NO POINT OF RETURN

Lena's POV The stillness of the dawn opened out before us, a terrible peace that bit at my nerves. My heart hammered in my chest, each pulse reminding me of how precarious our circumstances now were. Though I wanted to think we were safe, Alex looked at me and I knew we were far from it. His mouth closed and his eyes flew to Finn, who was just ahead inspecting the road ahead. Alex today was different from him yesterday. Under his typically calm attitude, the frigid rage bubbling underlined had become more intense and erratic. Though neither uttered a word, I could sense the tension in the air between him and Finn. But Alex's forbearance stunned me after all Finn had done—his treachery, the lies he concocted. I doubted my own ability to be so under control. I spoke gently, "Finn," breaking through the quiet. He paused and turned back toward us. "How far until the next safe house"? He stopped, only momentarily, then responded. "If we follow the trees and avoid the main roads, a few miles." Alex murmured something under his breath, and I saw the edge of a scowl developing on his face. Given Samantha's condition was getting worse every minute we delayed, I knew this pace was aggravating him. Her little breaths served as a continual reminder of how bad things were. Samantha had been in and out of consciousness starting at the cabin. Her body was limp in Alex's arms, and her temperature was raging. We were forced to keep on, but I could see Alex was tired of it. Though he was robust, he had limitations. Approaching Alex, I said, "I can take her for a bit." He shook his head, determined black eyes. "I have her," he grudgingly answered. His voice carried a finality, a tenacity that made me back off. I didn't argue. He needed this—to feel useful, to have something else to concentrate on rather than the developing tempest between Finn and me. As we strolled, the stillness among the three of us got weightier. Finn stayed back, ever just a few steps ahead, scouting, preparing, thinking. I pondered what might be going through his head. Was he second-guessing the decisions he took? Alternatively was he just living the way he always had, methodically precise in all he did? Though I despised it, part of me couldn't quite mistrust him. Finn had first saved us, then again. Leading us across these forests even now, he was keeping us alive. Still, the betrayal still lingers. The elderly Finn I once thought of as a friend left unknown quantities. Alex broke the quiet by saying abruptly, "We cannot keep running forever." Though his voice was low, his remarks hung in the air. I turned to check him. Though his expression was stern and concentrated, I could see holes in his armor. More from him had this struggle taken than he would have wanted to admit. We won't, I answered, trying to project assurance. We will figure out how to call off this. He spoke nothing; he simply kept going, his hold on Samantha intensifying. Though he tried to hide it, I could see the doubt flickering in his eyes. More than anything, his fading hope scared me. Finn stopped quickly as the trees started to dwindle after hours of wandering. He bent low and gestured for us to follow. My pulse racing, I dropped to my knees next to Alex. "What is it?," asks Whispering, I looked out toward the horizon. Finn did not reply straight away. He was concentrated, his eyes strained as he glanced among the thick foliage. He turned slowly back toward us. " Movement is ahead. The orders' patrols. My heart dropped. < Another meeting was unaffordable for us. Not with Samantha in this state. Not with Alex clinging to life. "How many?" With a low but firm voice, Alex questioned. Finn mumbled. "Difficult to say. Might be a small group or more depending on circumstances. Still, they are near. Alex's gaze clouded, and I knew he was already planning. But there was no fight we could compel ourselves to win. We had to outsmart them, slide past without calling for help. Finn responded, his voice tinged with irritation: "We'll have to take a longer route." " venture farther into the forest." Alex's lips compressed and his tolerance obviously was running thin. And what happens when they surround us from all sides? We have little choices right now. "We'll sort something out," Finn said, looking at me. But we cannot squarely confront them. Not like this. There was a stop laden with unresolved conflict. Alex seemed to be mistrusting, but just now he was lacking ideas. For better or worse, Finn presented our best hope. Alex remarked at last, his voice icy: "We'll move at dusk. "Until then we wait." Just enough cover to keep us out of sight, we came onto a little clearing tucked among the trees. Alex set Samantha down on the floor; her face was pale and clammy. I knelt next to her, brushing her hair out from her forehead. Her lips dry and chapped, she mumbled something incomprehensible. Looking up at Alex, I continued, "We have to find her medicine." She won't endure very long if we do not. He answered silently, "I know." His eyes locked on her, his face incomprehensible. The weight of every decision we had taken up to now was clearly visible on him, the guilt. Though the words felt hollow, I assured them we will find something. The reality was, I had no idea how much more we could carry on in this manner. Every advance seemed like we were entering a trap, every choice dragging us farther into a web of risk. Finn called for us to move as the sun started to fall and long shadows started to slink through the woods. We went silently, negotiating the underbrush; the sound of far-off footsteps reminded us of how close the adversary was. Finn set the example, his methodical, slow motions. Heart thumping in my chest, I stayed near Alex. Every sound and every motion shocked me with terror. We were right on target for capture, and that knowledge weighed over me like a dark cloud. Finn froze suddenly, his hand pointing silently in a directive. As I bent low, my pulse skipped a beat and my eyes flew around seeking the threat. I then came upon them. Two people walking slowly among the trees wearing the dark robes of The Order. They were quite near, too near. I held my breath and prayed they would not see us. Though I could feel the strain coming from Alex, his hand stroked mine, a small comfort. The numbers halted, their heads twisting as though they had heard something. My pulse raced. Should they come across us, it would be finished. After a protracted pause, though, they continued on and vanished into the forest's shadows. My heart still beating, I let out a faltering breath. Though I knew it wouldn't last, we had been lucky this time. Finn said, "We need to move faster," his voice taut with need. We pressed ahead, the evening closing in all about. Though it made it more difficult to see, the darkness also made it tougher to be spotted. Every stride felt like a danger, every moment a bet. I gave Alex a quick look. His jaw tightened and his face turned grim. For Samantha, for all of us, I knew he was trying to keep it together. But I could see the fissures developing, the weight of everything gently crushing him. Finn halted suddenly as we came close to the edge of the jungle. His face white, he turned to face us. He continued, his voice almost above a whisper, "We're close." "But you really should check something." His guidance brought us to the top of a little ridge, and my stomach felt as we descended. The settlement ahead, the one we had been headed toward, burned. Flames licked the heavens to give the scene an orange hue. Figures passed through the smoke, and even from here I could see The Order's symbol on their cloaks. "They've already been here," Finn said, his voice tinged with terror. They are here waiting for us. I started to feel a tsunami of hopelessness. We had little time or choices. Alex turned to face me, dark eyes full of a determination not seen before. "We establish our position here," he remarked. "No running anymore." I nodded, my chest thumping in time. this was it. Our point of no turning back from.