Unfamiliar Self [Book Three]

Chapter Twenty-Four | No-One Left Behind

The building had to be halfway burned down. By the time Stallion and I made it outside, it was mostly obscured by black smoke.

I was expecting even more people with guns and flashing cars, but it was just the two of us.

Well, us and a score of fresh bodies.

Men and women with twisted necks and broken limbs littered the ground around us. Their cars still cluttered the road, now empty and silent. Further beyond, I could see more and more bodies scattered across roads and sidewalks. I couldn't see a single living thing besides my friend and I.

Had Fawn done this? Did she do it without Mr. Copper somehow knowing? If he had been against the burning down of a town, no way would he have condoned this.

"Ah, there you are."

John's shadow rose up from one of the many shadows of bodies. It's head glanced up at the burning building. "I see you've been busy as well, Foxy."

The way he said those words sent a chill up my spine. I looked again at the corpses of the people, then back at the shadow who appeared all but unbothered by the massacre. "What are you doing here?"

"The witch is not far. She can answer any of your questions." The shadow waved us over as it turned and walked down a sidewalk. He walked effortlessly through the mangled bodies, more like a ghost than a shadow. "Follow me."

Stallion followed without a word, his legs apparently much stronger now. He didn't get far before turning his head back around at me.

"Foxy? Is something—?"

"Did you see where Lilly and Tusk went?" I asked the shadow.

"I do not know any Lilly, but the boar left the building shortly before you and there was a young girl riding him. They should both be with the witch now."

I nodded. Lilly's 'bandages' still held tight around my body. As long as they were there, then so was she.

I followed after Stallion and the shadow. But after a few blocks I was forced to clamber aboard my friend so we could keep pace. Though my body was slowly healing, I couldn't do much better than a pathetic hobble. It was shameful having to admit to continue needing help but I was literally falling apart not but a few minutes ago. It was really just a miracle I was even still alive.

"This is way overboard," Stallion muttered darkly. "Even for Fawn."

I didn't have to ask what he was referring to. Part of what kept John's shadow far ahead of us was Stallion having to tiptoe over and around bodies and debris. I thought I was pretty numbed to the whole thing, but even I had to look away when I saw the smaller bodies. My friend, unfortunately, couldn't afford such a luxury if he wanted to keep his hooves untarnished.

"You know what? Forget giving her a chance. Familiar or not, if she's going along with all this, then she's not even close to being one of us."

I grunted in response. I honestly couldn't even remember anymore how either of us used to feel on the matter, but now we were on the same page. She was in the way of our freedom. We gave her a chance to join us, but she chose to work against us instead.

"We could run now," Stallion suggested. "Convince the Mother and her new followers to just leave. We can go anywhere we want. With all of us together, even Wildwood can't stop us."