The End of Her World

Chapter Fifteen

Katrina narrowed her eyes as the sun crept out from it's hiding place from behind mountains, shining light into the azure vaults of the sky.

Teague was quiet besides her, his face relaxed and composed, princely in the golden light soaking his features. The same light softened the sharp lines of his face, erased the dark circles under his eyes, and his mouth was a gentle curve along his face, unlike the dark slash it usually was.

Sarah rolled over, and rose up, her eyes focusing slowly, like a fish surfacing from layers of sleep.

"Why do we trust him?" she asked, in a light, lilting tone.

Katrina hestitated. "Because I love him."

Sarah tilted her head quizzically. "Okay," she agreed. "But we have to go. And I'm hungry."

Katrina nodded. She leaned forward, and planted a kiss on Sarah's forehead.

"Teague, wake up." she laid a hand on his shoulder. Teague jerked awake, flailing desperately, gasping, his brow covered by a sheen of sweat.

"It's okay, Teague."

"Don't call me that."

"What should I call you then?" anger flared in Katrina.

"Fade. My name is Fade, from now on." Fade paused to take a breath, attempting to cool the rage inside him. "My mother named me Teague, and she's a violent, bloodthirsty person. I will not bear the name of her anymore." Fade elaborated.

Katrina stayed silent.

The roaring of a chopper engine drowned her words. They didn't seem to move quickly, but they did. Fade rolled over, drawing the handgun from his thigh and knelt, his gun aimed to the sky. Katrina had flipped a rifle off her shoulder and pushed Sarah back.

The snow whirled in a mill and tornado of white, as the chopper landed. From the distance, four men ran from the facility. A finger of smoke traced up into the gray smudged sky. The center was on fire.

As the soldiers came closer, Katrina saw that one of them holding a body on his shoulders. He was the only without a helmet. He leaped up onto the chopper, laid the dead man down.

Katrina stared intently at the man. Close cropped black hair, a slight beard, dark eyes. There was no mistaking it. This was her father!

Katrina jumped forward half a second before Sarah did. "Dad!"