by E S Richards
“Yep,” he said in front of her, “keep your wits about you now.”
They began to weave between trees rather than stick to one straight path as they reduced the distance between themselves and the camp’s wall. It seemed to only grow in size as they got closer and Zahyra worried she wouldn’t be able to climb that high in a tree. Gritting her teeth she pushed this uncertainty to the back of her mind: if it meant she would save Asher, she’d climb a tree twice that height and more.
Zahyra willed her feet to make less noise beneath her as they walked. Cain’s footsteps appeared to be so effortlessly silent so she watched how he walked and tried to mirror it. He seemed to roll his weight around the side of his feet; copying this method Zahyra was relieved to find her footsteps becoming quieter. They still weren’t on par with Cain’s but she was pleased with herself nonetheless.
Climbing the trees silently would be the trickier part she knew, but again had faith in her ability and knew she would succeed. Cain stopped at that moment and crouched down behind a mass of bushes. Zahyra scurried forward and joined him. They were now only about a hundred feet away from the wall.
“You reckon you can climb that?” Cain asked her, pointing to a tree about twenty five meters away. The bottom of the trunk had distinctly few branches, but once higher up it looked easy enough. Zahyra nodded in response to Cain and continued to assess the tree he had given her.
“Which one are you gunna climb?” She asked nervously and Cain indicated to another tree about ten meters away from hers.
“That one. Once you’re up there check out everything you can see inside the camp walls, and try to remember where any buildings are. Also make a note of how many guards you can see and of course keep an eye out for your brother.”
Zahyra realised at this time that Cain didn’t know what Asher looked like, so provided him with a brief description. He listened carefully and then continued once she was finished.
“Make sure you get back down your tree before the sun comes out, okay? And head back to this point. I’ll meet you back here.”
All of sudden everything became so real to Zahyra and she took a deep breath preparing herself for the task ahead. Cain gave her a reassuring pat on the shoulder and then started creeping forward to the tree he was going to climb. Zahyra took a slightly different route to him and made a beeline to her own tree, reaching it without raising any suspicion.
Eyeing up the task ahead of her she noted thankfully that there were several diverts in the tree truck, making it easier for her to climb. She poked her head around and scouted the area for guards looking her way. Seeing none she quickly began to climb.
Adrenaline rushed through her as she went, memories of climbing back home filling her head. She relished the feeling of the wind rushing through her hair and pushing against her body as she got higher up. The bark of the tree felt hard and familiar beneath her hands and her feet instinctively knew which branches were safe as she climbed higher and higher into the treetops.
It was probably the furthest she’d ever climbed, but this thought didn’t occur to her as she simply focused on seeing her little brother on the other side of the wall. Once she was high enough she positioned herself carefully between two branches, leaned backwards against the truck and gazed intently over the camp walls.
Chapter 16
As Zahyra looked around the interior of the camp she was amazed by how big it was. There were a total of five large buildings, an area of small fields and dirt plots in the centre and close to a hundred mutants wandering around, all male but of varying ages.
From the direction she was looking at it there was a long building running almost the full length of the right hand side, two at the furthest end of the camp almost out of her view and the other two at the end closest to her. By this logic Zahyra figured the entrance to the camp was on her left and glancing over this made sense, as there were several SUVs and motorcycles parked on that side of the camp.
The centre of the camp seemed to be split half into agricultural land featuring the fields and dirt plots for growing food and half that looked like some sort of training ground. It was home to old tyres, a brick wall – which looked to have targets fastened to one side – and a pile of old sandbags lying around it. Zahyra assumed this was where the more advanced mutants trained, and the agricultural half was where the Gen 1’s and 2’s were forced to work.
There were mutants busying themselves all over the camp. Several boys toiled in the dirt plots, digging up land and replanting crops. A group of slightly older boys were fighting on the other half of the camp, a crowd formed around them cheering and hollering whenever someone was thrown to the ground. The mutant guards were easily recognisable by the uniforms they wore. Dark blue cargo pants with red vests tucked into them. Zahyra gasped when she realised how well built and strong each and every one of them looked, their muscles rippling on their naked arms as they patrolled around the camp.
Zahyra strained her eyes to try and find Asher amongst all the bodies below her, but the distance was just too far and with each boy dressed in the same uniform – dark blue cargo pants with white vests – it was near enough impossible to tell them apart. Despite this she kept looking, zeroing in on each boy she saw about Asher’s height and build with a mop of dark hair. But there were simply too many. There could be ten to fifteen Asher’s wandering around the camp for the number of times Zahyra thought she’d seen him and so she knew with regret that Cain would have no luck finding her brother either.
Resolving to do something useful at least Zahyra began to count the number of mutants in distinguishable red vests roaming the camp. They didn’t help her out much and moved around almost as much as the boys. On her first count she got twenty-two, on her second twenty-four and on her third twenty-one. Making the mental note that there were between twenty and twenty-five guards Zahyra prayed that Cain was doing a better job taking down intel. She peered through the treetops to see if she could see him but was met with nothing but darkness. In fact she was lucky the camp was so well lit with fires burning all around it or she wouldn’t have been able to make anything out in the midday dusk.
Zahyra remained in the treetops for another hour, watching the goings on of the mutant camp. She figured out that the longest building on the right hand side must be the dormitory, as many young boys wondered in and out of while she watched. She kept one eye trained on the door to that building after figuring out it was a dormitory, thinking that Asher either had to be in there or outside somewhere. It was to her utter dismay that she couldn’t find him amongst the other boys and wished she could stay up in the treetops when the sun rose again, illuminating the camp in more detail.
Sadly when Zahyra started to feel the temperature in the air rise slightly she knew she had to climb back down and meet Cain. Although her vision would be better in the daylight, so would that of the guards and she was no use if they spotted her watching over the camp.
Climbing back down the tree was a little trickier than climbing up. Zahyra’s arms began to ache as she lowered her body down, reaching around with her feet until they felt something solid to land on. Balancing on the final branch she squinted down to the forest floor. There was still about eight feet of tree trunk below her but she struggled to make out where the indents were that she’d used to hang onto on the way up. Acting on instinct she got about half way down before she slipped, falling the last few feet and landing with a thud on the ground.
She quickly righted herself into a crouch, ignoring the pain in her ribs for the time being and peering out towards the camp walls. Once she was certain none of the mutants had heard her fall she made her way back to the bushes to meet Cain. She got there before him and sank down to the ground rubbing a hand tenderly across her ribcage. The injury was never going to heal at the rate she was going.
Ten minutes later Cain appeared. Zahyra had noticed him sulking back towards her through a gap in the bushes so was prepared for his arrival. She had kept watch like a hawk since she’d been the
re, not completely positive she was safe in the forest.
Cain didn’t say anything when he arrived and just beckoned for Zahyra to follow him. They moved further away from the camp walls and deeper into the middle of the forest, Zahyra walking as closely behind Cain as she dared without tripping him up.
After about ten minutes they reached a small cluster of trees that appeared to agree with Cain and he pulled himself up onto a low hanging branch, swinging one of his legs over the other side. Zahyra remained on the ground looking up at him expectantly, waiting to hear what he had discovered. Cain grinned apishly down at her, swinging his legs from side to side until Zahyra could bare the silence no more.
“Well,” she began with her hands on her hips, “what do you think?”
“It’s definitely doable,” he said after a while, his grin fading to a more serious demeanour, “but the camp is a lot bigger than it was when I was here. It’ll take a bit more checking over than I originally thought.”
Mixed emotions grabbed Zahyra. They were going to get Asher out; it would just take a little bit longer than she anticipated.
“We’ve got four days until he’s ten… I think,” Zahyra replied racking her brain to make sure she was right about when Asher’s birthday was. With all the travelling around and without her mother to help her she was struggling to remember how many days had passed. Keeping track of things was so much easier in her camp as her mother had tallied each passing week on a dog-eared calendar that hung on their wall.
“I’d like to watch the camp until tomorrow night,” Cain replied, “then I think nighttime will be the easiest time to get him out. When most of them are sleeping.”
“I figured out which building the boys sleep in I think,” Zahyra said proudly, “and there were four other buildings, right? Although I don’t know what they’re for.”
“Yeah that’s right,” Cain nodded. “There were four buildings when I was there, so I’m not sure what the other has been built for, but it’s much more advanced than it was all those years ago. Their fleet of vehicles is pretty impressive too.”
Zahyra recalled all the SUVs and motorcycles she’d seen and agreed with him. The task ahead of them was certainly not going to be easy but she had faith. Now that she was so close to saving her brother there was no chance she’d let him go again.
“Did you see your brother?”
Zahyra’s face fell at Cain’s question, reminding herself that technically she still had no proof Asher was inside the camp. “No,” she sighed, “I was too far away, I couldn’t make out if any of the boys were him. A few looked like they could be, but I just couldn’t tell…” Zahyra trailed off her voice heavy with regret.
“That’s okay,” Cain said jumping down from the branch he’d been sitting on. He stepped over to Zahyra and took one of her hands in his while looking her straight in the eyes. “We’ve got time. We’ll find him.”
Zahyra stared back at Cain, tingles rushing over her body as she held his hand. Looking into his eyes she could see he was being honest and she truly believed he’d do everything he could to help her find Asher. She smiled at him and gave his hand a little squeeze.
“Thank you,” she started, “honestly I couldn’t have done this without you.”
Cain started to let go of her hand, gesturing that it was nothing and he was happy to help, but Zahyra gripped his hand firmer keeping it in hers.
“I mean it. You’ve been amazing Cain.”
She looked up at him, unable to silent her desire to kiss him any longer. She moved her eyes from his down to his lips then back up to meet his gaze again as she took a step closer to him, all the while keeping his hand entwined with hers. Rising up onto her tiptoes she closed her eyes and pressed her lips against Cain’s, begging him internally to reciprocate her kiss. After a moment he succumbed to her.
Zahyra’s lips parted and she felt Cain’s tongue tease between them and playfully enter her mouth. He let go of her hand and instead wrapped his arms around her body, pulling her even closer to him. Zahyra let out a moan and felt a weightlessness float around her body as she melted to Cain’s touch. Their kiss was hungry and desperate, as if they needed each other to survive. Zahyra’s hands felt the muscles ripple in Cain’s back as she held him and slowly slid her right hand around to his bicep. A desire for something more swept through her and she began kissing him like her life depended on it, relishing the electricity that tore through her body.
Eventually Cain pulled away from her, a look of both confusion and yearning in his eyes.
“Zahyra I…” he started, but she cut him off before he could finish.
“You’re not taking advantage of me,” Zahyra said firmly, taking a step back and placing her hands on her hips again. She didn’t know what had come over her but all of a sudden she felt strong and in control. She felt like she knew what she wanted for the first time in a long time and she wasn’t going to sit back and watch it get away. “I like you.”
Cain stared at her, uncertain of what to say. Zahyra could see the longing in his eyes and she wished for him to act on it, to take her back in his arms and say he liked her too. Seconds dragged out in silence and blood began to rush to Zahyra’s face in embarrassment. Maybe he didn’t like her and she’d got this all wrong. Maybe her inexperience was obvious to him, or she was too young and he didn’t want to get involved.
“I’d be no good for you,” Cain said after a while, his gaze transfixed on the ground between where they stood. “I’m dangerous.”
“I don’t care,” Zahyra retorted instantly.
“Well I care!” Cain shot back, lifting his head to look at her. “I couldn’t keep you safe and that’s not fair! Think about it Zahyra, you don’t really want this.”
With that Cain turned away from her and fell down to the ground against a tree trunk, refusing to look at her.
“You should get some rest,” he mumbled into the collar of his jacket, “it’s going to be a long night.”
Zahyra stood frozen in place for a moment, glaring at Cain where he sat on the ground. He still refused to look at her and had pulled the collar of his leather jacket up around his face. After a minute Zahyra turned and exhaled a loud sigh then walked over to a tree several meters away from Cain and sat down, her back facing him.
What had just happened? Confusion raced through her. Again Cain had kissed her and this time he had been the one making the decision whether to kiss back or not. Zahyra knew she had felt a connection when they kissed and he had to have felt it too, but why did he keep stopping it.
She knew realistically that Cain was dangerous, but she’d also seen him have a breakdown once and they’d got through it. Surely if things progressed between them she’d be able to escape from him again. Who knows maybe she could even make him better. She prayed this was something she could accomplish. If there was some way Cain could learn to control his mutation completely then he wouldn’t be dangerous and he would have no more excuses to not talk to her about the two of them.
Thinking about the situation just got Zahyra more and more wound up. She still didn’t really understand what she felt, but she knew she liked Cain and from the way he kissed her and looked at her, she believed that he liked her too.
Rolling her eyes to herself Zahyra sighed; she really had just made the whole situation between them even more awkward. The sun was now high in the sky above her so she pulled off her sweater and tied it around her waist with her jacket. The area Cain had taken her too wasn’t very shaded and sweat was starting to form on both her neck and the small of her back.
Zahyra fidgeted on the forest floor. She was hot, uncomfortable and annoyed. There were simply too many things going on right now for her to manage to rest so she rolled over and looked past a few trees to where Cain was sat. His eyes were closed but his chest wasn’t moving like he was asleep. Internally groaning at herself Zahyra decided she would apologise to him and take back what had just happened. At least until Asher was saved. She knew he had to be
her top priority at the moment and if that meant putting her feelings for Cain to one side then that was what she would do. Once he was rescued then she could address the next milestone, but for now she knew she needed to be the bigger person. Dragging her feet she walked over to where Cain was sat.
“I’m sorry,” she mumbled beneath her breath. Cain opened his eyes and looked up at her raising one eyebrow in question. “Can we just forget about it, please?”
A faint smile broke out onto Cain’s face and he nodded, “I’m sorry too, it’s just…”
“Don’t,” Zahyra cut in, “let’s just leave it, yeah?”
“Okay.”
With that Zahyra dropped to the ground to the side of Cain and rested her head back against a tree trunk. Closing her eyes she willed herself to get a few moments sleep before the night ahead of them.
*
Before she knew it Zahyra was back in the treetops. Darkness had fallen about half an hour before they’d started to climb again, now in two trees next to each other and about ten meters closer to the camp walls. Although it was nighttime her view into the camp was only slightly worse than it had been earlier that day, with the fires still illuminating those walking around. Cain had instructed her to watch the guards and try to learn their patterns. How many there were, when they switched shifts and the routes they walked.
She readjusted her position slightly on the branch where she sat in order to have a clearer view. Cain had found some vines before they’d climbed back up which were now securing Zahyra to the trunk of the tree. She didn’t imagine they’d do much if she fell but did at least aid in keeping her in place. She was thankful for this as it had only been an hour and she was already starting to grow tired. Her stomach also rumbled inside her, their attempt at finding supper before nightfall resulting in failure.
Watching the guards circle the camp at night quickly became boring. There were only five outside at any given time and they swapped duty every two or so hours by Zahyra’s estimate. She tried to keep time by swinging her legs backwards and forwards but lost count on many occasions so was just guessing at the statistics.
