WILLA / GREER
River cocks his head and abruptly changes direction. He continues to firmly hold my hand, and I continue to follow him. For now. I don’t know whether I can trust him, but I know I need his help. My ear is still ringing from that shot. I don’t know how to operate the gun in my hand or the first thing about hiding from these people.
Plus, the longer we walk, the more erratic the path gets. Thankfully, brief glimpses of the interstate tells me we’re sticking relatively close to it. Worst-case scenario, I could leave him and try to hitchhike, but it scares me to even think about it, which makes me snort. I’m practically useless. How do I even begin to navigate this new reality of mine?
River suddenly presses me up against the tree with a finger held to his lips. Tensing, I wait, wondering what he hears, but seconds later I hear it, too. A distinctive swooshing sound coming from above, blades cutting through the still night air to hold the metal bird in the sky. Helicopter. A beam of light hits the ground in front of us, and I shrink against the tree. It sweeps from one side to the other, coming closer and closer. I bite my lip, knowing it’s going to reach us any second now. Barely breathing, heart pounding, I stand perfectly still, praying I’m wrong.
River’s body is taut against mine as his eyes sweep the forest around us. Suddenly, he crouches down near the base of the tree and tugs on my hand. Unsure, but willing to do whatever he thinks, I squat next to him. He moves in closer, pressing me into the trunk, his body hovering over mine, until we’re as small as possible. Once we’re in position, hundreds of crisp fall leaves magically begin to cover us, forming a dome of protection.
For the second time in a few days, I’m in a forest, fearing for my life, but this time, I’m not alone. Even if I didn’t feel him plastered against me, his spring-like scent fills the air around us, lightening my dark thoughts until I feel a sliver of hope. River’s heated breath brushes across my neck, and I suck in a sharp breath at the sensation but remain still.
It’s a good thing, too. The bright spotlight sweeps over the leaves, illuminating them for a brief second, then slides away.
Relieved, I start to stand, but River grabs my hand and gives it a squeeze, so I ease back down. Listening intently, I realize the helicopter hasn’t left.
For what seems like an eternity, we listen to it lazily sweeping across the sky. Sometimes the light swings across us, but most of the time, the metal bird hovers above as if it’s waiting for its prey to run.
A drop splashes on my hand, and I jump. Instead of brushing away the sweat, River dips his chin and rubs it on his shoulder. Confused, I look at his hands and realize they’re still outstretched at his side, holding up the leaves. Yanking my sleeve over my hand, I carefully wipe the sweat from his face, especially his eyes. When I’m done, he briefly lays his forehead against mine as if to say thanks.
The night air is cold but in our little enclosed haven, we’re generating enough warmth for the two of us to be comfortable. I lean back against the tree and wait for River to let me know when it’s safe for us to leave. After a while, he eases down to his knees to wait them out.
Finally, the helicopter moves on, and with a muffled curse, River drops his hands, and the leaves cascade over us. Blinded by the crunchy leaves, I quickly shove them out of my face, then brush them away from my shirt. River hasn’t moved. He’s still hunched over in front of me with his fists planted on the ground.
Touching his shoulder, I softly ask, “Are you okay?”
He nods his head and tries to stand but immediately falls back to the ground. With a harsh laugh, he raises a finger. “I’m going to need a second.”
I clear the leaves from my body and start on his. Plucking a few out of his hair, I silently give him time to recover while I get rid of the musty-smelling leaves. Once his hair and shoulders are free of debris, I sit and wait. The chilly night air sweeps across my skin, leaving goosebumps in its wake, but I ignore it.
With one hand on the tree for support, he finally stands. “Sorry. With all the power I’ve expelled tonight, it’s taken a little bit out of me.” He shares a look with me as if I should know what he means, so I nod and don’t tell him I’ve barely even used my power. “We need to get moving before the guys on the ground catch up with us.”
I frown. “You think they’re still following?”
He lifts a shoulder. “If not the original crew, then another. They have a limitless supply of soldiers at their disposal.” Taking my hand in his, he takes the lead. Although this time, our path isn’t quite as clear as if he doesn’t have enough to power to make the plants do his bidding.
A couple of hours later, the sun rises, and he tenses. “We need to figure out our location and determine the best place to lie low. They’ll be able to track us better in daylight. Are you sure you need to go to Atlanta? It’s too easy for them to find someone in the city. Too many damn cameras.”
I haven’t told him about the go bag on my back or the plan to find Phoenix, only the need to get to Atlanta. All he sees is the backpack full of clothes I’m carrying in my hands, although I’m sure he’s noticed there’s something under my jacket.
“I’m positive. Lionel thought it was the best place for me.” I don’t elaborate, but surprisingly, River simply shrugs his acceptance.
We decide to follow the interstate south and, thankfully, find a truck stop at the next exit. Semis fill the busy parking lot. But it’s the smell of greasy diner food that makes me whimper while my stomach growls. It must be time for breakfast.
“I’m starving. How about you?”
“With the amount of power I’ve used tonight? I could eat a mountain of food,” he says with a chuckle. “Tell me you have some money in that backpack of yours.” His flashes pleading green eyes in my direction.
I laugh, but it echoes in the morning air, and a sob escapes. Surprised, I clamp a hand over my mouth, but I’m unable to stop the tears. Lionel’s gone, and I’m standing in a parking lot talking about food and laughing with a guy I don’t even know and probably shouldn’t trust. Granted, River saved my life, but he’s a complete stranger, nonetheless. For several minutes, hysteria causes me to swing between laughter and crying, until River sweeps me into his strong arms and presses my face against his hard chest.
“It’s okay. Everything is all right. We’re going to find a way to get you to safety. I promise,” he assures me, his voice gruff with emotion. “Laugh. Cry. Just don’t scream. A big burly guy is staring at me across the parking lot. I don’t want him to think I’m hurting you. And I sure as hell don’t want to get into a fight with him. Dude is BIG.”
With a sniff, I stop crying and swivel around to look. Sure enough, a large beefy guy with ginormous biceps is staring at us. I laugh. Not in a hysterical way either. Thankfully.
I stretch up and whisper in his ear, “Can’t you use your superpowers?”
River glances around in an exaggerated way. “Shhh. We’re not supposed to let humans know about us. Cardinal rule. So, no, smarty pants, I’d have to fight him the old-fashioned way. Fist to fist, and since his fist is the size of my face, I’d like to avoid that scenario. After all, I like my pretty face.”
Tilting my head back, I stare up at him. It’s the first time I’ve stopped and really looked at him. A few inches taller than my 5’10”, he appears to be around my age, 23 or 24 years old, or maybe a year or two older. A strong jaw and high cheekbones have given his face strong defined features, but his bright green eyes and mischievous smile make him truly striking. Definitely hot, not pretty, and I’m pretty sure he’s used his face many times to get his way.
