•𝑶𝑻𝑯𝑬𝑹𝑺𝑰𝑫𝑬•【√】

⇞CHAPTER 18⇟

We don't have much time before the sun comes up. The edge of the sky is tinged a deep blue instead of utter black. Junsoo keeps having to double back to run with me. At least I'm doing better now we're on the empty streets of town. The woods were rough. Not that we were in the woods for long before we made it to the road.

I hate the woods. Yes, Daegu is beautiful. Yes, nature is a great big flipping miracle. That's all well and good until you're running barefoot and bleeding through the trees and bushes of the deep South. Kudzu's a bitch. Stupid vine draping itself over absolutely everything. The trees, the bushes, the ground. It softens the look of ditches, masks holes and rocks. It gets all tangled around a person's ankles and generally makes a misery out of everything. Worse than the kudzu is the damned sweet gum trees. Okay, it's not the trees specifically, it is the spiky little horrors that fall from them. It's hard to keep track of where you're putting your feet while avoiding the low-hanging
moss, that crap is always full of fire ants.

I'm just ready to get home. We've been running flat out for what seems like a really long time. The sky is a parade of pinks and blues, and the sun is peaking halfway on the horizon.

"Sunrise," Junsoo wheezes. I'm wheezing. God, fear is an excellent motivator. I've never run this far in my life. I'm bad with distances, but I know we've been going for miles.

"Isn't that when..." Let me find my breath, I'm hacking and coughing. Shit, I need to quit smoking.

"Shift change," He puts his hands on his knees. The poor kid is exhausted. He glances at my bare feet and stares. I don't have to look to know it's bad. The woods were rough and I've been leaving bloody footprints since we reached town. The only thing keeping me upright at this point is stubbornness.

"Almost there," I pat his shoulder to get his attention off my injuries and take off again. I'm scared to telegraph. I don't want to give away our position. As long as nobody checked in early, the Unit should just now be realizing we're gone. But they have cars.

We round a corner, this is the street. The sun is stubbornly climbing, and we're not quite there yet. Junsoo has slowed his pace, matching my limping run. Two more blocks. I can see the roof of the firehouse rising above the squat, abandoned stores next to it. There's the rattling of an engine behind us. Seriously?

"Go!" I shout, pushing Junsoo forward. He doesn't need to get caught just because I'm a gimp. The look on his face says very plainly that he's not going anywhere. He grabs my elbow, pulling me to run faster.

We're not going to make it. A busted white monstrosity of a vehicle careens around the corner behind us. I stop running.

"Hide!" I gasp at Junsoo. There's a stitch in my side, and my entire body is twitching as pain radiates up my legs. He looks like he wants to argue, "Now!" He ducks around behind the closest building as the van spins to a stop, blocking the path to the firehouse.

I'm done screwing around with these people. This ends now. My happy place is a block away, and I'll be damned if they keep me from it. There are six of them piling out, knives drawn, but I am safe. Static. I am safe. The hairs on the back of my neck prickle. I am safe. Blue light jumps off my skin and surrounds me.

"You can't hold that," One of them laughs at me, his face distorted by my shield.

"I know," I throw them a wicked smile and let go, "Nifty, idn't it?" I side-step their inert forms. I should feel bad, but I don't. They might live.