Silver Lining - The Host fanfiction

Chapter 93 The Soldier

I can't hate for long.

It isn't worth it.

-William Saroyan

Emma

I have to almost run to keep up with Arashi's long strides. He doesn't look back but makes for the entrance of the hide-out. He doesn't say a word either until we reach the trapdoor and then he reaches for his belt and removes an object. "Hold this," he says, "keep it with you at all times and don't hesitate to use it."

I look at the gun he handed me and hold it uncomfortably. I've never held a gun in my life and I don't want to now.

Arashi must have seen the helpless look on my face, because he sighs in annoyance and moves to stand behind me. He takes my arms and folds my hands around the weapon. His hands guide my fingers. "Safety off, safety on." He lifts my hands and holds them out. "Shoot at this height. Don't worry about the aim for now. Not getting caught is our first priority."

He lets go of me and stalks towards Rob who is on look out duty. They exchange a few words and Arashi impatiently waves me over. "We should be back tomorrow morning," Arashi says to Rob. Then he turns to me. "Stay close and do exactly as I say."

I can only nod. I'm slightly startled by the coldness in his voice. I haven't really interacted with him since I came here.

"Coast is clear," Rob says, "be careful." He pulls some sort of mechanism and I hear the grating of the trapdoor. Only now I notice the ladder in the corner. It wasn't here when I arrived. Or perhaps they only use it to get out.

Arashi doesn't respond and climbs the ladder. A few seconds later his head appears. "Come," he says.

I glance at Rob for a second before ascending the ladder. The second I'm through the opening, the trapdoor is closed and I hear that grating sound again.
They must be covering the entrance with something so it's hard to find.

For a moment I'm blinded by the brightness of the outside world. I've been locked up in the mines for so long that I almost forgot what it's like to be in the open.

Arashi doesn't give me much time to recover. He grabs my arm and pulls me with him towards a nearby rock formation.

We slide through a small opening and stand next to a vehicle. There's only one car. Burns' car isn't here. They must have hidden it somewhere else.

"Can you drive?" Arashi asks and when I nod he hands me a key. "I have to hang the camouflage back in place, so you need to drive the car out of here."

Wordlessly I climb behind the wheel and wait for Arashi to give the okay. Once I'm out of the hiding place, I wait for him. He opens the door on the driver's side and waves me over to the passenger seat. I obey without complaint and we drive off.

***

Arashi turns out to be a man of few words. The entire drive passes in silence, but I don't mind. I spend my time thinking about what to say to Rain and trying to keep the panic at bay. After the time underground, the world seems like a terrifying big place.

It's like there is danger around every turn. Strange what lock up can do to a person. I haven't felt like this when I was with Burns, even when I was in more danger then than I am now.

"You're not going to freak out, are you?"

Arashi's voice startles me after so many hours of silence. I turn my head to look at him. He has his eyes on the road and there is an annoyed expression on his face.