Chapter Twenty-One: Aspen

Chapter Twenty-One
~ Aspen ~

I sat on the dirt ground with my back pressed firmly against a large rock. This is where I’d been for what felt like hours now. I was just watching. Watching everyone distribute food and supplies for the evening, watching some talk and laugh while others looked overwhelmed. Despite my conversation with E earlier, I didn’t feel like I belonged here. All these people are a family, and they probably wouldn’t be too willing to add on another member like me.
Now, almost everyone had turned in for the night. There were a couple people wandering around here or there, not doing anything of importance. I hadn’t seen E or any of the guys for quite a while. After talking to E, I’d made some random excuse and found this secluded spot to sit and think by myself. I had always cherished my alone time, and after the events of the past few weeks, I desperately needed it. At this point, I would be happy if I didn’t see another human for about a week.
As if on cue, a pair of dusty boots stepped into my line of sight. My eyes trailed up, past the equally messy jeans and t-shirt, until they met Grey’s curious expression.
“Hey, City Girl.” He knelt down beside me and seemed to study my face for a moment. “Wanna go on a little adventure?”
It didn’t sound like a trick, but the alarm bells in the back of my mind were still going off. Grey had gotten nicer lately, yes, but it wasn’t likely that all of the hatred he held for me had just completely vanished. Either way, I considered it. I wasn’t the slightest bit tired and was beginning to feel boredom set in. And, if he killed me, I wouldn’t have to live underground like a mole rat anymore. I made my decision and pushed myself up from the dirt.
“Where to?”
.....

This was really dumb. I knew that when I agreed to it, and the feeling only got stronger the further we went. Grey was convinced that something had happened to their village in the woods. Apparently, E wanted to bring everyone here tomorrow to check it all out. He thought it would be a good idea to intercept that plan and bring me along with him tonight to look instead. Why he picked me, I have no idea. Either way, when the others found out we’d done this, it probably wouldn’t be pretty.
So far, we’d traveled mostly in silence. Grey had to tell me when to turn and which loose roots to watch out for, but other than that we’d kept to ourselves. I didn’t know the exact time, but it must’ve been very early in the morning. There was no trace of the sun yet, moonlight the only thing illuminating our path.
“So,” Grey spoke up suddenly, clearing his throat. “I’m sorry.”
“You’re sorry?” I looked to him in confusion, making sure to glance at the ground every so often to make sure I didn’t fall.
“For the way I treated you before.” I was surprised by his words. I didn’t think he had it in him to own up to how much of a jerk he’d been. “I just get really protective of the people I love, and I didn’t trust you.”
His explanation made sense. Honestly, I didn’t hold it against him anyway. Whatever his reason, I knew he was coming from a good place, and I had been an outsider. I still was.
“I get it. You have a lot to protect.” I sent him a small smile and he shocked me again when he returned it. His emerald eyes were soft and kind, something I hadn’t yet seen.
His expression quickly hardened as his eyes left mine. My eyes widened as I turned to investigate what had caused that reaction in him. What I assumed was their village was only a few yards away. It was in almost complete ruin. Splintered wood stuck up from the ground and laid in littered piles. There were various supplies like food and clothes strewn around the site, mangled beyond recognition. I followed closely behind Grey as he moved through the village. Only two structures still stood, and they weren’t in good shape.
We neared one of the homes that were still standing: if you could even call it that. There were two walls still up, just barely supporting each other. Broken furniture and knick-knacks filled the small space. I felt my heart clench with sympathy for him, and everyone else below us. This had been their home for a long time, and now it was almost entirely destroyed. Suddenly, I felt a sharp pain in my back as I was shoved against one of the walls. I opened my mouth to angrily protest, but Grey covered it with one of his large hands.
“Someone’s over there.” He explained, taking a step forward to shield my body with his. He was practically flush against me as he pushed me as far into the wall as I would go.
My eyes widened in shock. Someone from the government? Grey removed his hand from my face, but his eyes demanded that I stay quiet. He peered around me, looking through a hole in the wood beside me. I took a deep breath in an effort to calm my racing heart. I heard a few faint voices and the crunching of their feet on the ground. Shit. This is bad.
“Are they coming this way?” I tried to whisper as softly as possible.
“They’re checking the area for bodies.” Grey ignored my question as he continued watching. Somehow, I knew that he’d read their minds to get that information. “We need an escape plan. Fast.”
“Where’s the closest entry to the underground?” His eyes finally moved back to me, clouded with worry.
“We just came from it.”
Well, we’re fucked. It had taken us at least thirty minutes to walk here. That wasn’t a viable option. I pushed against him until he moved back enough to allow me to turn toward the hole he was looking through. I saw three men wearing official government search and rescue uniforms. I had known them as the people who would find and save the sick and had always appreciated them for it, but now that I knew the truth the sight of them made my stomach turn.
“Come on,” He grabbed my arm and started to move. “We need to get out of here.”
“Are you crazy? There’s no way they won’t see us.” My chest tightened with rising anxiety, and I tugged myself free. One of the men yelled that he heard something, and their quiet steps quickly transformed into quick, loud running in our direction.
“Great. Nice going.” Grey barked rudely with a glare.
“Seriously? We’re about to die and that’s the last thing you’re going to say to me?” I knew I wasn’t making the situation any better, but I couldn’t help but defend myself.
A startled shout escaped me as one of the men rounded the corner of the wall we were hiding behind. His eyes widened at the sight of us, and he pulled a gun from his belt. Grey moved to stand in front of me as he aimed it in our direction. I had seen guns like that many times before. They didn’t have normal bullets. They wouldn’t kill us, but they would knock us out cold. I was full-on panicking now. We were face to face with someone who would take us right into my dad’s arms and it was mostly my fault.
Without giving the consequences much thought, I willed him to drop the gun. He grunted, as if he were in pain, and the device clambered to the ground. He looked from the discarded weapon to me and back again.
“Aspen?”
Shit. He recognized me. That is not good at all. Now, he wouldn’t hesitate to tell dad. Then he would know that I’m sick too. I would have an even bigger target on my head. Another man came to his side and quickly assessed the situation. He began raising his own gun and I made him drop it as well.
“Okay. Enough.” Grey said, sounding furious for some reason. “Can you make them stay there?”
I wasn’t sure, but at that moment I didn't have much of a choice. I nodded and willed their feet to be stuck in place. It seemed to work as they yelled out in frustration. Grey gripped my hand in his and we ran in the direction we’d come. Even though we were safe for now, I knew the consequences of what I’d just done would be felt for weeks to come.