Lyla pulls over eventually once they are far away enough, eyeing something up high in the trees. She hides the bike amongst the trees and bushes till it's camouflaged, inserting the keys into a small bag across her chest.
She helps Beth off the bike who leans against her struggling to stay awake. They come to the base of a tree, a rope ladder hanging down which leads up to a treehouse.
"Beth? Can you climb? I'll be right behind you."
It's a struggle, but they make it up there before Beth fully collapses from the drugs. Lyla lowers their bags, pulling out two wrapped up sleeping bags and helps Beth into hers, tucking her in.
But not before wrapping Berhany's cut up arms on account she was slicing her arms with something sharp to keep herself awake and then takes the weapon from Beth who's now out like a light.
Lyla lies down on her sleeping bag, looking up at the night sky, something she hasn't seen in a year.
The country is vast, but she just knows she is going to find her sister, Paisley out there. She plays with the sharp she confiscated from Beth in her hands as she looks up at the sky.
Why do people do this themselves? She's not against it, wanting to make Beth and others feel bad for doing it. She just can't comprehend how making yourself bleed makes you feel better.
Hopefully it doesn't rain on them during the night. Her eyes flutter feeling tired, anderline wearing off and she's gone off her meds which is going to be a little brutal, but she was on the lowest dose possible and not more than one.
She should be fine.
Lyla wakes up to a small sensation of rain falling on her. Damn it, did rain and sitting up, she has to duck down low spotting Grayson in the distance, hearing minor chatter.
Shit, they're looking for them. Hopefully they don't find the bike. She crawls over to Beth, gently nudging her awake.
"Lyla?" Beth whispers stirring, the drugs having worn off.
"Stay down, they're looking for us."
And then they find the bike. "Come on, really?" Lyla whispers.
"It's over here! In the bushes!"
"Well, they couldn't have gotten far. It was dark when they escaped and Beth was also given night meds so Lyla wouldn't have been able to take them far. Expand out, searching the area." Grayson announces to the search party.
"Lyla." Beth repeats.
"I know, I know. You're still groggy. Just stay down, I'm right here with you. I'm not leaving.
We just have to wait for them to leave or we climb down and sneak away which will be tough."
"W-wait."
"I think you're right."
Soon enough the search party leaves the area taking the bike with them. "They had to find it." Lyla whinges, her and Beth now forced to continue on foot, carrying their bags and sleeping bags on their back.
They walk along trails, heading deep into the mountains, staying away from the mountsins not to be seen again for a good six months by anyone.
---
- Six months later -
Lyla followed by Bethany, both girls hair having grown out and in two space buns done by Lyla are creeping around a warehouse that is housing food and supplies. They're last meal was three days ago, and they're hungry, weak and tired.
They still have some water left. Lyla looks at the map she holds, both girls hiding in the shadows.
"Well, this it." Lyla tells her friend, but maybe something more at this point. They haven't confessed, but they or may not have used each other for romantic practice even though Gideon was Lyla's boyfriend.
But after being gone for six months, that's a relationship long dead now. "Coast looks clear." Bethany tells her, looking around for a pair of binoculars.
"Only thing is we need to be on guard, quiet and stealthy and watch our backs and exits. The dead could be inside, walking. They hug the exterior wall on the south side not checking the northside unaware that they aren't the only ones here, living that is. A small rusted blue pickup truck is parked on the north side, the doors left open for easy escape.
Lyla and Bethany enter through a side window, armed with knives, guns and flashlights. But they're going to try not to use the guns and flashlights to much if they can help it while exploring the inside.
They watch eachothers back as they head in deeper. They're coming from the side/front of the building while other occupants are hanging towards the back having scouted the building making sure it was clear.
A young woman and a far older man, his hair raven starting to turn grey, and growing out long.
They're exploring the shelves, the young woman pushing a trolley that they made sure didn't squeak, loading in cans. It becomes hard to see, and Lyla realizes Bethany isn't behind her anymore.
"Beth?" Lyla whispers, looking around for her. She can't see her and she doesn't return her call at all, whispering.
"Shit." Lyla curses lightly, flicking her torch on for just a second to light up the small immediate surrounding area. She can't see her and is now alone in the dark when she hears something metal dropping.
"You okay?" Speaks out a male voice. "I dropped a can. Sorry, Dad." Another voice responds, female.
It sounds familiar, but the inflections and so on are diffrent. "There's no way..." Lyla whispers, and they called someone Dad.
She pokes her head out, unable to see the young female, but can see the older man clearly.
His armed, and placing medical supplies, soap into a basket on his arm. Lyla's about to pull back and go into hiding when she sees Beth up just ahead on the other side of a shelf, her torch on and reaching for a can, the same one the young woman she can't make out in the dark is reaching for that she dropped.
They've seen each other and it's late for both shriek in fear. The man yells out, prepared to run over there, gun at the ready so Lyla has no choice, but to aim her gun and confront him from behind.
Something she would have not been brave enough to do six months ago. She was scared of the zombies and the apocalypse situation when it first happened, but since escaping and being on the road with Beth has taught her quite alot.
"Hold it! I'm armed to and will shoot you if you hurt her!" Lyla yells out, aiming her gun at the man.
"Alright, take it easy. I'll lower my gun if you lower yours. I'm not here to get into a fight, I don't want to hurt anybody." The man says.
"B!" Lyla calls out because Beth has a good front view off the man. "Please." The young female begs Beth, both holding onto the can.
"We need this."
"And so do we." Beth responds, pretty cold for the most part. The man and Lyla lower their guns at the same time, their friends watching who are nothing holding onto the same can.
Bethany and the young female both come out into the light, looking at eachother. Bethany doesn't even recognize her, but she recognizes Beth.
"I bit your arm. Is it ouchy? I'm sorry I ran away on you." She tells Beth, but Beth doesn't even recognize her. Beth and the female lower the can, the female gently slipping Bethany's sleeve up to see a lot of healed cuts, a few recent wounds and cuts and no sign of her bite.
"What are you on about?" Beth responds, harshly pulling down her sleeve. The young woman looks at Beth for any sign of recognition, but there is nothing. Her eyes just look blank and like there is something off about her even though it has been six months sincd Bethany has been on any kind of medication.
Because she and the young woman stepped into the light, the older man and Lyla can now see them. The young woman an identical copy of Lyla, but her hair different and a few scars while Lyla's skin is still fairly flawless.
"Holy shit." The man says. "Paisley." Lyla speaks. "Uh, I think you have a twin sister." The man points out.
"Lyla." Bethany calls out.
"What?"
"I'm sorry, but- I- This is Paisley?"
"Yes!!! God, I am identical twin, Beth! You know this!!! Paisley bit your arm before you ended up at the Compound!"
"I don't remember anything before ending up at the Compound. Yeah, Grayson told me the before story and so did you and Gideon-" But the man cuts her off.
"Did you really just say Grayson?! You're working with them?!"
"The Tomorrow Party?! No! Of course not!" Beth panics. "They we're hurting us, they we're everyone! We took the first opportunity we got to run away!" Lyla cries out.
"I had a seizure because of them! And it was fucking terrifying!" Beth adds on annoyed.
"Wait... Are you the 5th member? Grayson mentioned you."
She later told Lyla what Grayson told her. "Yes, but I'd hardly call myself a member. Not after what they did!" The man says annoyed.
"What's your name?!" Lyla begs.
"Cloud Shaw. And this is Paisley judging by what you called her. She couldn't tell me her name.
What are yours names?"
"Lyla."
"Bethany. Beth for short."
"Last names?"
Both girls open their mouths to speak, but nothing comes out. "Uh... We don't know." Lyla tells him.
"Damn it!" Cloud curses. "How long ago did you escape?"
"Six months." Lyla tells him.
"And you weren't followed?"
"At first we we're. But lost them nearly six months ago."
"You sure? I know them."
"We're sure. If they we're following us, they'd have nabbed us by now."
Cloud laughs. "Naive little girl. You'd be surprised by the real lengths they would go to in order to main control."
And then they hear footsteps.
"Yep, we're fucked. Fucking thank you so much." Cloud says angrily, him and Paisley darting out a side door.
"Wait!" Lyla yells. "I'll get Paisley!" Beth calls back, going on the chase after them out the side door.
Lyla doesn't get the chance to say anything, feeling a gun pointing into the back of her neck.
"Don't move or it's game over for you."
Lyla knows the voice, Murphy. And then someone else pulls her arms behind her back, handcuffing them. "Take her to the car. I'll personally go after the rest. I have a score to settle with both of them.
And Lyla, I'll get your sister for you since that is the thing you want bad enough that you escaped the Compound for." Solayo says walking right past her which sends shivers down her spine, him going after Beth, Cloud and Paisley followed by others with guns.
Cloud and Paisley are running down a hill having abandoned their car and most of their resources, pursued by Beth as they don't have many options right now, Solayo and everyone else on their backs.
"Wait for me, please!" Bethany begs them. "Absolutely not!" Cloud yells back, gripping Paisley's hand roughly as he pulls her after him when Bethany screams, tripping over something that causes her to tumble down hard to the ground, scraping her knee, bleeding and pants ripped open.
She's on the ground, trying to stand, but she can't and is stuck dragging herself unsuccessfully, her right leg and ankle now buggered.
She lays back, looking up the hill, chest beating wildly, the sunlight gleaming behind Solayo who stands up the top, making him look like a worthy being or something. Cloud and Paisley are almost gone, someone firing and the bullet just misses Cloud, causing him and Paisley to halt.
"The next shot will hit you." Solayo calls out, just as Murphy walks up behind Solayo. "Hands up, walk towards me."
Cloud and Paisley turn around, slowly walking towards Solayo. Murphy and someone else apprehend them, forcing them to walk back up the hill, relieving them of all their stuff.
Solayo heads down the hill towards Beth who's struggling to move away from him. "Now, now. Stop that." He says, bending down to her level and looking her direct in the eye. She's scared and it shows, she's unable to say anything in response, not that she wants to talk to him.
"Well, we've been looking for you and Lyla for the last six months. The resources such a journey has used up, you know?"
"......"
"So, Beth. How's this going to go? The easy way or the hard way. It's all up to you."
"My leg."
"I see that. While you've been gone, you're still in the area. Heading back to The Compound won't be overly difficult. We'll take you there, don't worry.
We can scan that little leg. Now, come on. Let's go." He says, bending down to lift her up in his arms. She struggles trying to get away from him, her leg aching which causes her to scream.
"So don't move then, Beth." He says.
---
- Five days later -
They're on their way back to The Compound, slowly Beth's leg began to heal, she was able to move it later so it's not broken. She has been separated from Lyla, Paisley and Cloud. Hasn't seen them the whole time.
She's in Solayo's car, him personally wanting to 'take care of her'. She's in the backseat, hands cuffed behind her back and hitting the mesh frame seperating her from Solayo with her feet.
"Bethany, stop that." He lectures, but she doesn't stop. "Beth, do not make me pull this car over and come back there, sedate you for your own good.
"I hope you burn in hell one day!" She hisses, him slamming on the breaks. "I warned you." He responds, climbing out and heading the back seat. Some cars pull over behind him checking everything is fine. He sends them back to their car, pulling open the back door and climbing in.
"No! Don't come near me!" Bethany yells at him trying to push away from him, he takes her right ankle, pulling her towards him. "That hurts!" She yells and climbs ontop of her. "Get off me! Get off!" She yells, her hands still cuffed behind her back so she can't fight him off.
She feels a sharp syringe in her neck, him pressing down, injecting the liquid. Slowly she calms down and he helps her to sit upright, undoing her cuffs and her arms fall beside her body. He gently takes each one, massaging around the bruises on her wrist.
She's struggling to stay awake and talk to him. "We'll be back home soon, it's alright. This will all work out in the long term, I promise."
Then her lowers her arms. "You hungry or thirsty? You want anything before we get back on the road? Cause every minute we're stopped is midnight oil we're burning, Beth."
"W-water."
"Sure." And he holds a bottle to her lips, her drinking. When she's done and before they get back on the road, he wraps padded cuffs around her wrists, securing them in-front instead of handcuffs, arms behind her back.
Climbing out, he closes and locks her door, hopping back in the front and starting the car back up. They and other cars roll up on The Compound, driving back inside and under, the last sunlight Bethany seeing before it all goes dark.
"This is our stop. End of the line, welcome home, Beth." He says, getting out the front. He doesn't get Beth out immediatly, sending Cloud and Paisley away before he let's Beth out.
He walks back, pulling Beth's door open and helping her out. She sees the rest of the leaders there, Ester, Grayson and Mikey. Mikey is holding onto Lyla, her hands in front of her, padded cuffs.
"Now what?" Grayson speaks up. "Send them to Isolation, 13th floor. They can join their friends." Solayo responds.
"My leg." Bethany complains. "You're leg is fine." He responds. "Solayo-" Ester speaks up. "Ester, keep your mouth shut. Her leg is fine.
Alright, let's take you down." He says, taking one arm and Grayson takes the other, dragging Beth into the elevator, followed by Lyla with Mikey and Ester.
"What's going to happen to us? How long are we going to be down here? Where's my sister and that guy?!" Lyla begs them.
None of the group respond. Lyla looks to Beth, pleading with her eyes. Bethany mouths back silently, 'I don't know what you want me to do or say. We're fucked, our lives are over.'
'Please!' Lyla mouths back. "Stop looking at each other." Solayo says annoyed.
"We're immune!" Bethany blurts out. She doesn't know why that's what she says, but it's the first thing that came to mind. Ester hits the stop button on the elevator quickly and she sees a bruise on the back of Ester's hear and ear, she's hiding it with her hair.
"Don't think I don't know about you accessing the holding cells where Gerald was." Solayo says annoyed and Grayson, Mikey and Ester look away, Mikey gulping. Solayo knows, he punished Ester as a lesson to her and Mikey and Grayson.
"Ester, resume the elevator please." He adds on, annoyed. "You have to believe us! What will it take to prove to you?" Bethany responds back, quickly.
Her and Lyla are now in so much trouble. They aren't immune. "I don't believe you. Stop wasting my time." Solayo snaps.
"Fine, your loss then. I'll just slit my neck and arms. You can lose out on a 2nd diamond in the rough." Mikey looks back at her like, 'Are you stupid for threatening for that?'
Solayo huffs. "9th floor, Ester. Let's test them then. But girls, I warn you this will hurt so if you're lying, what I will do to you will be even worse than us testing you."
Ester hits the button for the 9th floor and they proceed down there instead.
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