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The Burning 18
By the time I reached the cabin, my breath was coming in short, frantic bursts, my heart pounding in my chest. Ben was there, sitting on the edge of the cot, his rifle resting across his lap. He looked up as I burst through the door, his eyes narrowing in concern. "Maya," he said, standing up quickly. "What happened?"" I couldn't speak. I couldn’t find the words to explain what I had just seen. Instead, I sank down onto the cot, my hands trembling as I buried my face in them, trying to steady my breathing. "Maya!" Ben said again, his voice more urgent now. He crouched down in front of me, his hands on my shoulders. "What’s going on? What did you see?" I took a deep breath, forcing myself to look at him. "Harlan... he's torturing people..." I whispered, my voice barely audible. "A man—he was accused of stealing food, and Harlan... he..." I trailed off, unable to finish the sentence. Ben’s face darkened, his jaw clenching. "We need to leave," he said firmly, his voice hard. "W
The Burning 19
We ran until our legs burned, until the sounds of Eagle's Nest faded into the night and were replaced by the rustle of wind through the trees and the distant call of night birds. The forest was dense, the shadows thick and impenetrable, but it was our cover. Our sanctuary. For now. It wasn't until we reached a small clearing—a space barely big enough for the three of us—that we stopped. I doubled over, hands on my knees, gasping for air. My lungs felt like they were on fire, my muscles trembling from the strain. Ben was right beside me, his chest rising and falling with heavy breaths, his eyes scanning the darkness for any sign of pursuit. Sarah collapsed against a tree, her face pale and sweat-soaked, but her eyes burning with determination. "We did it!" she gasped, a small smile tugging at the corners of her mouth. "We actually made it out..." "Not yet," Ben said, his voice low and tense. "We're not safe until we’re far away from here. Harlan won’t just let us go. Not after
The Burning 20
I leaned back against the wall, letting out a long, shaky breath.Ben sat beside me, his body warm and solid, and I felt the familiar pull between us, the unspoken connection that had been there ever since we’d first met. Even in the worst of times, even in the middle of this nightmare, there was something between us—something I couldn’t ignore. "You okay?" Ben asked, his voice low and rough in the quiet. I nodded, though the truth was more complicated than that. "I'm... here" I said, forcing a small smile. "That's something, right?" Ben chuckled softly, but there was no humor in it. "Yeah. That’s something...." We sat there in silence for a while, the weight of everything we’d been through pressing down on us. I could feel the tension in Ben’s body, the way his muscles were coiled, ready for action at any moment. But there was something else too—something softer. Something more vulnerable. He turned to look at me, his expression unreadable in the dim light, but his eyes wer
The Burning 21
The radio felt like a lead weight in my hands. My mind raced, piecing together the implications. Someone had been listening in on us—tracking our every conversation, our every move. For how long? I glanced up at Ben, who was staring at the radio with the same horrified realization. "Shit," he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "How the hell did we miss this?" I didn't have an answer. I felt sick, a cold knot forming in my stomach as I thought about all the things we'd said, all the plans we'd made—thinking we were safe, thinking we were alone. But we weren't. Someone had been watching. Listening. Sarah came back into the room just then, her brow furrowed with concern as she noticed the tension in the air. "What's going on?" she asked, her voice low. I held up the radio. "We found this," I said, my voice tight. "Someone’s been spying on us." Sarah's eyes widened, her face going pale. "What? How— ?" "I don't know," I cut her off, my mind still reeling. "But we need t
The Burning 22
Just as we were about to move again, a sound cut through the silence—a rustling in the trees above us. I froze, my hand instinctively going to the knife at my belt. Ben raised his rifle, his eyes scanning the darkness. "Did you hear that?" Sarah whispered, her voice trembling. Before any of us could react, a figure stepped out of the shadows—a tall, broad-shouldered man with a scar running down the side of his face. I recognized him immediately. Marcus Kane. My blood ran cold. "Going somewhere?" Marcus asked, his voice smooth and mocking as he stepped closer. He was flanked by two other men, both armed, their faces hard and expressionless. I felt my heart plummet into my stomach. Marcus was one of Harlan’s top enforcers, a man known for his brutality and loyalty to the camp. He must have overheard us talking about our escape. We were caught. But something about his expression didn’t sit right with me. There was a gleam in his eyes, something calculating and dangerous. And
The Burning 23
The forest was a blur of shadows and branches whipping at my face as we ran. My lungs burned with every breath, and my legs screamed with exhaustion, but I didn’t stop. I couldn’t stop. Not with Marcus and his men right behind us. Not with the weight of betrayal pressing down on us like a lead blanket. Beside me, Ben moved like a ghost, his rifle clutched tightly in his hands, his face set in grim determination. Sarah was just ahead, her smaller frame darting between the trees with surprising agility. But I could see the panic in her eyes, the way her shoulders hunched every time we heard a branch snap behind us. The fear was starting to take hold, and I knew that if we didn’t find some way to lose Marcus soon, that fear would eat us alive. The forest was dense, our only salvation. It offered cover, a labyrinth of trees and undergrowth that could confuse even the most seasoned hunters. But we weren’t dealing with amateurs. Marcus was ruthless, smart, and driven by something mor
The Burning 24
I gasped, my fingers clawing at his arm as I struggled to breathe. My vision blurred, my head spinning from the lack of oxygen. I could hear Ben and Sarah fighting somewhere nearby, the sounds of grunts and scuffling filling the clearing, but I couldn’t focus. All I could see was Marcus's cold, hard eyes boring into mine. "Do you really think you're going to escape?" he growled, his grip tightening. "Do you really think you can outrun me?" I couldn't answer. I couldn't breathe. But then, out of the corner of my eye, I saw movement. A flash of steel. And suddenly, Marcus grunted in pain, his grip loosening as he staggered back. Sarah. She’d come up behind him, slashing at his side with a knife. It wasn’t a deep wound, but it was enough to give me the opening I needed. I kicked out, my boot connecting with Marcus’s knee, sending him crashing to the ground. I sucked in a ragged breath, my throat burning as I scrambled to my feet. But Marcus wasn’t down for long. He pushe
The Burning 25
Pain radiated from my side with every step, a sharp, relentless reminder that I was slowing us down. Each breath was like a knife twisting in my ribs, and I could feel the warm, sticky trickle of blood beneath my jacket. Ben shot me worried glances every few minutes, his brow furrowed with concern, but he didn’t say anything. He didn’t have to. We both knew I wasn’t going to last much longer like this. The forest was dense, the trees towering above us like silent sentinels, their branches casting long shadows in the fading light of dusk. The air was thick with the smell of damp earth and pine, the sounds of the night creeping in around us—crickets chirping, the rustle of leaves in the breeze, the distant hoot of an owl. Normally, the forest would have felt like a sanctuary, a place where we could hide from the horrors of Eagle’s Nest and the dangers that lurked beyond. But tonight, it felt like a prison. Every step felt heavier than the last, and I could feel the weight of the
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The Burning 64
I stared at her, my heart pounding in my chest. "Chloe, you can't—" "I can." she cut me off, her voice cold. "And I will. You’re either with me or you’re against me." The silence that followed was deafening. I felt like I was standing at the edge of a cliff, staring down into a void. Chloe had backed me into a corner, forced me to choose between my loyalty to her and my own moral compass. But how could I stand by her side when I knew what she was doing? How could I betray everything I believed in? Before I could respond, Ben stepped forward, his voice steady but urgent. “Wait.” Chloe’s eyes flicked to him, her expression impatient. “What?” Ben shifted slightly, his bound hands clenching behind his back. “There’s something you don’t know.” Chloe raised an eyebrow, her interest piqued. “Oh? And what’s that?” Ben glanced at me, his eyes full of unspoken words. Then he turned back to Chloe. “I’ve been in contact with another group. A military unit. They’ve been tracking you
The Burning 63
The moment Logan lunged, time seemed to slow. His meaty hand reached for me, and instinct kicked in. I dodged to the side, just narrowly avoiding his grasp. Ben and Daniel weren’t so lucky. Logan’s men were on them in seconds, rough hands pinning their arms behind their backs, muffling their protests with swift, brutal efficiency. Samantha’s eyes wouldn’t meet mine as I backed away, my heart hammering in my chest. I could still hear her voice, that soft, apologetic tone she’d used when she betrayed us. I wanted to scream, to demand an explanation, but I knew it was useless. Whatever loyalty she’d once had to the settlement—or to us—was gone, replaced by her blind faith in Chloe. “Maya,” Logan growled, his voice low and menacing, “don’t make this harder than it needs to be. Chloe’s waiting.” I glanced at Ben. His face was set in a grim mask, but his eyes flickered with something else—something I couldn’t quite place. He held my gaze for a moment, then gave the tiniest nod, as
The Burning 62
She’d been a schoolteacher before everything went to hell, and even now, she still had that calming presence, that way of making you feel like things could be okay, even when they weren’t. She was exactly the kind of person we needed on our side—someone people trusted. “Did you find what you were looking for?” she asked, her eyes darting between Ben and me. I nodded, handing her one of the papers. “It’s worse than we thought. Chloe’s been orchestrating everything. The raids, the attacks—it’s all her.” Samantha’s eyes widened as she read the document, her face pale. “We have to stop her.” “That’s the plan,” Ben said, his voice steady. “But we need to be smart about this. Chloe’s got Logan and the rest of her loyalists watching every move. If we mess this up, we’re dead.” Samantha nodded, her expression resolute. “I’ll talk to a few people I trust. Quietly. We’ll need to move fast, though. Word’s already spreading that something’s off.” Daniel appeared in the doorway, his fa
The Burning 61
The moment Chloe’s cold, steely gaze locked on me, I knew I was in deep shit. My pulse pounded in my ears, and I could feel the weight of the papers tucked beneath my jacket, the incriminating evidence I’d found only moments ago. I had seconds to act, seconds to figure out how to explain why I was rifling through her things like some common thief.Damn, should've picked a better time. But there was no use lying. Chloe had always been good at sniffing out deception, especially when it came from me. “Maya,” she said again, her voice low and dangerous, a predator toying with its prey. “What are you doing?” I straightened, clutching the edge of her desk to steady my shaking hands. “Looking for the truth, Chloe. You can’t keep hiding it!” Her eyes narrowed, and for a moment, I thought I saw a flicker of something—guilt? Fear? But it was gone as quickly as it appeared, buried under the ice-cold mask she wore so well. “You’ve been listening to the wrong people,” she said, stepping in
The Burning 60
Daniel looked at me, his eyes full of quiet determination. “Because you’re her sister. And because I don’t think you’re like her. People are starting to lose faith in Chloe, Maya. The settlement’s on the verge of fracturing. If you don’t do something soon…” He didn’t finish the sentence, but he didn’t need to. The thrreat was clear. If Chloe kept pushing, if the people kept living in fear, it would only be a matter of time before everything collapsed. I stood slowly, my mind racing. “I need proof,” I said, my voice wavering. “If I’m going to confront her, I need more than just rumors.” Daniel nodded. “I know. But be careful. Chloe’s not one to take kindly to being challenged. And if she thinks you’re a threat…” He didn’t need to finish that sentence either. I already knew what Chloe was capable of. I returned to the clinic, my head spinning with Daniel’s words. Ben was awake when I walked in, sitting up on his cot, his eyes sharp.. “You were gone a while,” he said, his voice low
The Burning 59
I couldn’t sleep. The weight of everything pressed down on me—Chloe’s cold words echoing in my mind, the tension in the settlement, the gnawing feeling that something deeper was wrong. I tossed and turned on the small cot in the corner of the clinic, listening to the soft rustle of the wind outside. The fires had died down, leaving the night dark and eerily quiet. Too quiet, especially for a place like this. Ben lay a few feet away, his chest rising and falling steadily now that he was mostly recovered. He was still pale, but the strength was coming back to him, slowly but surely. Part of me wanted to wake him up, to talk through everything that was swirling in my head. But I knew his answer already: We needed to leave. But I... I wasn’t ready for that yet. I couldn’t just leave Chloe behind, no matter what she had become. She was still my sister, and some small, stubborn part of me believed I could reach her. That I could help her see what she was doing. But the more I tried to co
The Burning 58
Dr. Shaw glanced around, making sure no one was listening, before leaning in slightly. “We’re out of almost everything vital—antibiotics, painkillers, clean bandages. I’ve been asking Chloe for weeks to send out a team to scavenge for medical supplies, but she refuses. Says the security of the settlement comes first. She’s been hoarding resources for the guards, for the walls. Meanwhile, people in here are dying from infections and wounds that could be treated if we just had the right supplies.” I felt a surge of anger rise in my chest. “That can’t be right. Chloe wouldn’t—” Dr. Shaw gave me a sharp look. “Wouldn’t what? Put her own survival above others? Use people as pawns to keep her control? You’ve seen how she runs this place, Maya. She’s not the girl you remember anymore. whoever she was.“ I bit my lip, my mind racing. I didn’t want to believe it, but deep down, I knew Dr. Shaw was right. Chloe had changed. Drastically. Maybe more than I was willing to admit. “She’s hidi
The Burning 57
Thhe smell of antiseptic and sweat hit me the moment I stepped into the clinic. It wasn’t much more than a hastily erected tent with a few cots and a couple of shelves lined with ragged bandages and half-empty bottles of medication. The moans of the injured filled the air, mixing with the low hum of voices and the occasional clatter of metal. It took me back—back to long nights in the ER, back to the controlled chaos of saving lives on the fly. But this wasn’t the ER. This was New Haven, and we were ALL hanging on by a thread. I forced myself to swallow the knot in my throat and stepped deeper into the tent. One of the settlement’s guards, a young woman no older than twenty, sat on the edge of a cot, clutching her arm. Blood seeped through the makeshift bandage wrapped around her forearm, and her face was pale, her lips trembling. “Hey,” I said gently, kneeling beside her. “Let me take a look at that.” She flinched at first, like she wasn’t used to someone offering help.
The Burning 56
I stared at him, my chest tightening. “You think she’s.... dangerous?” “I think she’s hiding something,” Ben said, his voice lowering. “And I think whatever it is… it’s not good Maya.” I opened my mouth to argue, to defend Chloe, but the words stuck in my throat. Because deep down, I knew Ben was right. There was something off about Chloe, something she wasn’t telling me. And I couldn’t shake the feeling that whatever it was, it was connected to The Burning. “I found something out while I was out there,” Ben continued, his voice barely above a whisper now. “Something I didn’t want to believe at first.” I frowned. “What do you mean?” Ben looked around, making sure no one was listening, and then leaned in closer. “One of the soldiers in my unit—his name was Carter—he died in the first wave of attacks during The Burning. But before that, he told me something… something strange.” “What?” Ben’s eyes were intense, his voice low and urgent. “Carter said he’d been in contact wi
