Laurie smiled at me though the tension lingered in her eyes. "It makes it a bit easier to take in if I think about it like that I suppose."
“Try not to think about what's ending so much as what's just beginning." I nodded enthusiastically, hoping I’d cheered her up a little.
“Speaking of which." She nudged me and gave Coal a meaningful look. "What's going on with you two then?"
"Nothing," I protested, feeling my cheeks turn a violent shade of beetroot. "Besides, he doesn't even notice me," I added, dropping my voice to be sure Coal didn't overhear us.
"He doesn't stop noticing you. I'm surprised he doesn't fall over his feet from staring in your direction instead of looking where he's heading."
“That's not true. He’s just one of those guys who likes to think he can have any girl he likes because of his face and body and general hotness. Besides, he moves away from me like I'm contagious or something any time I get too close so you're way off," I said, hoping I hadn’t been that obvious in my minor infatuation with our tour guide as it seemed.
“Well maybe there's a reason for that. Like he doesn't think you feel the same or... he might be in a relationship with someone else at his camp," Laurie said, casting about for excuses.
“I don't doubt he has someone waiting for him," I replied.
“With a body like that," Laurie added as we both checked him out and burst out laughing.
Coal looked over his shoulder at us with a frown.
“What's so funny?" he asked and we laughed harder.
Coal shook his head and moved on, picking up the pace so that we struggled to keep up and I tried not to stare at his ass as I followed him. I failed. But the point was, I tried.
***
The day wore on and the dappled light filtering through the canopy overhead shifted, making our shadows stretch out before us. My feet were throbbing and I yearned for a soft bed and to take off my boots.
“It's not much further, maybe another hour," Coal explained as he took in our clearly exhausted expressions.
I was pretty sure we were holding him up, though he didn't say it outright.
“It's getting dark already - is it safe?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at the trees around us.
"It won't be fully dark for a while, it's generally still safe at this time," he reassured me but his eyes, which were darting back and forth around the trees constantly, betrayed his real feelings.
“Last night I thought I saw something on the riverbank, watching us as we crossed the lake," I said, moving close enough to Coal to be sure that Laurie wouldn't overhear.
He nodded, making no attempt to deny it.
“And did you think that it was aware of us?" he asked, his gaze flickering around even quicker than before.
“I got the feeling I was being watched," I agreed.
"Damn, I'd hoped it hadn't noticed us. But if it did then it’s probably on the hunt already," Coal cursed. "Kaloo!" The big dog turned her head towards us with her tongue lolling to one side. Taylor was still bumping along in the litter behind her but the beast didn’t even seem tired. Coal reached out a hand and laid it on her head. "Go home girl," he commanded. After a pause, Kaloo took off into the dense evergreen at speed and disappeared from sight, taking Taylor with her.
"Where is she going?" I demanded, my heart leaping as my best friend was stolen from me.
“She'll get him to safety. Can you manage a run?" Coal asked seriously, his tone quieting my protests.
He checked his weapons were all securely strapped down and I chewed my lip as I felt the tension rising. I evaluated my body, feeling the aches and fatigue from walking for two days straight over uneven ground but there wasn’t anything that would stop me from running.
“If it's necessary," I replied, though I didn't relish the prospect.
“Laurie, how are you doing, do you think you can run the last leg?" Coal asked her, beckoning her over too.
“What's happened?" she asked, her gaze sharpened and her hand moved pointlessly towards her empty gun holster.
"Nothing yet, can you run?" he asked again.
"Yes," she said without pause. It was easy to forget sometimes that Laurie was a trained soldier but one look in her eyes at that moment was an enough to show me what she was made of.
Coal took Laurie's pistols from his belt and handed them back to her.
"I guess this means I trust you, don't make me regret it," he said, meeting her eye as he released his hold on the weapons.
“You won't, I'm a great shot." She smiled as she fastened them back into her holsters, looking instantly happier than she had all day.
"Stay close, shout if you start to fall behind," he said as he turned away from us.
“Okay," Laurie and I replied together.
With that, he took off, forcing his way through the resisting vegetation as he dove into the forest at speed.
Roots and fallen branches littered the forest floor. While they’d been a nuisance when we were walking, when running they were just plain dangerous and my boots kept catching in them, threatening to trip me. Vines and leaves slapped my face and tugged my hair as we pushed on and I didn't have the energy to keep knocking them aside.
The dim light didn't help either and within moments my fear had turned into aggravation. I concentrated on Coal in front of me and Laurie's deep breaths behind.
Ten minutes passed and all I could feel were my lungs and legs burning in protest. My feet were so numb that I only noticed the ground when I started falling towards it. I stumbled again and again but somehow didn't actually hit the dirt.
The same snarling that I'd heard from the night before cut the air somewhere behind us.
“Is that what we're running from?" I gasped between breaths, pressing a hand to my side to try and sooth a stitch that was screaming at me to stop.
“Yes," Coal replied, throwing a concerned look up into the trees.
"It didn't sound too close," I managed.
"Let's just hope they're all together then," Coal growled. I noticed that he didn't say whether or not that was very likely but he pushed forward harder, increasing his speed again.
“How - many?" Laurie panted.
“Twenty. If we're lucky," he said.
“What are they?" I gasped.
Another screech cut the air, much closer this time. My heart leapt and adrenaline slid through my veins to urge me on.
“Cougars," he said simply, like I should have known.
Somewhere off to our left two creatures started fighting with each other. The sound of snapping jaws and aggressive snarls reached me and I tried not to visualise the size of the teeth that could make a sound like that.
We gave up any attempt at talking and just ran, fast. A vine whipped my cheek hard enough to draw blood and I scrubbed a hand across the wound, just glad that it missed my eye.
The last of the daylight slid from the world as we raced on and we were shrouded in darkness. Moonlight hung in silvery patches between the trees wherever it could find a big enough gap in the canopy and I used it to navigate my way over the unfamiliar terrain.
A shriek went up that sounded like it was directly above us and I couldn't help but look to see what it was. A huge, hulking shape was moving swiftly through the treetops. I caught a glimpse of golden fur as it jumped from branch to branch and I had to fight against the scream which lodged in my throat.
Excited shrieks and growls broke out around us in a chorus as the pack closed in and I spotted more shadows moving in the branches, easily outstripping our pace.
The sounds were like many voices of a single being and I had no doubt that they were all in eager anticipation of an easy meal. One portion of Maya ass to go with a side of leg. No fucking thank you. I did not want to end up as a snack for some monster.
“Don't stop, we're nearly there!" Coal shouted above the excited noises of the creatures which hunted us.
The branches creaked in protest as the animals bounced back and forth amongs
t them. The sounds of claws ripping into the wood as they took off again put my teeth on edge.
We pushed even harder. Sweat beaded my forehead and my legs felt like jelly beneath me. Adrenalin was the only thing that was forcing my limbs to move but I refused to stop. Coal had to have somewhere in mind. Somewhere safe. We could make it. I had to believe we could make it.
Coal was pulling away from us with his longer legs and knowledge of the forest to help him. I huffed air into my screaming lungs, trying desperately to match his pace. He looked left and right again and again as though he expected an attack at any moment. I couldn't help but follow suit, searching the deep darkness that surrounded us for a sign of the monsters who were hunting us.
A large patch of moonlight gave me a glimpse of more golden fur and a powerful body that sprang in and out of sight in a flash of deadly movement. I was left with an impression of a creature built similarly to Kaloo and yet very different at the same time. It was a big fucker, big enough to take me out and eat me up in a few bites.
A tree root snatched my foot from beneath me and I fell with a cry of alarm, colliding with Coal and taking him out too. We tumbled across the ground and I scrambled aside as Coal leapt up. Laurie kept her feet and unholstered a pistol in one smooth motion as a creature leapt from a branch above us and launched itself straight at Coal.
Its huge front legs reached forwards, massive paws lined with razor sharp claws that were rounded like fish hooks aimed for Coal's chest. Its face was contorted in a snarl, revealing huge canines and a massive mouth, big enough to rip a man's head off in one bite.
The deafening boom of Laurie's pistol sounded, echoing through the forest. The animal was thrown aside by the bullet as blood flew. A thin line of smoke trailed from the gun barrel as Laurie aimed the weapon again, ready to take out any others that made a charge at us.
A howl of pure rage went up from the rest of the hunting pack who had filled the trees and empty spaces all around us. The darkness was alive with the sounds of the huge creatures which surrounded us and my mouth dried out as fear took me hostage.
Coal was back on his feet and I jumped up too, drawing the shotgun from my back and pumping a round into place. Movement on my right caught my attention and I swung the gun around, pulled the trigger and sent another cougar scrambling away from us with a huge bang. I'd forgotten the recoil in my panic and the gun slammed into my stomach, driving the air from lungs.
I coughed, trying to stop the spasms in my abdomen as I pointed the gun at a rustling bush in front of us. I took a shuddering breath and tensed my muscles, ready for the kick this time as I pulled the trigger again.
A screech confirmed I'd hit my target and the leaves of the bush fell apart like a pile of green confetti. A sharp, bitter smell from the shredded foliage reached my nose.
We were surrounded. Shapes moved fluidly in the shadows, far bigger than a man and clearly in the mood for a nice human snack. I caught glimpses of huge white teeth highlighted by the light of the moon.
Constant flashes of gold or tan marked out the creatures' glossy coats amongst the darkened woodland. The snarling faces of the animals were dominated by their enormous mouths. They had small, beady eyes that darted back and forth as quickly as they jumped in and out of sight, and round ears that nestled down on top of their heads. I’d never seen creatures like them and I was pretty happy about that. In fact I’d have been happy never to see them again either. I certainly didn’t want a closer look.
I pumped another round into place, and put my left hand on the hilt of a knife. If those things came at me, I wasn’t going down easy. I’d fight tooth and nail until my last breath and if that wasn’t enough then I planned on giving them a serious bout of indigestion too.
"We need to get through there." Coal pointed ahead where the forest was thick with movement.
"How?" Laurie asked, frowning at the impossible challenge. She had a pistol in each hand now and looked ready to kick some serious ass. I just hoped it would be enough.
“By force,” Coal growled as he pulled an assault rifle from his back and took a step in the direction he’d indicated.
The cougars clearly had other ideas and with a chorus of ear splitting shrieks, they surged forward from every direction all at once.
We lurched together, put our backs to each other and opened fire. The creatures jumped, pounced and twisted, trying to get close to us and managing to avoid too much of our limited ammunition.
Again and again the sound of gunshots rang out. My arms ached from the impact of the recoil but I gritted my teeth with determination, refusing to slow. The creatures danced in and out of sight and it felt like they were toying with us, waiting for us to run out of energy…or ammo.
I pumped my final bullet into place and released a shaky breath as I waited for the next creature to attack.
Movement in the corner of my eye made me look up just as a beast leapt from a bough high above our heads. I pushed backwards with a cry of fright as I raised my gun, making the others move aside as I pulled the trigger.
My bullet hit the target but the creature’s momentum meant its body was still falling straight towards me and I didn't have time to get out of the way. I cried out as it’s solid weight hit me and I collapsed under the weight slamming into the moss-covered ground.
The thing was fucking massive and weighed a damn ton. I could barley summon enough energy to stop its weight from suffocating me let alone get out from beneath it.
A huge set of jaws surged towards my face as I tried to claw my way free and I screamed as I saw my death waiting in that open mouth. I kicked and fought as my heart thundered in panic, my eyes snapping shut at the last moment as death came on swift wings.
A gunshot fired so close to my head that my left ear popped, leaving nothing but a loud ringing rattling through my skull.
Coal stood over me with a fierce look on his face as he raised a foot and kicked the heavy creature off of me and I scrambled out from beneath it with a gasp of thanks.
My shotgun was empty so I tossed it over my shoulder and drew a knife from my belt.
I threw it as a creature darted between the trees ahead of me, but the blade sailed into the bushes as the cougar moved too fast for me to hit. I gritted my teeth and drew another blade, holding it ready but I wasn't able to line up a single target as the animals surged back and forth faster and faster with excitement and anger.
A new sound punctured the night air, breaking through the shrieking and making my heart pound with new fear. The long, low howl echoed through the trees, making the hairs along the back of my neck stand on end.
The attacks against us paused for a moment as heads snapped around to point in the direction Coal had wanted us to take.
“Hold your fire!" Coal shouted a second before Kaloo leapt from the forest, fangs bared, hackles raised and leaving havoc in her wake.
She was magnificent, jumping, snarling and snapping at our assailants. Her long, sleek fur billowed in the wind as she bounded back and forth taking on the whole pack without the slightest sign of fear.
The shrieks and growls changed marginally and the pack's attention shifted away from us to the new threat.
"Move." Coal's arm was on mine and he propelled me back around and sent me flying forward.
We ran again, somehow finding another reserve of energy to push us onward as we dove into the trees.
Coal overtook us, leading the way between the trees and I fought to keep up.
We suddenly burst from the trees to discover a collection of buildings not unlike those Taylor and I had explored outside The Wall. These buildings weren't old and in disrepair though, they were sleek and well maintained. The windows were all barred with thick, metal shutters and all but one of the buildings was locked up tight.
The door of the house directly ahead of us was wide open and a beautiful girl was running straight towards us brandishing a machete. She had long, white-blond hair that flew out behind her, sparkling in the moonlight a
lmost as much as the lethal looking blade in her hand.
“Go!" she shouted, barely sparing us a glance as we charged past her and through the door into the house.
I collapsed, gasping on the floor inside and watched the view back through the doorway as Kaloo appeared between the trees, pursued by a pack of the enraged cougars.
The girl spun, her hair flying about her like a silver cloak and ran next to Kaloo through the door which Coal slammed shut behind them. He snapped a heavy metal bar down to reinforce it just as the sounds of large bodies smashing into the building filled the air.
I held my breath, waiting for them to find a way inside as the door rattled beneath the assault. The metal shutters screeched as they ran their claws along it but the house was locked down firmly. We were safe.
Just as I started to breathe again, the stunning blonde girl leapt at Coal.
She wrapped her arms around him and he caught her up off of the floor in a bear hug, spinning her around.
“How many times do I have to tell you not to do that to me?" she demanded, slapping his chest with the palms of her hands.
She was tall and crazily beautiful with full lips and wide eyes. She was anything but delicate though. With the machete hanging from her hip and a definite athleticism to her build, she looked like she could easily hold her own in a fight.
“Sorry." Coal smirked like he wasn’t sorry at all and set her feet down on the floor again. "It wasn't really planned, I was just meant to be grabbing some guns but everything took a bit of a turn."
"Yeah, I noticed you collected some strays. No offence," she added, throwing a grin in our direction.
“I got the guns too." He stepped back and started unstrapping the small arsenal that was attached to his body in every thinkable way. "And plenty of knives." They clinked down onto the table as well. When he was finished, the table held a pretty impressive pile of weapons. “That should keep us fed for a while.”
“Did you get hurt?" she asked, barely sparing the weapons a glance. She stood on tiptoes to inspect him, gripping his face between her hands and tutted at every scratch or bruise she discovered. He stood patiently for a few moments while she gave him the once over and I could see a smile playing around his lips at the treatment.
Rebel Rising: A Dystopian Romance (Cage of Lies Book 1) Page 18
