When All is Lost

Chapter 60

I nodded. "Stay safe. If it looks too risky, then leave it. Okay?"

"We can handle it," Ray cut in. "We'll see you soon."

He already began marching in the direction I'd given him, needing no other encouragement. Prisha, on the other hand, took a moment to smile at me. "I'm glad you're okay," she said quietly, almost privately.

"Thank you for being okay, too," I answered earnestly.

She gave me a smile that lit up her dark eyes before she turned on her heel and chased after Ray. They were moving to head through a neighborhood and we only had to pass two more houses before we'd be forced to turn right.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Anton turn his head to watch the pair leave. Something about his stance had shifted and it set off alarm bells in my head.

"What is it?" I asked, drawing his attention back to me. Once again, I could see he was battling with himself.

He took in a harsh breath before answering. "They'll be caught."

I lost the air in my lungs. "What? How? But –"

"I can help." His eyes bore into mine. "Let me help."

Taken aback, I tried to get a read on Anton's thoughts. I knew he had to have been considering turning against his group. His willingness to help me showed me that much.

But can I trust him?

"They're moving!" Neveah suddenly shouted.

The Judge's group hadn't waited. They'd scattered, darting in different directions before we even had the chance to even take the corner. Neveah fired off two shots, making my ears ring, but it did nothing except waste bullets.

"We need to run," Ian said, already putting a hand on my lower back to get me moving.

I turned back to Anton. He'd kept pace with me, waiting for my answer.

"Tell me I can trust you." It was a hollow demand. Nothing he said would satisfy my doubts.

Anton's gaze held mine and for the first time, I felt like I was getting a glimpse at the real him. "They killed my sister. They won't kill your friends."

"We have to go!" One of the six yelled, almost begging.

I felt the urgency to my bones. Every second wasted was putting us all in more danger. Balling my hands into fists, I dug my nails into my palms. "Keep them safe. Please."

Anton gave me a single nod before he took off, sprinting after Ray and Prisha. I watched them go even as I picked up my own pace to go in a different direction.

Please.

Please let them all be safe.

"Zombies ahead," Carlos snapped. He worked his jaw in frustration as he tried to aim his gun at the trio heading to cut us off.

"Don't," the man with his arm in a sling said, breaking away from the rest of the six. His face was pinched in discomfort as we ran, but he had clearly been keeping a careful watch on all of us. "We need to stay low and get the zombies to go for the other group."

He's right.

I stated as much to Carlos, who unhappily lowered his rifle. We managed to skirt around the zombies, barely staying out of their grasps as they lunged for us.

Ian ran ahead to take the lead and guide us. I pushed myself to match his pace, though it made hot bile rise up in my throat. I watched Ian for a moment after I finally caught up and saw that his expression was grim and determined. He was going to get us to safety.

"Jamie? Ollie? Carter?" I asked between heaving breaths.

"They're safe," Ian stated confidently. "They're going to be waiting for us at the edge of town."

"You're sure?" He wouldn't have had the time to help get them there and come for me. It meant that they had to have ventured there on their own.

Ian smirked. "At some point, you're going to have to start trusting us. They're more capable than you think. They're safe."

"It's not that I don't..." The bile turned into real vomit and I managed to come to a halt just in time before I retched all down my front.

I heaved and spat into the snow. Almost nothing came up but sour, clear liquid. Ian came to a stop with me but I wave him off. "Keep." I gagged again. "Keep going!"

Ian let out a long string of curses but he did as I asked. He knew we couldn't stop for anything. The group needed him to guide them. My stomach heaved again and my eyes blurred with hot tears as I tried to breathe through it.

A hand came down on my back and began to pat it. "Let it out. Let it all out," Carlos said in a soothing voice. He'd waited for me.

Wiping my mouth with the back of my hand, I straightened myself back up. My whole body was shaking as I did. Carlos stood by patiently as if hell wasn't right at our heels.

"How bad is it?" he asked, clearly knowing more was wrong with me than a simple sick stomach.

I didn't know exactly what was wrong, but the pain that radiated out from where I'd been stabbed was so intense that I felt it in the tips of my fingers. It was getting worse but there was nothing I could do about it except to keep going.

"I can handle it." I smiled through my grimace.

Carlos gave me a single nod. "Then let's go."

"Works for me." I just need to push for this one last stretch. One last run. Only a little more left and we'd be free.