Reid tromps through the undergrowth, letting his mind run right down a road into a mess of anger, when he stumbles out of the trees and onto a trail.
It looks so familiar he immediately freezes before darting back into the shrubs. It’s a hunter’s path, just like the ones he ran on when this whole craziness started. Reid is so sure just setting foot on it will bring the hunters he crouches in the bushes and pants his anxiety out.
When nothing happens and no one comes, Reid calms. It’s not like there’s cameras or sensors in the dirt. He doesn’t think so, anyway. Reid goes back out on the trail and listens. It’s quiet, just the normal morning noises of birds, insects and small animals, backed up by the sigh of leaves in the wind.
His relief is short-lived and brings him back into the real world. Resting in town last night was foolish, no matter how good he feels now. He can’t take that risk again. None of them can. And while the hunters may not be there yet, he is sure they are on their way.
As if in answer to his fear, he catches their horrible song, the faint but unmistakable call that makes his knees weak.
They are coming.
Reid runs all the way back to town, covering the distance in record time, the backpack slowing him a little as it snags branches and he realizes if he’s forced to run for real again he’ll have to find another way to carry what he needs.
It’s not long before his feet leave the dirt and pound over pavement, on his way to the gas station. He sees kids milling around outside, their fear as clear as his.
“Indoors,” he snaps at them. “Now!”
They obey automatically, slipping inside, him entering last. He looks around the interior, doing a quick head count and breathes a sigh of relief. They are all here, freshly scrubbed and dressed, some still eating while mostly they hover and shiver.
They too have heard the call, he’s sure of it.
“You’re back!” Milo hugs him hard around the middle, his curly hair just brushing Reid’s chin. He smells like soap. Reid hugs the boy back while Leila looks away. But not before Reid gets a good look at her.
Beautiful. So pale and remarkable it takes his breath away.
He doesn’t have time for her now. “The hunters are coming.” It’s obvious but he knows he has to say it. “We have to go, now.”
“Go where?” Marcus doesn’t move but something about his attitude is different. Gone is the sullen anger, replaced by a strong vibe of self-entitlement. Like nothing Reid does can hurt him now. As if Leila’s endorsement gives him license to be an asshole. “We have everything we need right here.”
“That’s what they want you to think.” Reid doesn’t have time to argue with them. “Don’t you get it? This whole town is a trap. Look at this.” He holds up a package of chips someone dropped on the floor. “Look at the expiry date.”
“Yeah, a month ago.” Marcus rolls his eyes. “They’ve been here forever.”
“Okay,” Reid says. “Now think about the pit. The bones.” He sees their faces fall, their fear increase. “The burned stuff under them. Think that happened a month ago?” Reid has no way of knowing for sure, of course, but his gut is telling him not. “That means this place,” he waves around him, dropping the bag, “has been restocked. Restocked. For us. Or kids like us.”
They are at their limit now, he feels it. They are ready to break, to run at last. Until Marcus speaks up again and ruins everything.
“We can hide here.” They sway back and are lost to him. It’s obvious from the looks on their faces. “There are tons of places. Spots we can defend if need be.” He looks right at Reid. “Or we could go running around the woods again, waiting for the hunters to pick us off, one by one.”
“Like where?” Reid needs them to see, to understand. “Where will you hide?”
“The house down the street has a basement.” Megan is getting used to speaking up. He’s surprised she has pretty red hair and a ton of freckles, none of which he noticed when she was dirty.
A couple of kids mutter agreement and Marcus nods like that’s his idea exactly.
“There, you see?” He sits back, arms crossing over his chest. “We’ll board ourselves up in the basement.”
“And then what?” Reid looks around. “Slowly run out of food while the hunters wait you out? And if they decide to attack, will you be able to hold them back? You won’t have an escape route this time.” He meets Marcus’s eyes. “They’ll keep the house surrounded.”
“An attic then,” another boy pipes up. Reid doesn’t really recognize any of them now that they are clean.
“Same problem,” Reid says. “Worse, actually. They can just pull the ceiling down and you’re done.” He sighs. “If you want to hide, you need somewhere with lots of exits you can watch. And defend. A basement or attic just won’t cut it.”
“And your idea is better?” Marcus gets to his feet, approaching slowly in an arrogant strut. Reid would love to beat it out of him but holds back. He’ll need all of his energy and refuses to waste another ounce of it on Marcus. “Out there, no protection?”
“Our best protection is to keep moving.” Despite his physical reserve, Reid won’t let Marcus win. Can’t. “And now that we’ve found the fence, we can search for the gate.”
Marcus laughs out loud. “The gate. Right, your gate.”
“There has to be one. How else do the hunters get in? Bring these supplies?” Are they swaying back to him? It’s hard to tell, there is so much emotion in the room.
Marcus pushes on, relentless. “Tell me, Reid, how do you think that plan will work out, then? As well as your first one? Trapping us in the mine?” He snorts, looks around. “Look where that got us.”
“Clean,” Cole says in his clear voice, blonde hair shining in the light. His blue eyes lock on Reid and he smiles. The kid looks like an angel. “Clean and alive, with a full stomach. And safe, at least for now.”
They sigh as one, look at Reid like their hero again. He wants to shake them all. They are not safe. His whole body craves the need to run. He can’t believe how calm they are, how willing to stay there with the hunter’s call, no matter how distant, still echoing in his bones. And even though Cole isn’t making a move to leave, not even Marcus has a comeback for that one. Reid is happy to see him shrink in his arrogance a little.
Reid is about to thank Cole for speaking up when the boy shocks him. “But I still agree with Marcus.”
Everything stops. All eyes turn to Cole. He looks sad but decided, a holy cherub with dark circles under his eyes and a face aged beyond his years. “I’m sorry, Reid,” he says. “I’m tired of running. There has to be a way to stay here and make a safe place for ourselves.”
“Until when. You’re rescued?” Reid can’t believe Cole is standing against him, willing to risk the hunters.
“I’m not stupid,” Cole says. “I know that’s not going to happen. And there’s a good chance we’ll have to run again soon. But until then I need to rest. We all do. Eat, gather our strength. This isn’t forever. Or probably for very long. But I’m staying until I can’t stay anymore.”
It’s not Marcus then that keeps them there, that gives them permission to cave in and quit. It’s Cole’s simple truth. And Reid can hardly blame them. It’s a damned good argument. But Reid simply can’t agree with.
“Vote on it, then.” Marcus raises his hand. “All for staying.”
Cole’s arm shoots up. Megan’s. A handful at first, then more. Finally, all of them, Milo, looking shame faced and terribly sad, and Leila included. Little Alex hovers next to Marcus and refuses to look at Reid, his arm shaking as he holds it high.
“Reid?” Leila’s voice is soft and pleading.
“I can’t,” he says. “This is wrong. I won’t play into their games anymore.”
Their arms all drop slowly. The worst part is, he’s sure they know he’s right but are too afraid to leave now that they’ve found a shred of normal to hang onto. But it’s a lie, all of it, and Reid can’t stand another second.
“We’ll put all our efforts into fortifying a position,” Marcus says while Reid watches. No one tries to change his mind. Not even Leila who never gives up trying.
Reid doesn’t respond to that or even think about what comes next. It’s like a huge knife has cut the tie between him and them. He feels the separation like a blow but doesn’t show it. They have chosen. They are turning away from him physically as well as emotionally, talking among themselves, making their plans without him. He stands on the outside, looking in, even though he is right there with them still.
For better or worse and for the wrong reasons, they have chosen Marcus. And while Reid knows if he changes his mind, tells them he is staying, they will welcome him back and beg him to lead them. But Reid can’t trust any of them anymore.
Or himself, for that matter.
He turns and leaves the station, walking in slow deliberate steps, moving on while the kids do the same.
***