Traveling Souls

Chapter 26

"Lucy!"

I jerk my head up, sending Killian a wave. "Diana?"

"Patrol time." she snapped, pointing towards two other people. A girl with a tattoo on her neck and a boy with shaggy hair waved me over to them.

I nodded obediently, casting a look towards Brinley.

She gave me a small smile, going back to sparring with some boy. "Come on, is that all you got, Leo?" she taunted him.

I smiled, waving back to the two. Even now, after a few days, I still don't know all the names of the people. I guess I'm just not that social

"Let's get going, I guess. Oh, I'm Marissa. This is Flynn." Marissa said quickly, taking off, Flynn trotting behind her.

I stared at the two before starting to move, hands in pockets nervously.

We walked, weaving through the trees. The ground crunched beneath us from the covering of old, crinkled leaves, making it seem louder than it actually was in the forest. Afraid to say anything or what I should be looking for, I stayed silent, trailing behind the two. Instead, I let my eyes wander over the trees, picking my way through the thorn bushes and hidden holes in the ground. I stiffen, hearing a familiar voice, or I thought I did.

"Marissa?" I whisper, trying to get her attention.

Marissa turned back to us, putting a finger to her lips and motioned to walk backwards.

Flynn and I obliged, stepping backwards slowly, trying not to cause the leaves the crunch under our feet too much. Marissa followed us in suit, her face pale of color.

I glanced behind me, begging myself not to trip.

Instead, Flynn did the honors of tripping and falling to the ground, giving away our location to whoever was pursuing us.

"Shit! Flynn, you dumbass!" Marissa hissed, grabbing his arm and started to drag him across the leafy floor.

Flynn yelped and stumbled, standing up and breaking into a run beside Marissa and I, trying to lose the noises coming even closer.

"Are those..dogs?" I gasp through each breath.

Marissa nods in response, eyes wide with fear. "We have to tell Diana and Brianna!" she exclaimed, grabbing our hands to propel us forwards.

The dogs and the shouting got louder with each step we took. Even with our running, we were no match for the dogs behind us. But then the dogs stopped making noise.

Flynn motioned us forwards, urging us to keep up our running. "Come on! We're almost out!"

Marissa and I nodded, almost tripping on the ground when we burst out of the woods.

"..People..dogs...police.." Marissa gasped, her face red with exhaustion.

Diana and Brianna gathered around us, peppering us with questions. Once they were answered, Flynn and Marissa were taken to get water, while Diana held me back for a minute.

"One moment, Lucy. Did you recognize the shouting if anything?" Diana questioned, eyeing me suspiciously.

I stared at her, shocked that she would accuse me of leading them to her and her camp. "What? I recognized it because my family's in the business--but--"

Diana sneered at me. "So you know people in the police. Lovely,"

"That doesn't mean anything! You need to leave! Run and leave us!" I urge, heart beating fast. I feel like the group could come crashing out of the woods at any moment. "Please, listen to me! Dian--"

Dog barks started to sound around the camp, causing people to eye at the woods nervously.

"What the hell?" Diana shouted, puckering her lips in anger.

I turn to look where she is, and my stomach almost causes me to let go of my lunch. Standing there, along with my mother, is Julian, looking smug as ever.

"Back! All of you, get into a circle!" Diana shouts, grabbing my arm to yank me to the circle that's forming.

"Well, what do we have here? A bunch of campers? My mother slyly remarks, clicking her tongue. "Go on, all of you--except for.." she paused, pointing at Killian, Brinley, Griffin, Dustin, and me. "Those kids."

I glance at Charlotte and Quinn, who are extremely conflicted, trail behind the group. I see them break off away from the line, not that anyone notices, taking off into the woods.

"Mrs. Howell, I found your daughter!" Julian shouts, pointing at me.

Lily looks at him proudly, giving him a genuine smile. "I know, I never stopped believing in you for a second. Please, Julian, take her away. Leave the rest. I'm not interested in any of them," she said sharply, giving Brinley a pointed look.

Brinley jumped at this, snarling at Julian when he took a step towards me. "Touch her buddy and you'll be on the ground and dead in five seconds."

I stare at my sister, touching her shoulder. "Brinley. Let me go." I swallow, my throat tight with fear.

She looked back at me, tears in her eyes. "I'm not letting Lily separate us again. She'll have to kill me first to get to you," she told me fiercely, giving me a smile.

Lily stared at both of us, a small smile on her face. "Well, Brinley, if you insist.."

I turn to look at my mother, my face going pale. "Brinley!" I scream, trying to shove her out of the way.

Brinley turned to look at me again as her face turned pale, the gunshot ringing in my ears.

"No--no no no no!" I scream, watching her slide to the ground, tears blurring my vision. I press my hand to her stomach, sniffing. "Brinley--you dumb--" I heave, being yanked away from her and pushed to the ground. Blood bubbled through her shirt and ran down her shirt, her head turned towards me as she smiled towards me, though her eyes looked distant and above me.

"Let me go!" I screech, kicking and screaming, tears trailing down my cheek. "You--you bitch!" I scream. "You shot my sister--my sister! How could you! She--" I choke on my spit, coughing as my hands were pulled behind my back. My hair was in my face, but from what I could tell, she wasn't moving. I stare at the ground beside her, at Talon's beanie next to her, at her shirt stained black and red from her blood.

She wasn't breathing. She wasn't moving.

No one moved except for Lily and Julian, who took me by my shoulders and dragged me to the van.

I continued to scream until my throat was raw, kicking at their feet, trying to wrench my shoulders away from their iron grips. "Get away from me! You both--you both are monsters!" I tried to shout, except it only came out as a whisper.

When they opened the van, I didn't reply to the threats they gave to me if I didn't move. I didn't feel like breathing. I should've been shot. The threw me into the van and I didn't make a sound, my mouth clamped shut, hands still shaking.

And in the safe embrace of darkness, on the cold van floor, I cried for everyone I've lost.   

A/N: Surprise. Did you enjoy it? Aha, my poor child Lucy. Honestly, I was tossing back and forth what was going to happen to this scene forever. I wasn't sure if I wanted Lucy to get shot, Lily to get shot, Brinley to get shot, you know. The works. 

Next updating period is Saturday, December 26th