters came out of my mouth he made a face. “I am sorry I just don’t know what you would call yourself.”
    “Foresters, puts a bad taste in my mouth. It gives us this negative connotation. Like we aren’t people. We just don’t believe in the way the government is ruling over everyone. All we want to do is honestly help.” He stated, slightly upset.
    “So since everything has happened?” I asked
    “You could say that.” He shrugged, grabbing a bottle of water. “We should all go to bed. We need to be up early to continue moving.” Before I could respond he walked away.
~~~~
4 years ago
“HAPPY BIRTHDAY!” My family yelled waking me up. I yawned and slowly sat up. Today was my 16th birthday meaning we have been stuck like this for almost 6 years.
“You’re finally 16.” Alondra smiled as she jumped on my bed.
“It’s just another day but thank you.” I gave them a weak smile as I groggily got out of bed.
“Come on Lonia, open up your gift.”Ancel smiled as he handed me the small box. I opened it to find a necklace with the letter A on it.
“Thank you guys.” I smiled at my family. I understood this had to be a lot.
“You’re welcome baby girl.” My dad smiled at me and hugged me.
“Hurry down to breakfast. I made your favorite.” My mom said as she and my family walked out of the room.
~~~~~
The following morning we were back to walking into the abyss that is the forest. Everyone stayed silent minus Damian’s complaining every few minutes.
“How much longer?” Damian whines.
“An hour.” Lenna stated annoyed.
“REALLY?!” Damian asked excitedly, as if he was a little school girl.
“No. We have a whole week now shut up or turn back.” I rolled my eyes.
“You guys shouldn’t have let me come.” Damian muttered.
“We didn’t, I told you to go home. But no, you had to come along.” I snapped glaring at him. “Now please. Shut. The. Hell. Up.”
Damian shut up after that and we continued to walk. Walking for hours, upon hours, to the point where I almost began to complain like Damian. ALMOST.  Luckily though, Milo slowed us down by a lake.
“We are going to rest here for a little bit because some people aren’t used to walking.” Milo jokes, as both Lenna and I glared at Damian who just put his hands up in defense.
“See now we are going to take longer.” Lenna complained pushing Damian over making him fall as he laughed with her.
“Not my fault that I have feminine legs and they get tired easily.” Damian jokes saying it in a feminine voice, running away as Lenna chases him with pebbles in her hand. Milo and I stayed back laughing as they both ran around laughing and tossing pebbles.
“Your friends are a cute couple.” Milo chuckles as he sits down next to the lake.
“They aren’t together. Well at least not that I know of.” I shrugged. I began to take off my shows and rolled up the sweats I changed into and dipped my feet into the lake.
“What’s your brother like?” He asked.
“Which one?” I asked with a smirk on my face.
“Both I guess.” He shrugged and chuckled to himself.
“Andreus is 23 and Ancel is 13. Ancel is very calm whereas Andreus is very wild. Alondra, his twin, is very motherly and holds us all together.”
“Big family.”
“Yeah.” I say as a silence runs over us. But it was a peaceful silence.
      The forest has a way of doing that to you. It’s as if time freezes and things aren’t a whole mess. No brothers and sisters are being taken away. No parents or families being murdered or torn apart. I am here on my own will not because my brother was taken.
     “I hate what this would has come to” I state openly.
     “We all do.” Milo responds.
     “How though, you don’t live under their control?” I asked honestly. I don’t get how he can hate this so much yet he doesn’t have to be at the front lines of it all.
     “Just because I don’t see it everyday doesn’t mean I don’t know. If my people leave the Woods it means war, and all of my people could die. There have been times people have left and never came back. Whether they are dead or not is beyond me.”
     “I’m sorry. I didn’t know.” I said, feeling horrible.
     “It’s fine. We don’t know much about each other's people.” He just shrugs it off.
     “Hey we need to go now.” Lenna said hastily, grabbing the bags.
     “What’s wrong?” Milo asked, on high alert.
     “Officers are close by.” Damian said as we grabbed our things and took off running.
     “HEY!!!” One yelled.
     “STOP OR WE SHOOT!” Another yelled, making us sprint faster. We continued running as fast as we could. Then all we heard were gunshots.
     “Keep moving don’t stop.” Milo told us as he grabbed my hand and we all sped up.
     “You can’t run forever!” They yelled as they continued to run and shoot at us.
     “AHH!” I heard a male schriek but we continued to sprint until we saw a waterfall.
     “We need to jump.” Milo told us.
     “Are you crazy?” I asked.
     “I have no better ideas. Just go!” Damian yelled as we all jumped off the cliff and down the waterfall. The officers continued to shoot their guns down at us as we fell yet they weren’t willing to come down with us. Luckily none of us hit anything when we reached the running water and we all swam to land.
     “Is everyone alright?” Milo coughed as did the rest of us.
     “Yeah.” Lenna and I responded.
     “I was shot.” Damian told us.