Lilly's POV
The morning came slow and with it a heaviness that seemed to drag the light down the tunnel like it didn't want to touch the world above. We had made it through the night but barely. No one really slept since ever sound in here echoed, the dripping water, shuffling feet and Lilac's quiet whimpers she made in her sleep. I sat against the tunnel wall staring at the small circle of light from the air vent above us wondering what was left
Liam was the first to make a move, looking at his face you could tell he was exhausted and over it already. He was covered in soot and his jaw was tight with worry. The calm authority he had carried before the attack was still there but dulled and fading away.
"We will go in pairs," he said, his voice was rough from exhaustion, "stay quiet and if they are still out there we can not draw attention."
Scarlett nodded and checked her pistol while John followed with a low grunt, his arm wrapped around Mary's shoulders protectively. I waited until they went out first then looked to Liam.
"Do you think anyone else made it?"
His gaze went to the metal door and then back to me. "No I don't," he paused, "but we will make it count that we made it."
When the two of us emerged the air hit us hard, it was to much smelling metallic, thick with the stink of burned flesh. The compound wasn't a refuge anymore it was a giant graveyard. The once tall gate was leaning over in the wind, the cabins were in piles of burned wood and ash, the treehouses had fallen with their ladders scattered around in pieces. The air around us and the compound was making us sweat from the heat of the burned out fires.
"Oh God," Mary whispered while she clutched Lilac tight, the girl's face buried in her neck, too young to understand but sensing everything.
Scarlet stepped forward while looking around. "Jake.. Alice.." her voice cracked, "No one made it."
Liam's expression didn't change but his fists did, clenching tightly until his knuckles whitened. "We take what is left," he said flatly, "Whatever supplies, weapons or anything else that will keep us alive."
He moved first stalking off and pushing through the debris toward the half burned storage shed. I followed him, the smell inside was worse here it was combined of melted plastic, wet ash and decay. The shelves were still in order no matter the chaos that surrounded them.
"Here," I said while pulling down a half crushed crate of canned food.
Scarlet found a water jug along with a half melted first aid kit. "Some of this will still work."
Liam crouched beside a broken shelf his hand brushing over something, he held up his old gun that was still intact. He checked the chamber then reloaded it with a quiet precision as he whispered, "Guess I'm not done yet."
We regrouped near the gate, the others showed off what the managed to scavenge which included of blankets, fuel and a few tools. Mary looked beyond exhausted her cheeks were streaked with tears and dirt and she seemed like she could barely stand straight.
"There is rumored to be another settlement," Scarlet said holding up a stained map she had found in the storage building. "It's about twenty miles south near the old highway if it is still standing it could be our best shot."
Liam studied the map beside Scarlet for a long moment finally declaring, "We will move soon because the Hollowed won't stay gone."
"Should we bury anyone?" Mary asked softly.
Liam's silence said everything.
Scarlet placed a hand on Mary's arm and said, "There's no time plus the ground is too hard and if we dig we will alert the Hollowed that we are here."
Mary nodded reluctantly with tears slipping down her face while Lilac hugged her stuffed rabbit closer looking up at her with sadness in her eyes. I lingered a steps away looking at the ruined compound, then something shimmered faintly near the burned watchtower. The light flickering gold in the smoky air, for a quick moment I thought it was the sunlight but sunlight didn't move like that or felt like it was watching.
It had to be Kael, his presence pressed against the edge of my mind almost distant but unmistakable making my pulse quicken.
Liam's voice cut through the air as he said, "Lilly."
I blinked and tore my gaze from the spot where I am sure Kael was. Liam was watching me his expression unreadable as he asked, "Are you good?"
"Yeah," I forced myself to nod and continued, "Just looking around one last time and saying goodbye."
His gaze lingered a second longer than it should have with something like suspicion or maybe concern flickering behind it. I stared back at him with a straight face for what seemed like a eternity and then he finally looked away and said, "Okay, then let's move before we get caught up with the Hollowed finding us still here."
We all nodded, agreeing to his statement, not one of us ready for another fight with those creatures. We were all ready to finally find a settlement that we can take a moment and actually be able to rest and try to feel a little like ourselves again.
Everyone gathered together and we all slipped though the opening of the gate and stepping back into the wasteland. The road stretched before us, broken up into pieces making it more of a rocky dirt path. We marched along looking into the horizon and seeing the outline of trees for miles.
No one talked much besides the small reassurances that everyone was doing okay. We listened closely to our surroundings because every sound could mean danger. I noticed that the shadows would make Mary jump every so often and I would have to grab her shoulder to let her know I was right there with her.
I wish we weren't having to be on the move so fast after finding what seemed like a safe environment to rest in. My heart ached for Alice and Jake, we barely got to know them but they made us feel welcomed and I know we won't find many people like that, they deserved better. The weight of what we lost felt crushing and thinking of what is to come feels suffocating.
Lilac reaches back to me and grabs my hand then whispers, "Everything happens for a reason, at least we all have each other."
My eyes started to sting with coming tears, this little girl shouldn't have to comfort me I should be the one to comfort her.
We trudged along and after a few miles I felt the steady hum of something ancient and alive in my chest. Kael's presence had not faded, If anything it had grown stronger with every step I took away from the compound.
I knew he was out there watching and waiting for me, but somehow it started to feel like he wasn't the only one.