Aphelion
Page 15
I let out a breath and squeezed the trigger. With a soft bang, the figure fell backward. The helicopter pulled back, banking away from our hiding place.
Before I could run, the sound of crashing trees and revving engines stole my attention. Two black SUV’s appeared, pushing through the bushes and trees. I took aim once again at the car on my right, training it as they approached.
As they drew closer, the whip of the helicopter blades returned before reappearing above us.
“We need to get out of here,” said Reece.
We were outnumbered, and our enemies’ net was closing in around us. We needed to run.
Peering through the bushland, I knew the only chance we had was to duck and weave through the trees until the bush grew so dense they couldn’t follow us.
“Run!” I bounded from my position and pushed myself to run as fast as I could, away from the approaching vehicles.
I was so focused on running, the only hint they were gaining on us was the whip of a bullet flying past me and embedding itself into the trunk of a tree as we sprinted past it. Swinging around, I ducked behind a large gum tree. Reece arrived behind the tree beside me before taking a shot at a hunter in the helicopter.
The SUVs drew closer and I fired a few shots towards them. They did not slow or veer off.
“You have to make it further into the bush,” I said to him. “If they catch me, I might have a chance, but they’ll surely kill you.”
“We’re both going to make it,” he replied, taking out a hunter through the SUV’s open window.
“Not me. You. On the count of three, run. I’ll cover you,” I instructed.
“Dammit, Ky, I’m not leaving you! Not after everything I went through to find you.”
A bullet whipped past our hiding spot, and I pressed myself against the tree’s smooth bark.
“You ready?” I asked.
He shook his head, and I ducked out to take a shot at another one of our pursuers. They’d exited the SUV’s, which couldn’t go any further. Their occupants had dismounted the cabs and were now chasing us on foot.
“One,” I started. I could see the conflict behind his eyes. “Two.”
“I can’t.” He continued to shake his head.
“Tell Tyson I love him, and he’s a better person than I’ll ever be.”
Reece reached out and took my hand, his firm grip giving me the strength to hold myself together.
“I’m not going unless you come with me.”
“I’ll try to follow you, okay?”
He nodded in reply.
“Three.” It was barely a whisper, but we both sprang from behind the trees and I returned the hunters’ fire.
There were more than I’d thought, at least six, but I continued shooting. We had put distance between us and them.
Reece ran ahead as I ducked behind another wide tree trunk, taking a knee and firing towards the approaching hunters. I watched as Reece’s frame disappeared among the dense bushland, followed by a hunter. I took aim again, squeezed the trigger, and watched the hunter drop to the dirt ground.
Reece was safe, but the remaining hunters were edging closer. Reloading, I sprinted towards where I’d last seen Reece.
“Kylah, stop!” Ricko’s angry voice boomed through the bushland, slowing my sprint.
I turned to find him standing a good distance away.
“Put down your weapon and come to me. Whatever the alien told you, it’s not true. He’s deceived us all.”
“You knew he was an alien?” I replied, weapon still raised.
Ricko shook his head. “I had my suspicions. But they weren’t confirmed until I saw you tonight.”
“You lied to me.”
“He’s the liar, Ky. You have to trust me. I’ve had your back since…”
“Tyson died? Only he didn’t die, did he?” I swallowed back tears. “He’s alive and well, and you knew it all along.”
Ricko gestured for the hunters to lower their guns, and the helicopter disappeared over the trees. “Commander Kane and I decided it was better you thought he was dead.”
“Better than what?”
“Better than knowing he was a traitor to our country and our planet.”
“You tried to have him killed.”
“No. He tried to save an alien. That’s what almost got him killed. Come back to Skywatchers with me. No more secrets. I’ll tell you everything,” he promised.
I looked back to the bush where I knew Reece was waiting anxiously, hoping I’d make it through this so he could return me to my brother. Glancing back at Ricko, I felt sorely tempted to go back to what I knew. Go back to Skywatchers and pretend the last few months hadn’t happened, and I’d never met Reece. But how could I stay knowing my brother was alive? The one person I’d always trusted and loved with my whole being.
I clutched at my pendant resting on my chest before lifting my weapon.
“I’m sorry, Ricko.”
Ricko’s face grew stern as he yelled at the surrounding hunters, pointing towards me, telling them to open fire. As I had with so many aliens, I aimed towards him and squeezed the trigger.
I didn’t stay to watch if my bullet hit its mark. Instead, I turned to run, zigzagging through the bush. The trees grew denser as a round of shots whizzed past me. Something hit me hard from the right side, pushing me towards the dirty earth. My body seemed to bounce as it glided along the mixture of rocks and leaves, my skin feeling as though it was being torn from my bones. I clawed at the ground, running my only chance at making it out of this alive.
With a deep growl I pulled myself back to my feet, attempting to run. Reece’s face appeared in front of me. It gave me the push to ignore the pain in my side and stinging skin. I had just reached Reece as a bullet bit into my leg. I cried out in pain. I fell to the ground again, my chest heaving, and I rolled to my side as my last bit of strength evaporated.
I sank into the ground, my sight blurring. The world faded away with the sound of raining bullets.
Chapter Twenty-Three
I blinked my eyes open, the world around me coming into focus. Or rather, the dingy dark room around me. The walls were a mixture of rock and dirt, covered in moss and dripping wet. Light danced over them, bathing them in shadow and then illuminating them again. Turning my head, I spotted Reece leaning over a small fire, I relaxed a little at the sight of him despite the ache in my skull. He was alive. Which meant I was alive. I hadn’t been captured by Skywatchers.
It didn’t mean I didn’t still want to kill Reece myself. The hurt of all the nights’ revelations made my chest ache and I swallowed down the lump in my throat.
I was alive, and so was my brother. That’s all I needed to focus on.
With great effort, I managed to move my heavy arms and attempted to push myself up to a sitting position. Pain spread through my side and I plonked back to the damp ground, my groan echoing around me.
“You’re awake.” Reece hurried over to kneel beside me. “I was worried you would never wake up. How are you feeling?”
“Just peachy,” I replied.
“At least you haven’t lost your sense of humour. That’s a good sign. But how do you really feel?”
“Like I’ve been run over by a truck. Several times,” I replied. “What on earth happened?”
“You were shot. Twice. And had a pretty hard fall, which I think caused most of the damage.”
“I was shot?” I vaguely remembered being hit.
“Nothing too severe. The amount of blood made them both look much worse than they were. They were nothing more than deep grazes. You’re really lucky. Most of your injuries are from your fall.”
“Yeah, really lucky,” I groaned again as I attempted to sit up.
Reece grabbed my arm to help, but I shook him off.
“I’m fine. I can look after myself.”
“Obviously. You’re doing amazing so far.”
“Can you not be a pain in my ass right now? Go get me a drink or something.”
“Here’s your drink.” Reece handed me a canteen of water.
I took a long swig letting it dampen my dry mouth and ignoring the queasiness it created in my empty stomach.
“How long was I out?” I asked.
“For a night and most of today. The sun went down about an hour ago.”
“Where are we? Are we safe?”
“We’re safe here. I carried you to the spot I told you about. This is where I hid all the supplies we might need.”
“How’d you get us away from all of those hunters?”
“It wasn’t easy. I may or may not have hidden your body under a bush and a pile of leaves while firing at the hunters to keep them back.”
“You left me there?” I said, aghast. “What if they found me?”
“It was a risk I had to take. If I tried carrying you, they would’ve killed us both.”
“Obviously it worked. How far did you have to carry me?”
“Once I’d hidden myself and they’d continued deeper into the bush I doubled back, grabbed you, and carried you all of the way here. I don’t know how far it was. It felt like forever. You aren’t as light as you look, you know.” He flashed an exhausted grin.
The image of myself, passed out in his arms, made my cheeks heat. But he’d saved me, and despite the circumstances, and the fact it was part his fault, I was grateful.
“Thank you,” I said, barely loud enough for him to hear.
“What?”
“I said thank you. Don’t ask me to say it again. If not for you, I’d still be killing innocent aliens and believing Skywatchers’ lies. And I’d probably be lying dead in the bush somewhere.”
“I told you I had your back no matter what, and I meant it. I do care about you.”
“Enough of that.” I brushed him off. Maybe I’d hit my head harder than I thought. “I’m guessing they’re still out there looking for us.”
“I imagine they’ll search for you as long as you’re alive. You’ve been their hostage for over two years. Without you, they have nothing to stop your brother from exposing Skywatchers.”
I felt a pang of despair creep in. “This is really happening, isn’t it? Everything I knew is unravelling all over again.”
“I wish I could tell you this was a dream, or a nightmare, but it’s real. But if anyone can come out the other side, it’s you.” He edged closer, a smile playing over his lips. “You’re the toughest person I’ve ever met.”
My body felt anything but tough. But he was right. I’d been through hell and back, losing my parents, then Tyson. If I could survive that, I could survive this. Especially if my brother was waiting for me.
Reece’s words reminded me why I’d kissed him that first night after Mr. Barth nearly killed us. He saw me, really saw me. Part of me wanted to reach out and hold him, but how could I? He was an alien. I was a human. Wasn’t that, I don’t know, kind of gross? He was so handsome, though. Who knew if we could even… ugh.
By the time my thoughts had run through various scenarios, the moment had passed, and Reece returned to the fire.
“You hungry?” he asked.
My stomach grumbled at the mere thought of food. “Starving.”
“You can have either warm spaghetti or room temperature spaghetti. It’s a tough one, I know.”
“Room temperature. I just want food.”
He opened a tin and passed it to me, along with a spoon, before sitting across from me with his own portion. We ate in a comfortable silence. When we were done, I sipped from a canteen and Reece threw our cans in the fire.
“I’ve got some sleeping bags here. We’ll rest tonight and, if you’re up to it, we’ll get moving in the morning. I know a safe house where we can lay low until Skywatchers calls off the search.”
Reece went about setting up our beds and helped me settle into mine before climbing into his own.
“How’s your poor brain holding up?” he asked.
“I feel like it could implode at any minute. There’s just so much to process. So many things I’d believed that were wrong.”
“Just promise me you won’t blame yourself any more. You were young and impressionable when all this happened. They got you when you were desperate and alone, and took advantage of you and your vulnerability. This isn’t your fault. I know that, and so does Tyson.”
A tear slid over my cheek. It was so easy to fall back into a comfortable stupor around him.
“I can’t promise that,” I said. “I never asked questions. I just did as I was told. I was so caught up in my anger, I didn’t stop to make sure what I was doing was right. If everything you’re saying is true, I’ve murdered dozens of your kind. I don’t know how you can even stomach being near me. I’m a murderer.”
He rubbed his chin, deep in thought. “Have you ever heard of someone being at aphelion?”
“At what?”
“Aphelion. The point in orbit when a planet is furthest from the sun.”
“No. I’ve never heard that.”
“Well, where I’m from we use it as a term to say someone is far from the truth. So the past two years you were at aphelion. The furthest point away from your truth. You know the best thing about that?”
“I’m a dumbass who was tricked and lied to?”
He laughed. “No. It means now you can make your way back towards the sun, towards the truth. Now is your time to work out who you are and who you can be.”
I thought on his words for a moment. Who was I without Skywatchers? Who was I when I wasn’t mourning and avenging my dead brother?
Reece once asked me what my dreams and aspirations had been before all of this, and I’d had no answer. I always thought I’d had all of the time in the world to work out who and what I wanted to be. But life had a way of throwing massive curve balls at you, and all I could do was either swing back or let them knock me out.
I didn’t think I could ever forgive myself for the horrible things I’d done. But maybe this was my chance to swing for the fences.
To be continued….
About the Author
L J Higgins writes fiction with an intriguing twist. Stories that remind you to open your eyes, minds and hearts. Hailing from Queensland, Australia, she is a wife, and stay at home mother of two young children.
Always intrigued by dystopian worlds, the advances in technology, and what those might mean for the future of the human race. L J Higgins enjoys creating stories that explore these ideas and loves creating new worlds for readers to enjoy.
Visit her online at
www.ljhiggins.com
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Acknowledgments
They say it takes a village to raise a child, and I believe it’s true about a book too. I don’t know where I’d be without my writing community who keep me sane, make me feel ‘normal,’ and inspire me to keep doing what I love every day.
Michelle Lynn, thank you for not only constantly supporting me and urging me to keep going when things get tough, but also for making my words look beautiful on the page.
Michelle Bryan, you listen eagerly to all of the crazy conspiracy theories I come across, one of which inspired this story. Your encouragement picks me up when my confidence slips and I can’t thank you enough.
My beta readers, with special mention to Danni and Shelley, who eagerly read my words and help me shape them into the perfect story.
When I first started writing in 2015 it was very lonely, but with my local writing group GRW I now have an awesome group of talented writers to bounce my ideas off, write with, and talk about writing and reading with over green tea. I’ve made some amazing friends and want to give special thanks to Cass, Dana, and Sue-Ellen who make me laugh so hard my sides hurt.
When I saw Aphelion’
s cover it was love at first sight and it’s all thanks to the talents of the amazing Maria Spada. Thank you, Maria, for creating the perfect cover for my story once again.
Thank you to my beautiful little family who always believe in me. From my son telling any stranger who will listen that his mum is an author, to my husband being convinced that one day I’ll make enough money to support him so he can spend his days fishing. I’m so grateful to have both of you and my daughter in my life. Love you all to the moon and back.
And of course, thank you! Thank you for purchasing Aphelion and reading about Ky and Skywatchers. I can’t tell you how much I enjoyed writing both Ky and Reece and I hope you love them as much as I do.
Also by L.J. Higgins
The Dreamer Trilogy:
Dawn of the Dreamer
Fall of the Dreamer
Rise of the Dreamer
Standalone:
On Delicate Wings
Secrets of Aurora series:
Utopia
Eden
Arcadia
Elysium
Skywatchers Series:
Aphelion
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