Chapter Five
Caleb
The shooting pain from my dislocated fingers has dulled. Sharp pulses radiate from the bullet wound near my shoulder.
I’m either past the pain or dying.
At some point, Eden started humming Amazing Grace. I took it as a sign from God. We’re going to be okay.
I’m not so sure now.
Eden keeps dozing off and the woods seem to go on forever. I’ve started to head in the direction of what sounds like road noise. My mind is in pieces again. I can’t order my thoughts.
Was Keir with us? Do I remember seeing my brother? My mind keeps trying to grasp onto something important just out of reach.
Jostling my damaged arm and hand, I try to pick up the pace of my jogging. Eden is no longer responding to me. “Dear heavenly father, please guide my footsteps. Lead us to safety… please God…,” I whisper fervently.
“Eden, wake up.” I shake the fencing to rouse her. “Stay awake, okay?”
If she hears me, she doesn’t respond. How long have we been out here? I cough, pulling my hand away from my mouth to see dark spatter.
Blood.
I need to hold on long enough to get Eden help. A deer startles me to a halt running across my path. The doe stops and stares in my direction, before continuing to race away.
I almost drop Eden. I decide to follow the deer hoping it's God’s way of giving guidance. A muffled moan meets my ear where Eden’s head lies on my shoulder.
Please God, don’t take her yet. Let her find her brother and happiness before she’s done here.
I lean against a tree struggling to draw a good breath into my lungs. Mind over matter. I set Eden down, careful of the fence, and check on her.
“Eden?” Brushing her hair from her face, she stirs. “Hold on, okay? I’m going to get us help.” On my honor, I’m going to make my existence mean something. “Hey, can you open your eyes? Open your eyes, sweet angel. Please… please.” My cough comes with more blood.
I straighten slightly to catch a small light bobbing in the distance. No, two lights. They’re uneven… not headlights. I squint in the direction they’re in.
Flashlights?
Enemy or help?
I’m too trusting.
Someone in the Center was drugging me, and now I’ve been shot.
Blind terror starts to set in.
Squatting down next to Eden, I check her pulse to see that her chest is rising. “We need to get moving again, Eden. Can you open your eyes?” I whisper into her ear.
Her eyelids flutter open briefly and her dark blue eyes look reddened. “Good. You’re still with me.” I squeeze one of her hands. “This might hurt you, but I have to pick you back up. Don’t worry, I’ll carry you, you don’t have to hold onto me.” She’s too weakened and drowsy to hang on anymore.
The lights continue moving toward us, so I take every opportunity to shield us behind trees. In the distance I can see a building of some sort. It gives me a shot of hope. I hate the fact that I’m jarring Eden with each step because in cradling her in my arms the fencing moves constantly.
Eden’s arms suddenly flail, and she shrieks in terror, “Stop. Don’t send the crows. I didn’t mean it!” Her outburst catches me off guard and I barely stop myself from dropping her.
“Shhh. We aren’t alone out here. Eden?” I try to get her attention as quietly as possible.
We breach the tree line into a grassy area surrounding a brick building with boarded up windows. It’s abandoned. My heart sinks. We can’t hole up in the building waiting for death to descend on us. I quickly turn heading back into the trees for cover.
“That’s not going to work,” I say softly to myself since Eden’s passed out again.
Leaning against a tree, my breathing getting thready, I know I’m close to passing out. Dear heavenly Father, please hear me. I tried. Please save Eden. Amen.
I lay her down as gently as I can and fall beside her. It won’t be long now.