Maybe

Chapter 18

I felt my life crumble to the ground when I heard the bang. After all of this, Ethan was just gone. I couldn't live knowing that he died for me.

"No! No!" I yelled sobbing

            I kept my eyes squeezed shut as I yanked as hard as I could at the rope that held my hands behind my back. I knelt over and cried into my knees, refusing to look at the boy that now most definitely lay lifeless in front of me. What killed me the most was I didn't even get to tell him that I loved him back before the man squeezed the trigger and ended the life of the one person I still cared about in this world.

            I could hear two men talking in the background, but I didn't care what they were discussing, all I wanted was Ethan back. I could feel someone messing with the knots behind my back, but I didn't move.

"Hurry, stand up." A man said

            I continued to sob into my knees, I still didn't move, I didn't care what these people did to me now.

"We have to hurry!" The man yelled

"No! No!" I sobbed

            I still didn't move

"Olivia! Open your eyes!" I heard someone yell as I felt someone cup my face with large hands

            I knew that voice, how did I know that voice? That voice is supposed to be dead.

            I carefully opened my tear filled eyes to see the boy, that was supposed to be laying lifeless, right in front of me. I was in shock, words completely left my mouth.

"Ethan?" I asked, out of breath from crying "Wh- How? I heard a gun go off."

            Ethan looked around the room and I followed his eyes. I found the man that had held a gun up to Ethan lying dead on the cellar floor. 

"What? How? How are you alive?" I asked Ethan with tears streaming down my face

            Ethan nodded to tell me to look behind me. I turned around and found a boy trying to untie the knots that held my hands behind my back. The boy looked exactly like... Ethan? I looked back at Ethan and he had a huge smile on his face. It was an understatement to say that I was confused. Before I had time to contemplate it too much, the boy had loosened my ties and I jumped up out of the wooden chair and into Ethan's arms.

"Ok this is cute, but if we want to survive, we have to go... now." The boy said

            He started running up the cellar ladder. Ethan grabbed my hand and started running after him. Who was this boy? And why did Ethan trust him so easily? I mean, he did just save both of our lives, but still.

            We climbed up as fast as we could and when we made it to the top, we crouched in the tall dead grass, making sure the coast was clear.

"Ok, just make it to the fence." The boy said

            Ethan and I nodded before we all started sprinting to the fence. When we were about halfway there, something sparked in my memory.

"Wait! The weapons! They're all in the barn!" I whispered to Ethan and the boy

"That barn?" The boy asked as he pointed behind us.

            I turned around to face the barn and my mouth dropped open as I took in the sight of it. The barn was up in flames. The lantern that I had dropped earlier probably started the fire. The yellow and orange fire lit up everything around it; it wouldn't be long before it travelled across the dead grass and into the farmhouse. I knew I had to get to the weapons before this happened. I also knew that Ethan would never agree to this, so without thinking twice, I started sprinting for the barn. I didn't stop when I got to the flames; I ran straight to the back of the barn and grabbed the ax that lay next to the safe. I started hitting the lock as hard as I could. I could feel the flames surrounding me, but I didn't stop until the lock broke off and I swung the safe doors open. I loaded myself down with as many guns and ammo as I could carry. I could feel flames tickling my back and legs as I stuffed the weapons in my shirt. After I had about 8 guns, I turned back around to the barn opening. The flames had completely taken over the entire entrance to the barn. I decided to just make a run for it. I didn't stop running until I made it back to Ethan and the boy. I handed them each guns and ammo and we all took off again towards the fence.

            I could hear yelling inside of the farmhouse. We made it to the fence just in time, before people started piling out of the house and towards the barn. When we made it off of the property, we all took a break to catch our breath.

"Are you ok?" Ethan asked

"Yeah, I'm fine." I lied

            I knew I had multiple burns, but nothing that could be taken care of at the moment.

"Ok, let's keep going. I know a place we can stay for the night a few miles from here." The boy said as he started to stand up again

"Wait." I said

            Ethan and the boy turned around to face me

"Who are you?" I asked the boy

"Who are you?" The boy asked

"I asked you first." I said acting like a second grader

"My name's Grayson." The boy said

            I looked at Ethan in shock.

"This is my brother." Ethan said