Take Me Tomorrow

Chapter 33: Shoot Them

"I'm right here." He shook her hand as if to prove his presence. "We're getting out of here."

She embraced Noah once more, then stepped away, squared her shoulders, and focused behind us. "Who's that?"

"We have to keep moving," Miles shouted, waving his arms frantically. Lily ran beside him, and they gestured for us to follow.

Rinley followed the twins, running behind until she passed them. "Stay with Miles," Noah shouted, sprinting after her as if she would get left behind again. I ran with Noah, closing in on all of them, and then, we flew over the ground together, synchronized to the same plan. Get Noah and Rinley out. That was the only thing that mattered. How had it come to this?

"Dogs," Lily shouted.

I looked back to see two giant dogs closing in.

"Got it." Miles dropped his backpack, and his belongings splattered the ground. Bottles of pills rolled out. Tomo. Miles had been carrying the drugs all along, and the dogs tore the backpack apart as we continued to run.

We neared the tracks, curving into oblivion, and hopped over them to run on the outside of the metal rods. Lily tripped. Noah picked her up without hesitation. They stumbled together as flashlights scattered the area, shouts coming from every direction. The ground shook from an explosion or gunshots, or people running, or something else entirely, but it wasn't good. We knew that much.

"What was that?" Miles shouted. Lily grabbed onto him as another explosion erupted.

Dirt filled my mouth, and I rolled around on the ground, unsure of how I ended up there. I tasted blood. The tracks shook beneath me. Lights shone through the clouds of dirt, and my throat constricted. I half-expected a train to run me over as Rinley crawled to my side.

"You okay?" she asked, ignoring the lights.

The lights were officers, not a train.

I nodded numbly, and we started to stand up. Gunshots blasted the dirt, and I pulled Rinley to the ground. Gunshots, actual gunshots.

We crawled, scraping against the stones. My ankle tensed, begging to rest, but I bit my lip and tore through the injury. My knees carried me as Rinley scooted herself in front. Her small feet disappeared as I coughed, unable to catch my breath in the chaos.

"Sophie," Noah's whisper echoed over me as his hand wrapped around my wrist. His green eyes appeared out of the darkness, and he pulled. I kicked, trying to help him help me, and soon, we were crawling, keeping as low as possible. Even when he stopped, he yanked me up so that I was next to him. "Trust me, okay?" he asked, his expression wild.

"I think we're past that."

Somehow, he found the energy to smile. When he jumped to his feet, he took me with him. We ran, and his grip never loosened on my wrist. My pain didn't have a chance to register.

"Keep going, Sophie," Noah shouted, never looking back.

I wobbled, beginning to fall when the dust began to clear. I breathed, my lungs relaxing as my eyes landed on the small platform the others stood on. They were yards above us, but the thick door was sprung open, waiting. Rinley was already on top, gaping back at us. The others were pale, covered in soot, but Rinley stared at her brother as if she was sure he would die.

He had come back for me.

Noah knelt down and put his hand out for me to step on. "Jump," he instructed, "Now."

I stepped on his hand, leapt into the air, and reached for the edge. Knowing I couldn't reach it, my heart stopped, and I waved my arms, only to have Miles catch me. "I got you," he grumbled as Lily leaned over the edge. The twins pulled me to safety. I collapsed on the landing, and Rinley dragged me through the open door. Noah followed unscathed.