Left Behind -Gally-

Chapter 49

There were several more explosions surrounding them. Clouds of smoke began to fill the air. The ground shifted beneath her feet. "Come on!" It was unclear where they were going, but it didn't matter. They just needed a place to hide that was safe.

The explosions were now ahead, occurring in all directions. "Move!" Emma could barely see through the smoke and debris.

A blast occurred beside her. Brenda jerked back, stumbling into Emma. Luckily, the girl managed to catch them both before they hit the ground. "Come on!" They kept running, desperate to get away from the missiles being fired.

"This way!" Frypan shifted his path and ran into a passageway between buildings. "Come on! Let's go!"

"Let's go! Let's go! Let's go!" One by one, the group ran through the underpass. Emma entered with Brenda right as an explosion occurred nearby. The force knocked them against the wall but didn't hurt them.

"Come on," Thomas shouted at them, ensuring they stayed in front of him. That way, he could keep an eye on them.

There was shouting from the others ahead, causing panic to rush through Emma. The three ran to catch up with the others. However, they never had the chance. Thomas collided with one of the masked men.

"Get off of me," Newt hollered as they dragged him toward a van. The sight caused Emma's entire body to ignite with fear. They had Newt. They were taking him, Frypan, and Jorge.

"Newt," Emma screamed, trying to get to him. "Newt! Let go of him!" The masked man holding Thomas dragged him into a separate car. Another grabbed Brenda, who was panicking too much to fight back.

Suddenly, an arm wrapped around Emma's waist and lifted her into the air like she weighed nothing. "Hey, let go of me!" She was easily carried away, but she struggled as best she could. "Get your hands off of me!"

"Emma!" Newt cried as he was thrown into a vehicle. All he could do was watch as an unknown man tossed Emma into the same car as Thomas and Brenda. "Tommy!"

Emma crawled backward, pressing her body against the car's wall beside Brenda. "Brenda! Brenda!" Jorge's desperate cries were the last thing she heard before the door slammed shut. She flinched at the sound without meaning to.

The car jolted as it began driving. Emma stared ahead, trying to regain control of her breathing. A man was driving with another in the passenger seat. Three more were in the trunk with them. Masks covered their faces, making it impossible to see them. Each of them had large guns and other weapons holstered across their body.

Emma tried to remain calm, but inside, she was terrified. It was unclear what these people wanted from them. It could be anything. They had also been separated, and not knowing where her other friends were terrified her. The idea that something bad could happen to them made her feel sick.

The man in the middle, the biggest of the three, had his head angled. Where the other two were looking straight ahead, his was tilted toward her slightly. Just enough to be noticeable. Emma shifted uncomfortably, unsure why she had specifically captured his attention. He was the one that grabbed Thomas, not her. If anything, it should be the other man staring at her. When she was struggling in his grip, she believed she knocked her elbow into his chin but wasn't sure.

But he was the one in the crowd behind her and Newt. Did that mean something? Or was she making things up in her head?

Thomas glanced at Emma, noticing that the man was focusing on her specifically. It didn't take long for Brenda to notice, either. The short-haired girl carefully moved her hand, placing it over Emma's.

Emma tensed momentarily before relaxing entirely. She glanced at her friend, offering her an uneasy smile. Even in times of uncertainty, Brenda was always there.