SHADOWS FROM A DISTANCE

Lena's POV Tension permeated the air, the kind that sunk into your bones and would not go. My eyes locked on the far-off tree line, my heart throbbed in my ears. Every shadow and every slink of motion made my spine shudder. The forest had turned into our foe; its dark limbs hid threats we were blind to. Alex stood ahead of me; his tense shoulders and flashing eyes suggested he expected an attack right now. His normal calm was strained; the weight of everything—Samantha's illness, the unrelenting search of The Order—hanging on him. I could not find the words, but I wanted to say anything to calm his worries. What might I possibly say that would not sound hollow? Rather, I concentrated on the road ahead, on the crunch of leaves under my feet, on the rough bark of trees brushing against my arms as we rushed across the thick woodland. It was all I could do to keep ahead despite the agony in my muscles and the tiredness dragging at the margins of my consciousness. "How much farther?," I asked, disturbing the stillness of great weight. Against the expanse of the forest, my voice seemed little and nearly meaningless. Alex slowed and turned his head slightly but not toward me. Not too far. If we keep this pace, we should arrive in the village late evening. His voice was disciplined and tight. I sensed he was hiding something—his anxiety, his dissatisfaction. Samantha would not survive very long, as both of us knew. And we would lose her if we failed to get aid shortly. I accelerated to be walking next to him. "We will make it," I answered, sounding more assured than I felt. She will endure. She usually does. Alex spoke nothing, but I could see the strain in his jaw as his hands closed into fists at his sides. attempting to be the protector, leader, and keeper of everything, he was attempting to stay together. But under that I noticed the fissures developing and the weight became intolerable. For a little more, we strolled silently, the only sound the rustle of leaves and the sporadic twig snapping. Long shadows were spreading over the woodland floor as the sun started to sink. The dimming light simply made me more uncomfortable. Every dark corner seemed to provide cover for threats. Alex said, "Lena," abruptly, his voice low and desperate. I looked where he pointed—to the treeline, where movement swirled among the trees. Though it was faint and hardly discernible, one could not confuse it. Not just us. Alex said, "Get ready," his hand already reaching for his gun. I followed the same pattern; the chilly knife handle was a familiar comfort in my palm. Breath held, we watched the shadows move in front of us. The strain was intolerable; the expectation of what lay ahead coiled hard in my chest. Then, emerging from the darkness, they The first figure shot from the shadows with terrible speed. I hardly had time to respond before Alex arrived and squarely faced the assailant. As their guns collided, the intensity of the hit sent a tremor through the air and metal reverberated through the woods. I was not far behind. Another person materialized, flying toward me with a blade pointed for my throat. Instinct seized, and I moved fast, sidestepping the attack and knife stabbing out. The knife made its mark cutting through skin and cloth. I did not stop even when my assailant staggered back with blood blossoming from the cut. I couldn't afford to. We battled in a fury, the woodland resonant with the sounds of conflict. Though Alex was a force of nature, his motions were erratic and exact, yet too many of them existed. Two more seemed to replace each one we knocked down. We were being pulled under an unbounded tide. Alex moaning with exertion, his breathing labored as he repelled another assailant, was audible. My muscles burning with effort, I was having trouble keeping up. But something changed in the air as I sliced out at another person. A high-pitched whistle cut through the tumult, and the attackers were suddenly withdrawing, disappearing back into the darkness as rapidly as they had shown. Breathless, we waited there waiting for the following wave while still drawing firearms. Still, it did not show up. Alex remarked, his voice strained: "They're gone." He dabbed at his brow, staring across the blackened woodland. "For now." She covered my knife, her hands quivering slightly as the surge faded. " What was that? Why would they have left? "I'm not sure." Alex shook his head with obvious irritation. "We cannot remain here, though." They are returning. I nodded while my heart kept pounding. "We must maintain forward motion. Get to the village. Hurrying forward, we pushed farther into the woodland as the last light of day vanished beyond the horizon. Though the village was not distant, each step seemed heavier than the last. The weight of what we had just experienced—of what was still to come—pressed down on me and I knew Alex felt the same. Night had descended completely by the time we arrived at the settlement. Nestled in a valley, nearly concealed by the surrounding trees, was the little cluster of wooden houses. It was quietness, too quiet, the sort that caused my skin to crawl. "We'll find somewhere to rest," Alex muttered, his voice low as he looked over the empty street. Then we may decide what to do next. I nodded, though discomfort tore at me. Something about this place seemed improper. The windows lacked lights and there were no noises of activity. The village looked to have been deserted. We came upon an old inn close to the village's outskirts, its door just ajar. Alex gently opened it, glanced inside and then gestured for me to follow. Inside was stagnant air, and the furniture was just barely dusty. Nobody had obviously been here for a very long period. Alex said, "This will have to do," gently laying Samantha down on one of the ancient beds. She was still unconscious, breathing shallow but steady. Relaxed to discover her pulse still there, I knelt next to her. She's hanging on, I whispered, looking up at Alex. But we really need her to help us. Not far off. He nodded, but his look was detached and he fixed his eyes on something beyond the window. "We will," said We first have to identify those persons. Why did they pause as well as attack us? Rising, I walked to stand next to him. You believe they belonged to The Order? "maybe. But there seems to be something wrong. They did not seize the opportunities presented to finish us. We both weighed the ramifications in a heavy quiet between us. The Order lacked a reputation for compassion. Should they wish for us dead, they would have ensured that happened. So why hold back? There was a loud commotion from outside—the sound of swift, forceful footsteps heading toward the inn—before I could speak. I looked at Alex and my heart shot into my throat. We were not alone. He murmured, "Get ready," and his hand went to his weapon. I did the same, once more adrenaline coursing through me. Though we had lived this long, I felt in my gut that whatever was ahead would drive us to the brink. The door creaked slightly, and the person entering the room surprised me. Finn asks? I gasped, horror widening my eyes. His face was dirty and he was sweating. His eyes were crazy. Lena, Alex; you have to go. Right now. And everything we knew collapsed all around us exactly like that. Finn's visit, his mysterious warning, all pointed to something considerably more deadly than we had ever thought—something far more massive.