The Pestilention

Chapter 19

We're all birds.

It took me a while to realize it. Something about what Mona had told me earlier, though, made it click in my mind. We all had wings. Most people were just too tied down to use them. Others were too scared to use them. And some just didn't know how to.

I didn't know which category I fell in. Was I too tied down to release gravity? Or was gravity refusing to release me? My head began to pound as all the unnecessary questions overtook my brain.

Mona gazed ahead silently. She had been like that ever since we had our talk. It was evident that she was just as uncomfortable talking about her family problems in front of the cameras as I was. What if our parents saw? It wasn't like I would be alive for them to send me an angry hologram about it, but Caden would not be off the hook for a while.

My friend stopped, staring ahead at the endless trail. Her cracked lips remained in a sharp line and her dull eyes stared tiredly ahead.

I hadn't truly observed the damage the course had done to her until then. Her neck was covered with an overwhelming amount of cuts, some fresh and some old. The bottom of her suit was torn to bits from the dogs and dried blood that she was too exhausted to wipe away covered any open skin.

It was like looking at a murder scene. Somehow, though, it only made Mona look stronger.

"What is it?" I asked.

Mona shook her head. "I swore I heard something."

I shrugged and continued walking. It was only when we reached a crumbled terrain when we stopped again.

The dry ground was cracked and any living grass was shriveled up. The sun seemed to be warmer, causing my face to burn. My need for water seemed to increase rapidly just by the sight.

"So, let's go," I told Mona once I realized that she had become frozen again. She raised her hand to stop me. I hesitated before taking a step back. Mona rested a knee on the green part while sliding her hand around the dry area. She picked up a small pebble and tossed it a couple of feet away from us.

"Mona, what—" I was interrupted by a slight groan. I looked around in an attempt to figure out where it was coming from. That's when I realized that it was coming from the floor.

The ground trembled before patches of it crumbled and caved, making deep holes in the surface. My eyes rounded. With a shaky breath, I began to walk across the floor slowly.

"Nice catch, Mona," I muttered.

Mona shrugged. "My dad taught me a few tricks."

I walked past the gaping holes, peeking down at them as I went by. They all went down miles and miles. I couldn't help but shudder at the thought of accidentally falling in one.

By the time I reached the final hole, I had taken another step onto the patched-enough land. My toes barely touched the floor before it fell from under me.

I gasped and jumped, falling square on my back. I skittered backward. I took a minute to catch my breath before standing up again. Mona grinned when she saw me.

"That would've been a nasty fall," she said.

I rolled my eyes. "Thanks, I didn't notice."

"Come on." Mona acted like she didn't hear my sarcastic comment. "Just stick with me. I think I've noticed a pattern."

I trailed slightly behind her, my shoes nearly kissing her heels. Mona's eyes were glued to the ground. She would pause before making a sharp right or left, sometimes catching me off guard. There were many times where I'd trip on cracks and another hole would nearly engulf me, but Mona was always there to pull me to safety.