A World Apart

Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

Stella

At some point we've started to lag behind. The shrieks that once had to echo down the tunnels to reach us now sound as if they're right at our feet. Every step that our heels dig into the ballast is met with an injection of burning fatigue. Each lift of the leg more strenuous than the one before. But not theirs. Their legs never ache, never tire. Do they even have a reserve of energy to expel? Or is their supply on tap and unlimited.

It must be, because the longer we run, the closer they get. I don't risk looking back, don't want to see what little distance there is that separates us. The light at the end of the tunnel has already come and gone. Only more tracks succeeded it. Now we're out in the open, nothing but a chain-link fence separating us and the swarm that's enveloping the city.

I try not to look at them, sweeping through the streets, but it's impossible not to notice them, clustering in the corner of my eye like a swarm of ants. The city skyline on either side of us almost looks peaceful, completely undisturbed by the swarm ripping up its roots. It's only a matter of time before their parade reach the tracks, party their way through the fence to reach their refreshments. Will we reach the station before then?

There's no telling how far away it is. I preferred running in the tunnels. Beneath the sun the heat makes every second feel like an eternity. We're already drenched in sweat, so much that it's probably weighing down our clothes. Maisie has started to slow down, Joey a few steps ahead having to tug her along to keep her in pace.

I can feel myself slowing down, too, exhaustion threatening to overtake me completely. I'm running out of energy, don't even want to waste what little I have left pressing down a button to speak to Ava. But I have to know if she's alive, if what we're running for even exists.

"Ava?" The word comes out so jostled its barely intelligible. "Ava are you there?"

Gale's in the lead, but he throws a look back at the sound of my voice, exertion skewing his face in a painful twist. He looks like he might drop at any moment. An unbearable length of time stretches out before the radio finally blasts back with static.

"We can see you! Just keep running until you get to the overpass!"

I can barely make out what she's said, every second word is lost with how frantic I'm holding the radio. But it's enough to understand the directive, to see the overpass up ahead and realize our goal is in sight. She must be in a car, I'm sure I heard the roar of an engine, but it could have just been me gasping for air. But I can't see her. The streets on either side of us are empty, of infected and cars. Wherever she is I hope she's close because we're almost at the overpass.

Gale almost shoots passed it before I work up the effort to call him back. He's conflicted on stopping, continuing to walk backwards even as he's turned around to face me. I come to a stop and hold my arm out to make sure Joey and Maisie do the same, then I'm looking anywhere and everywhere for a sign of Ava. When I can't find one, I'm looking back at the infected racing along the tracks.

There's a bigger span between us than I thought, but I estimate a minute or two until they close it. My legs are itching to run again, to maintain our head-start, when Ava's voice can be heard, but not from the radio.

"Down here!"

I look down from the overpass. A rusty pick-up truck sits on the road cutting beneath the tracks. Windows broken and body covered in bloody smears and handprints. It's a considerable height down, but not a fatal one. Does she expect us to jump?

Ava's head is sticking out the window, and she tells us to do exactly that. My eyes are tracing along the track, searching for a hill that slopes down to the road, but there's nothing. The only option available is to climb down as far as possible and jump from there. A decision I don't have time to debate, but Gale certainly does.