I take a deep breath in, feeling the chilly air. I have Avery clinging to my arm and she's busy chatting about what her old life used to be like, but there was also good things in her current life now if you knew where to look such as: Me.
We see Samantha's up ahead and so was Kelsey and Louis. We all duck down a side street to talk and Cloud is there with the two guys on Samantha & Avery's team. Everyone seems to be in a bit of a bad mood.
After some time spent talking, it turns our "ally's" have been hiding and stockpiling some stuff for ages. They had planned to leave, taking their chances to go into the frozen wasteland, the odds of survival higher if they're not supply-less and wanted us to come with them.
Turns out too, Samantha being cruel to me was a diversion for the guys on her team to steal a few supplies because the leaders back were turned, but also to prove a point. Namely bully me...
And now they're angry at me for the things I said which is understandable except for Avery. She says that she doesn't blame me for snapping, but I should try and make it up to everyone if I can later.
We hit our rooms quickly, then we leave. It's very easy for us to sneak, or should I say, walk out the main gates actually because security was down due to leaders looking for Shelby.
Samantha said that as long as we don't touch Merge in it's raw form with our bare hands or fall into any lakes, rivers or breath it in, we should be fine. Were geared up, taking the proper precautions.
I don't know where were going, but we can't stay at the Community any longer.
The injury I received was only half the strength so none of us want to see Sebastian's fully capable of. It's why were leaving. The leaders are dangerous, but I can't help feeling that perhaps what were doing is reckless, but staying is also risky!
It's a matter of weighing up the choices and consequences though. It's cold out here and I don't know how far we'll need to walk before we stop and settle down to make a home, but we will need to walk a long distance in case the leaders come after us...
"Do you think there is life out here?" I hear Cloud pipe up. "Maybe, maybe not." Samantha responds.
"Meaning?" Cloud follows with. "We might run into an odd community member out here who escaped like us. That plane... It might have been one of them.
No doubt by now that whoever they were will never be getting out of prison or Sebastian's labs, but there won't be a whole civilization if that's what you're expecting."
After that, the whole conversation dies down and we pass lots of frozen trees, hills, lakes and surprisingly, polar bears with their cubs in the distance. By now I'm shaking and I look behind me to see just snowy whiteness for miles around.
"Valerie's cold." I hear Avery speak up. "Are you okay, Valerie?" Cloud asks from behind. I begin to shake more. "Don't worry about me." I lie bitterly, looking away. I hear Louiw and Keleey sigh, approaching me. "Please don't be angry at Us, Jesse. I know that we were all angry at you for how you acted and the things you said, but were all stuck in this world together and eachother is all we have.
You snapped, but your not the first person too. We all have bad qualities and... You and me have had the best relationship ever, really..." Kelsey tells me.
"Are you in pain?" Louis asks to which I stammer out a, "Y-Yes."
"Come here." Kelsey says, bending down, allowing me to climb onto Her back. Louis gives my hand a reassuring squeeze. "It will be okay, we'll just walk a bit further and put up a thermal tent we have and continue tomorrow morning light once we've decided where going from here." Louis speaks.
I nod and just curl my arms around Kelsey's neck, shaking as we walk further into the snow as daylight begins to slowly descend into darkness.
---
What they all didn't know though was five people miles back behind them...
Five snow mobiles are parked and it's riders were all rugged up. One of them was looking around through a pair of binoculars and one of the others was checking a map. "We need to find them. They won't survive out here too long." Says the man looking at the map.
"This is by far, one of the most stupidest things Samantha has ever done!" He adds on.
"Yes. Yes, it it is, Sebastian." Answers Rain, her hair up in a bun, hiding beneath a beanie as she watches her three adopted children muck around in the snow together, playing. Come on, children. Back on. We have to find them before tomorrow." Sebastian announces.
"We won't survive either unless we don't set up a shelter now." Responds Owen and they all start setting up a shelter for the night, Harriet & Shelby actually working together.
---
Four and a half hours later, it's dark out and just as were about to stop and pitch our tents, I feel myself sinking slowly as I was becoming too much for Kelsey that she was hunching over now, but she insisted on still carrying me.
While she slows down, I see a small cabin in the distance.
"Look, over there!" I hear Cloud call and we all start running over to it as the snow storm were in, picks up, snow squelching beneath our boots.
Samantha & Avery with the help of the two guys on their Team pull the door open and move aside letting Kelsey in first to carry me inside, followed by Cloud dragging an exhausted Louis inside and then they all follow, pulling the door shut.
It's not very big and quiet bare except for a couch with a spring or two poking out, an upturned cardboard box table with some folding chairs, small kitchen and I see one single bed in the corner and Kelsey carries me over to it, laying me down gently before she slumps to the floor, groaning which scares the geebies out of Louis.
---
I wake up a few hours later feeling a gentle warmth. Opening my eyes and then sitting up to see Samantha and Louis are crowded around a fireplace, eating some bread with jam on it.
Kelsey is looking through a cupboard with Cloud while Avery is just sitting, resting against the wall, nearest to me. The other two guys of there team are also doing the same as her.
"Hi." I speak up, yawning. "Hey, Valerie!" Kelsey calls, still looking through the chest with Cloud. "Want some food? Louis offers I nod and he prepares me some bread with jam. "So... what's the plan?" I ask.
"Honestly, I never completely thought it through beyond escaping..." Samantha trails off. "But! Our best bet is stay in this small cabin for a little while longer and when it's daylight we go back out there because it will be a bit warm despite the snow and keep walking as far as we can go, but not super late that it becomes night.
We find a cave or somewhere fairly hidden where we won't ever be found and make a home there and live out the rest of our remaining years, complete with our own sustainable farm and everything like that.
It's all sappy I know, but I just wanted to be free. I didn't feel able to withstand a second longer of just being controlled by Sebastian..."
"You don't need to explain why, Sam. We understand." Louis tells her.
"Thank you..." Samantha trails off. She's reserved, but has a good soul. "There's food for everyone else!" Louis speaks up, holding a stack more pieces of bread with jam. Kelsey & Cloud stop for a moment to take a bite.
Avery and the other Guys are still asleep. "Let them rest, they deserve it." Louis says, knowing what I was thinking. "If you want me to take over Sam so you can have a sleep like the rest of your team, go ahead." Louis suggests.
"Y-you sure? I-I never usually rest... I-I always worry about them and..." She trails off bringing her hands to her chest. Louis nods. "Yes, you deserve it too. I don't think you and Valerie are that different from eachother. You both look out for everyone else and never take a moment for yourself.
Isn't that right, Valerie?" Louis says looking at me.
"Y-you think of me like that? I act nothing like that!" I choke out. "What? Of course you do. You would spend time with and helper younger kids who were new the teachings of magic and in sports, you were often team leader." He smiles.
"O-okay, maybe only five minutes..." She trails off, curling up on the floor near Avery. Soon she starts to snore slightly and the only ones of us, awake now is me, Louis, Kelsey and Cloid "Just us now..." Louis point out.
---
"That was so good!" Kelsey squeals.
"Yes, it was nice to have an uninterrupted meal. Good thing too is that Valerie has no one taking food away from her." Cloud comments. "Yeah, you're right! Finally now, she might gain some weight back and some strength." Louis says in agreement.
"So, who did you thinks lives here?" Cloud questions. "Dunno, but we might wanna leave as soon as possible. Who knows when or *if* the potential occupant will come back and I don't think they will be happy to find a group of strangers in their house." Louis says. "We leave at first light then." Kelsey adds on.
It's nice to see all my friends getting along. It's been ages since we have. All we have been doing is fighting with eachother. They all deserve this block of peace too. Not just me and Samantha!
They all have done so much for me the past few weeks and carried me when I could no longer carry myself. "So, found anything good in the cupboard?" I ask. "Not much, random stuff." Cloud replies back. "You will make sure not to disturb it's contents too much, right?" Louis asks looking unhappy. "Sure, we will! Don't worry!" Kelsey responds in a cheeky manner. Her and Cloud look at eachother, smiling. "Okay... If you're sure." Louis replies, looking unsure.
After this, the conversation dies down and my friends all hit the hay as well. Guess it means I should go back to sleep too... I can't help this feeling that is at the back of my gut, telling me that something is wrong here. I stand up, slightly wobbling to look out the window.
The sky is a light blue with minor purple hues despite it being night time. Almost as if it was day, but it's not. I guess that night's here are pretty different compared to back home, huh? None the less, it's beautiful! Beautiful beyond belief! I look at the the massive forest of trees around us that are decorated in snow.
So frail they are, but they glisten in the light of the moon. Even the lakes and ribers with Merge all frozen around the edges look beautiful, the water has a purple tinge to it at night.
Very different from when we spent hours walking past them earlier when it was daylight. You can't argue that none of this is beautiful, despite it being dangerous, but beauty is dangerous, hehe! I sigh and rest my head on my arms as I just stare out. I don't mind the slight chilly breeze that's lingering as the fire is still on, warming up the room. My hair blows ever so gently with the small bubbles of wind there is.
---
I wake up later slightly confused. Did I fall asleep at the window? I stand up straight from leaning on the window ledge to see the night is getting lighter, but it's still "dark" out. The room feels slightly cold though...
I take a look at the fire seeing that it has run out of wood. It's not too cold, but eh. Should I wake someone so I can light the fireplace again? or I should let the person I choose have their sleep, uninterrupted? I decide against waking anyone and feel more awake just wanting to stare out the window again at the world. I can see far away on the hills is a mom polar bear and her cubs, playing in the snow. It's so adorable!
Just then I see the light shift a bit and a gentle aura appears above the hills in different tones. It's an aurora! It's so beautiful! I look behind seeing everyone is asleep. I shouldn't wake them, but I wish they all could get a chance to see it. Maybe another night they will? Just then I hear a ticking and look to see a clock near Cloud is making a bit of sound, the hand slowly moving towards 5 a.m o it. I'll wake them all up soon so we can hit the 'road' again.
Just then I hear a strange sound. It's like the whir of a motor...? I lean out the window as I best I can despite my short height to look around. I can see blocky shapes in the distance with what looks like people ontop. Bright lights are shining at the front...? Oh no!
I step back shaking a bit. I going to feel so guilty for this! I bend down, shaking Louis awake by his collar. "Louis, wake up!" I cry. "Huh? W-what's wrong, Valerie?" He asks groggy. Kelsey and Cloud sit up too, hearing my panic followed by both the Guys of Avery and Samantha's team plus them, themselves.
"What's the matter?" Samantha asks, standing up, holding her back like it hurts, but they did sleep on a hard wood floor while I had a proper bed while Louis and Kelsey slept on the couch and Cloud sleeping on some foot ottmans.
"Valerie, babe, you okay?" Avery asks me, standing up as well.
"Huh, it's pretty much daylight." I hear Louis comment, rubbing his sore, tired eyes. "It wasn't the best sleep, but it was something." Kelsey comments..
"We need to go, now!" I cry pointing out the window. "What is that sound?" Sam asks, walking over to the window and Avery passes her a pair of binoculars so she can look further into the snow. Her face literally drops as she slowly lowers the binoculars, hands shaking.
"Crap!" She curses under her breath and I feel her shove me out the door into the snow that I almost trip. She puts the binoculars away into her backpack, slinging it onto her back. "We gotta go, now!" She yells, running out and grabbing my hand, to pull me along.
I look back seeing the panic stricken faces of everyone as they grab their stuff too. I see Cloud open the cupboard quickly and I see him pull out an exact replica of a Core control panel. Oh my god... He quickly hides it in his back-pack. Did he find it, steal it? Is he going to make us go home later?
We all start bolting through the snow. "If we can get lost in the snow, they will lose sight of us!" Samantha exclaims, grabbing onto my wrist to increase my speed as we all run, our feet sinking into the snow. It's fresh. It must have snowed again overnight.
Just then I hear the sound of engines speeding up, just gliding across the snow, effortlessly. The Guys and Avery look back as we run. "Is it who we think it is?!" Samantha calls out. "Oh yeah, it is! We might wanna pick up the pace a bit!" Avery calls back and we all start pushing our legs faster. Samantha is still holding onto me. I hear Cloud puffing.
"I am not made for this anymore! I'm much older than all of you! My broken body and aching bones!" He complains.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, I get it, Grandpa! But we don't have time to stop now!" Samantha says harshly back. I see a river ahead of us that it frozen over, but it's quite large and will be difficult for us to all run across. Unless we all can leap onto it perfectly and somehow glide over wearing our shoes, then... "Are we goanna able to make it across there?!" I call out. "Oh, yikes! I see what you mean!" Louis responds back.
"We're just goanna have too..." Samantha says shortly. "My cousins right, we don't got much of a choice!" Avery responds back. Were nearing the frozen river and then I just hear this *whoomp* sound and I hear the sound of something being launched. A pile of snow fly's up near the Guys, but just missing them to which they gasp and speed up again.
"Seriously?! They have what ever that was to launch out of something like a canon?! Argh! You have gotta be kidding me!" I hear Kelsey complain.
"This is not good! This is not good!" I hear Avery saying repeatedly. "Hello, more running, less talking!" Samantha grumps, still holding my hand.
I hear the sound of something being launched again and this time it lands near Avery, but just missing her. "Let's hope they don't figure out how to aim properly!" Cloud calls out.
"Were less than half a meter to the river!" Samantha calls out pointing, we push our selves more and Louis followed by Kelsey race across, slightly slipping, but manage, getting to the other side in one piece. Cloud goes afterwards. "Weeeeeeeee! That was actually fun!" I hear him say.
"Come on, you can do it!" They all call. It's just me, Samantha, Avery and the Guys who haven't crossed yet. Samantha looks back quickly as she pulls me along. "Ah, fudge it!" I hear her say and she roughly grips me back. "What are you doing?!" I cry out. "Helping you! What does it look like?!" She yells back and she gives me a good throw forwards a bit more so that I'm ahead of her, Avery and the Guys.
"Valerie, come on!" Kelsey calls out and I see her, Louis and Cloud are spread out on the other side to catch me when I finish sliding so I don't fall into the snow, wasting precious seconds. Just then I hear the Guys scream and I see them hit by a net, knocking them down together, wrapping around them both, that they can't get up. "Just run, Avery!" They both shout.
"You're almost there!" Louis calls out, his arms open to catch me. I hear the sound of what sounds like a megaphone. "If you three cross that river at the same time, it could break under your feet!"
"That's the chance we're all goanna take, Sebastian!" Avery calls back. I quickly look back seeing that Hariet, Shelby and Owen have stopped to grab the Guys. It's just Rain and Sebastian who are proceeding. "No, stop! It's too risky!" I hear Rain try also, but we ignore her. "God, don't you know when to listen! Stop, this instant!" Sebastian commands again.
I reach the frozen river and I put my feet on an angle getting ready to slide across and I feel a force behind my back pushing me that I'm given an extra boost, it was Avery! I start gliding across, but it's so slippery that my body is going really fast and my friends are running which ever way, struggling to predict where I could end up so I don't fall flat on my face.
"Stop!" I hear Sebastian yell. I'm almost to the end and I see Samantha grab Avery roughly, throwing her just like she did with me, but Sebastian and Rain jump off their snowmobiles, running towards them.
"Oh no, you don't, Sprouts!" Sebastian yells, fighting with Samantha who has yet to cross. Avery has pretty much only just made it onto the ice and Rain leans forwards, grabbing her arm.
"You are not going anywhere, Avery!" She hisses and Avery starts straining to pull out of her grip.
"No! Let go of me!" She cries out trying to fight Rain. "Rain, get off the ice, god-damn it!" Sebastian yells at her which gives Avery a chance to break out of Rain's grip and Avery throws herself stomach first on the ice, sliding across at an impeccable rate. Wow! Just then I hit the end of the frozen river, almost tumbling with force and Louis grabs onto me last minute. "Got you!" He smiles, pulling me into a hug. Kelsey and Cloud come close to us. "I think we should RUN!" Cloud yells.
"Uh, duh! We got Valerie and that's all that matters!" Kelsey yells, pushing Cloud and they start running. Louis grabs onto my coat, pushing me forward. "Just run!" He yells and I bolt then Kelsey grabs onto me, pushing me that I end up in distance with Cloud while she's behind us.
"What is that Blondie doing?!" Cloud yells. "Staying back for Avery?!" Kelsey responds. "Louis, forget her!" Kelsey yells back. I'm shocked to see his staying.v
"I'm sorry, but I can't!" Louis calls back who is still standing at the edge of the frozen river, waiting to catch Avery
"Got you!" I hear Louis say and he pulls her up off the ground, dragging her along behind Kelsey, I & Cloud.
What a bad time for, 'No one left behind', Avery and Louis quickly catch up to us putting distance between us and the river. I hear Rain raging that we escaped and we all look back seeing Samantha land a sock on Sebastian to his nose and she just sprints across the river, absolutely booking it! "Yes! Sam!" Avery cheers as she runs, her arms in the air.
"The time for celebration can be later!" Cloud yells to which Avery shuts her mouth instantly. Just then a mighty crack rings out and I see Samantha slip, falling into the river, but she pulls Her self out quickly. "Shit..." I hear Avery whisper and then we run and run till we end up in a clearing of trees, but the mountain range goes in a circle that there is no way out.
We stop to quickly catch our breath. "Are you okay, Valerie?" Kelsey says, approaching me and wrapping me in a hug. I nod, intensely. "Good." She responds shortly.
Avery is coughing pretty hard and Louis is pretty much hitting her back to help her. Cloud's still on 'flight' Mode. We see Samantha approach us, dripping wet and dragging her feet.
Her clothes are drenched, eyes red and filled with tears.
"Sam!" Avery cries, running up to her, but Cloud prevents her, dragging her back. Sam's standing there, shivering and wraps her arms around herself, her teeth chattering
"A-are you sick?" Louis asks. Samantha just closes her eyes, continuing to shake.
"Sam!" Avery cries out again, trying to pull herself from Cloud's grip, but he doesn't let go of her. Samantha opens her eyes a second later, letting out a shaky breath. "Ju-just go." She chokes out and we look at the mountain range behind us. "None of us are climbers. Were not trained professionals and don't have the experience." Louis warns.
"Oh so, you wanna wait for Sebastian and Rain to catch up to us, huh?" Kelsey scolds walking towards it and putting Her foot on one of the rocks and her hands up higher. "You coming, Valerie." She calls back, looking at me.
"Come on this is risky, Kelsey. We shouldn't do this!" Louis pleads. "What if one of us fell and broken our neck from a great distance or our back. We'd survive, but be paralyzed or even die."
"And we have no where else to go Louis, but up!" She argues back. I go to step forward towards Petra, but Louis seizes my shoulders. "No, we'll find another way." He says.
"We don't have time for this!" Samantha finally speaks. I see Cloud shrug and he pushes Avery towards Kelsey who takes her hand, pulling her up the first 'step' so she's on the mountain cliff too. "Valerie?" I hear Nell saying in a scared tone. Petra is nodding her head for me to keep climbing.
Louis looks back to Samantha. "I-I can't go w-with you all." She chokes out, shaking more. "It's the e-end of t-the r-road f-for me. G-good luck, Avery. I-I b-believe in you." And Samantha has the biggest smile on her face as she gazes at Avery. "I'll miss you, Sam!" Avery says.
"I know, and I will miss you too. I love you." Samantha smiles, her lips turning blue. Louis looks sympathetic.
"I'm staying with Sam so she isn't alone."
"Stay safe, Louis..." Kelsey says, looking like she's about to cry. "Yeah, you to. All of you."
We leave him behind with Samantha. His made his decision.
"That girl is going to die." I hear Cloud say under his breath. "Why?" Kelsey whispers back.
"That was frozen water. There was Merge in it's raw form in it." Cloud answers. Avery doesn't seem to be hearing a word of this as she keeps climbing. As we climb, Louis with Samantha gets smaller and smaller, I look up seeing the sky going dark.
"What's happening?!" I hear Avery panic. "I-I don't know! It shouldn't be night yet... My guess though is this is our magical 'friends' doing..." Cloud trails off as we keep climbing towards the top of the mountain range. The aurora and stars coming out to say, 'hello' again now.
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