Replaceable Timelines: Book 1. [COMPLETED]

Chapter 24: Final Chapter

Right now, on hand, we have 2 rifles, 1 knife, 1 pistol. Extra bullets for the rifle but no pistol bullets, Jason still has his pistol. He held onto it. There is some food, a few other supplies Jason brought with him on Friday...

You know, I've been following along with what everyone's been telling me for so long.

I followed along with Austin to classes on my first day, I followed him to the party and got beat up by that dude Sarah was with, I follow along with my friends' actions. I followed Austin when we became addicts, I listened to Sarah in the past and doted on her every emotion. I follow Emma's advances, I followed along with Mr. Radek's plans, and we nearly died.

I want to make my own path and stop being at the mercy of others.

I think I have an idea of what to do, I don't care how risky it is. I don't even care if I die.

Alone, in this dark forest, I'd rather die than continue following others.

Of course, I'm scared. The light flickering from the fire and the surrounding trees and the tide's ebb and flow is all I can see and hear, and Mr. Radek's sullen expression.

When I wake up tomorrow, I want to be me. Living vicariously, strung along by the whims of others is something I no longer want to do.

Let's tell Mr. Radek the plan, and ask if he'll sleep for the time being.

They won't attack immediately, I've surmised that already.

We'll need our strength; my body is young and capable. Jason isn't exactly a rattled cage of bones, but he's still much older than I am. He makes jokes about being old, but I can't ignore that he is, and we'll need to be able to move about as much as possible.

He doesn't agree with it completely, but it's better than running. They'll know where we are, but what's more important, is that I'll know where they are, too.

Giving up, running, and being afraid, all these things make me human.

But I'm done running, our backs are between a rock and a hard place.

We prepare everything during about a 20-30-minute timeframe, give or take. And Mr. Radek has gone to sleep. I told him to give me his smokes, and that I'll save 2 for the both of us for the car ride home.

Now I'm alone.

Alone to think.

I keep the fire alive, watching it dance and turn in silence, besides the chainsaw of a mouth, Jason has when he snores.

The wind at my back is cold, the pistol at my side is heavy with the burden I'll soon be carrying.

It's late in the day, the forest is somber and isolated from all animal life. Mostly, all animal life.

A lone fox had made its way to the fire, curious by the heat, and sat across from me, before leaving on its way.

The plan, the action we'll need to pull it off...

They shouldn't have had enough time to make more bombs, but if they do, there's a secondary phase of the plan we'll need to commit to.

multiple plans, depending on how they approach us.

The forest is dense and thick, and they'll need to traverse it in order to find us. That'll give me more than enough time to wake up Jason. And if they don't come, we'll have time to leave in the morning.

But they'll come.

The grin Spencer had when I'd last seen him in the classroom tells me everything I need to know.