Chapter 25 #3
I want to look away, but I make myself hold her gaze.
My chest tightens as I search her face, because I know she's telling the truth.
I can hear it in her voice, and see it on her face.
They've done nothing wrong. I also know she's right; if they go to The Centre, the chances of them coming out are slim.
The air around me seems to slow and thicken. I always vowed I'd give up my soul ––piece by piece ––if it meant keeping my siblings alive. If I hand this family over without any resistance, I can't blame the blackened pieces of me on protecting my family.
"Shit," I mutter, running a hand over my face. Marching to the front door, I open it and peer around. Just Farra and Leo. That works.
I grab Farra's arm and pull her close, whispering in her ear. She shakes her head, as if to argue.
"Trust me?" I plead.
She sighs. "Fine. But I'm taking Leo."
I nod. That will have to do.
She darts from the door and goes around to the back of the house with Leo, and I hear chatter.
The back door opens violently, making Hazel jump.
"We're going to check something out. Choser will stay at the back door, Rigby at the front. Treow, you make sure they are packed up and ready by the time we're back. We won't be long," Vera barks, before slamming the door closed again.
Tarius jumps, heading to the front instantly.
I turn around to find the husband, packing slowly now, as if in protest, putting things in a small pack for the kid. I grab the bigger ones that are full and check them over.
"You're going to want to hustle, if you want to get out of here," I say to him. His eyes meet mine, hesitant but hopeful.
I walk over to the little boy, and put my mask around his neck, and secure his pack to his back.
"You guys are going to have to run. I know you have a bad leg, and I'll try to give you as much time as possible, but you need to be fast." I'm tempted to tell them to go through the barrier, to give them a better chance at escape.
But I have no clue if they'll get through––if they'll disappear, or turn to dust, or end up like Farra's brother––so I say nothing.
I let the fates decide what happens next. It's the best I can do right now.
The woman springs to action, grabbing the other pack and shoving a picture from the top shelf into the boy's pack. Of his parents, I'd guess.
Opening the back door, I grab Berkley and haul him inside.
"You're not going to fight me on this. You're going to come inside, and we are going to let them try to make a break for it."
Berkley looks stunned.
"Absolutely not."
"Yes, we are. They did nothing wrong, and we both know what will happen if they're dragged back to The Centre." I can see in his eyes he's not accepting it, and I lose patience.
"What would you want for your own family, Berk? We have to be better." His eyes widen slightly, and then narrow. I look at the little kid shaking behind me, and Berkley's eyes land on him. He lets out an aggravated groan.
"I'll take the heat for it. I have a plan. Trust me?" My eyes bounce around his tense face, war waging across his features.
He finally steps out of the way of the door.
The three are ready behind me, and I give the woman my baton. Maybe it will help her walk faster. They bolt. The man turns though, teary eyes locking with mine. "We won't forget this. Maybe there’s hope for us yet. Thank you."
I say nothing as I watch him run. They head up the opposite way we came down, towards the dead woods. The dunes will hide which way they went for a while. Hopefully, they can make it before Tane makes us follow.
"We are so screwed, Maple... You have no idea." Berkley sounds pissed and honestly, it's fair. I turn and punch him in the face as hard as humanly possible with my good arm. He stumbles backwards, the hit knocking the breath out of him, and then he screams.
"Sorry Berk, I had to get that part over with. Now knock me out and tie me up."
"Are you out of your mind!?" he shouts.
"Yup." I pop the "p" obnoxiously, to egg him on a little. "Actually, just slug me as hard as you can, and I'll tie you up. Come on, we don’t have much time."
His entire face reddens. He's furious. There's a reason I chose him instead of Tarius, who, right on cue, opens the door.
"T, I need you to listen carefully. Run to find the others and tell them the family escaped, but take your time finding them, ok?" Tarius gapes at me. "Tarius, do you understand what I'm saying?" I ask firmly. He nods obediently and rushes out the door, hopefully headed in the wrong direction.
"Berkley, we don't have much time. They knocked me out and took my baton and tied you up and got away.
Come on." He's breathing heavily, eye already turning purple.
He shakes his head, and for a second I worry he's not going to play along.
I give him a shove. We don't have time for his conscience right now.
I go to hit him again, a ball of panic rising in my throat.
I catch a flash of metal, and that's the last thing I see before sharp pain blinds me, and darkness sweeps over my world like a heavy blanket.