The yard catches fire and I grab Walker’s arm. “It’s not what they’re running from, but who?”
Chapter 16
There’s no time to worry about what or who the Eaters are running from because the house is moments from bursting into flames. The room falls into various degrees of panic but Walker, like always, is calm.
“Tell me what to do,” I demand. We’re not getting out of here alive without a plan.
“Are there back stairs?” she asks Finn. He shakes his head no. “Can we jump?”
“Yeah maybe. If we don’t land on the monsters,” he says. Again, he looks seconds from being sick.
Good point.
“Everybody on the roof,” Walker says. She looks me and Jackson in the eye. “We’ll figure it out from there but we can’t go down and we can’t go up. We’re going out.”
With packs on our backs and weapons in our hands, we climb through the window. Finn and Mary have nothing but the clothes they’re wearing. Everything they own will be cinder soon enough. The yard shines bright and gunfire blasts under the crackling fire. The ice and snow that surrounded the yard has melted into puddles, providing a damp barrier to the spreading fire.
The Eaters run with no logic, trying to escape the fire, and they have no regard for the puddles, stepping over them to reach the house.
“Who do you think is out there?” I ask Walker. Even though the fire made it bright, there’s too much smoke to see.
“With that kind of firepower?” she asks. “I’m afraid to ask.”
We both fear the Hybrids may have caught up to us.
“Over here!” Jane calls and we see her near the chimney. “Look.” She points to the backside of the house where it’s still dark and the melting snow has revealed a soggy pile of hay. “If we help one another down, we may be able to land without injury. Then we can run the opposite way—into the woods.”
Finn peers over the edge and says, “There could be anything in or under that pile. Like machinery or tools.”
“The monsters will get us the minute we land,” Mary Ellen adds. Her fingers tug on the silver cross around her neck.
“Would you rather burn?” Green asks. “Because that’s your choice. Burning alive or taking a chance to survive.”
“Mary,” Finn says. “God sent these people to save us. They didn’t bring the Eaters or fire with them. We knew the day would come and we thought we’d die like everyone else. These people can help us. We have to do what they say.”
The girl nods. “Okay.”
“I’ll go first,” I say, ignoring their concerns. “Once I’m down, I’ll stand guard for whoever comes next.”
Green grabs my arm. “I’ll go. Jackson can help me and everyone else down. Then he’ll go last. He’s the tallest and has less distance to fall.” Jackson nods in agreement.
“I want to go.” I bristle at the idea of a man thinking he needs to step in for me.
“He’s right,” Walker says. “He’s a better shot than you anyway.”
I roll my eyes but there’s no time to argue. Green kneels on the edge and Jackson grabs his hands; we all grab hold of him to help with stability. Green drops over the edge, giving me one last nod.
He lands with a grunt and in the shadow of the house I see him wave. “Walker—go next,” Jackson declares.
She moves quickly, giving her hand to Jackson. Just before she dips below the surface he pulls her back up, kissing her on the mouth. “Be safe.”
My heart breaks right there, cracking under the pressure of this shitty life where we fight for every second. The calm of the last three months means nothing if the instant you walk out the door you have to choose between surviving and being with the one you love.
I’m sick of this war, the Eaters, and the never-ending struggle to live.
I watch Jane follow Walker, caught by Green before hitting the ground. She and Walker jump to a defensive position, waiting for Eaters or whoever else may come around the corner before we’re all down.
“Finn, you’re up,” Jackson says. He looks at me. “You okay, Ramsey?”