Oh God, I'm sorry I haven't been able to update in forever. God school gets in the way of everything it seems like. But I finally finished another chapter. I feel really bad I haven't been updating. i really want to. I wish I could just stay in my room and write all day, but sadly life gets in the way a lot. But here's the next chapter! Hope you all enjoy!!!!!



I was awake during Kimberley and Jason’s talk. Kimberley irritates me so much sometimes when she claims she’s fat, or a nobody, or in this case a monster.



After I’m sure Jason and she are asleep. I get up and walk over to her coat and find the journal she brought. I open it to the second page and begin to write.



Day 1 Night,



So today was interesting. We traveled for what seemed like hours and then ended up in a ghost town you could say and Kimberley battled a man bull. She killed him. Yet it wasn’t that sad since he killed people before him in the ring. Besides that. In the ghost town we found a woman named Razor. She helped us get directions and told us a story on how she even escaped the facility. So it’s not impossible but it is hard. And then we ended up in this very creepy hotel. Or motel, if there’s a difference. And it smells like death and cigarettes and old people. So, in short terms, it smells awful. But I guess it’s better than sleeping out in the woods.



Checking in,



Ronnie



I shut the book and turn off the light. I walk over and slip the book back into Kimberley’s coat. I see her shift on the bed but she doesn’t wake up. I sigh and slide back under the covers and fall asleep.







I’m awaken when someone shakes me frantically. I moan not wanting them to go away. “Ronnie!” I hear someone snap impatiently. I open one eye and make out the face of Blake.



“We are leaving.” He says. I groan and yawn. Then sit up and fumble with covers trying to untangle myself from the sheets. I crack my back and neck from an uncomfortable night sleep. I put my feet on the ground and feel the cold, hard carpeted floor. I sigh and walk to the bathroom looking at myself in the mirror.



“No time princess,” I see Kimberley peak her head in. I turn in surprise and see her already in her Assassins outfit. She wears her hair in a side braid, with some hairs falling out of its places. “We need to keep moving.”



“What I can’t even brush my teeth?” I say.



Kimberley sneers, “Hurry up. Everyone else already did. We need to hurry.” She closes the door allowing me some privacy in the small room. I take a toothbrush and start to scrub my teeth. Fats and hard getting the tough to reach parts.



“Ronnie!” I hear Kimberley scream my name. I spit into the sink and wipe my face with the towel that was placed in the hanger next to the sink. “Coming.” I call back.



I rush out and see Saige still getting ready, slipping on her own uniform. I pull on my pants over my long underwear and the heavy but soft jacket over top of my shoulders. I look over at the boys and Kim. But she is looking away from all of us. Her face gazing off to the left. I try to read her expression. Confusion? Sadness? Hard to depict. She just holds the gaze before I declare I’m ready and she’s the first one out the door.



We all pile into the car, Kimberley taking the passenger’s seat. Blake argues that he should be the one to sit there, but I see Jason give him a stern look telling him to get in the back. Then Blake shuts up. Kimberley, however, doesn’t even look up. She looks down, her arms crossed in front of her with her feet on the seat pressing against her chest. Not in a talking mood I can decipher.



I sigh, “Just another day.” I comment over to Saige who grins.



We drive for a bit and sometimes one of us doses off. Kimberley doesn’t even turn around to talk to us, she sits up in her seat tired and sad. Something tells me Kimberley had a rough night last night, not to mention a hard day. Killing a guy then sleeping in a rundown old motel isn’t my idea of a five star rest.



I watch her intriguingly. She seems normal, but I know what it’s like to hide your feelings. Even though someone may seem normal on the outside, they are always fighting their own battles inside. And I think Kimberley is fighting one now, but she continues on.



We stop a couple of times to eat. I chat with Saige and Ivan while Jason and Blake talk between themselves, but Jason always keeps looking at Kimberley who stays in the back of the truck when we stop. She seems deep in thought at all times. Her expression doesn’t change when she turns her head to us, making sure we are still following. She hasn’t eaten since we left, only drank some water.



Now I get worried. I know Kimberley would never kill herself, in any situation, but I know the incident yesterday really did shake her up. Maybe Kimberley is realizing what she got herself into. How dangerous this journey really is.



“Continuing on the directions laid out for us by . . .” Jason looks back for the name of the woman we met.



“Razor,” Blake says.



“Razor,” he makes the name sound weird, like it tastes bad on his tongue. “We should reach Indiana in little over two hours.”



“Good, the sooner we get out of Michigan the closer we get to Canada.” Blake complains. He turns his head to Kimberley. She just smiles and nods in approval then goes back to looking forward and being silent.



“What’s wrong with you Kimberley?” I ask myself looking her in the front. Saige overhears me and slides closer to me. “What did you just say?” She says curiously.



“I’m nervous about Kimberley, why isn’t she talking?” I repeat.



“Probably still shaken up from yesterday. That was a really big guy y’know. She could have easily died.” Saige explains. I roll my eyes.



“Yeah, I know, but she didn’t. She should be happy, she won.”



“Will you two shut the hell up?!” We here Kimberley blurt out back at us. She turns her head enough so we can see it. Her face is scrunched up in anger. “Don’t act like I can’t hear you. You just don’t understand, okay?” Her voice is irritated and demanding. “So my suggestion for you two is to shut up about something you don’t even understand.”



“Kimberley,” Blake slides closer to the front so he properly talk to her. He puts a hand on her shoulder. Kimberley turns her head to him still having the same expression. “Calm down, it’s over.”



Kimberley stares at him for another minute then turns back around leaning more towards the window, holding her knees up into her chest. She leans her head against the window and sighs.



I roll my eyes in annoyance. But I shouldn’t blame her. Killing that man was an experience for all of us.



“We’re here.” Jason says looking up at the sign reading Indiana and the population numbers which is going up and down every time someone enters the state or leaves. We cross and the population probably went up six. Jason drives steadily on the road and picks up speed as we pass the sign. “Indiana.’” Jason smiles nodding. “So two states down. And it’s only 1500 hours.” He looks at Kimberley. She looks down in shock.



“Didn’t think we’d make it?” Ivan smiles turning to Kim as well. Kimberley turns her head to him grinning at his comment. “I didn’t think you were, compared on how thin you are.” Saige and I laugh while Blake and Jason just exchange a funny look.







Whenever we came to a town it is hit or miss. Some towns were safe. Kids playing on their front lawns and people chatting in restaurants and having a normal conversation with each other. We knew these were the towns that were safe to stretch our legs and buy some more supplies.



But as soon as we come to a town that has been torn down, bombed, or just in depression, Kimberley and Jason exchange a look and Jason picks up the speed on the car. I think we’re all glad he did that. Beggars are on the streets putting out their weak hands for money or food. I see children in dirty, ripped clothes clutching to their mothers in fright. All I can do is look away.



“Shit,” Jason says looking at the meters below the dash board. “We need gas.” Sadly we aren’t in the best part of towns. It is run down and people are on the streets looking for whatever they can find.



“Seriously, we can’t continue for another couple miles or so?” Blake asks.



“We’ll have to. That’s probably where the nearest gash station will be. But if you mean we have to stop urgently, then yes.”



“Then we need to stay close together.” Saige says crossing her arms. “Who knows what kind of people live in this town.”



“Beggars, robbers, criminals, murderers, -“



“Ivan, shut up!” Saige says pushing her brother to shut up.



“Saige, Ivan, stop fighting. It’s not helping anyone.” Jason says back to us. “Just a few more minutes and we can stop.



“Or we can stop here.” Blake says looking out the window at an old, beat up, gas station.



“You’re kidding right Blake,” I say looking out the window as well. “You are seriously saying we should stop here?”



“If we need gas that badly we can stop here and get out of this town as soon as possible.” He says turning his head to his older brother.



Jason gives it a thought then turns the truck in the station. He puts it in park next to a pump but hesitates before getting out. “Keep the supplies close.” He mumbles. He gets out of the car and walks to the back flipping open the gas compartment.



“He doesn’t have any money does he?” Kimberley says. She sighs and takes out forty dollars. She hands it to me. “Give this to him will you.” She says.



“Fine,” I strap my backpack around my shoulders just in case and walk out of the car to where Jason is standing at the back watching the pump count up was it keeps filling up the tank.



“Here, Kimberley said you would need this.” I say holding the money out for him.



“Don’t need it, there’s no one here anyways.” He says with his arms crossed. “I’d be feeding an empty machine.”



Suddenly I feel someone grab onto my ankle and pull me hard backwards. I release the money and feel a hand wrap around my throat. “Jason!” I scream loudly. I see him come running around the back and soon everyone is out of the car with their packs on. Kimberley has a look of horror on her face.



“Let, her go.” She growls. The man grins and takes out a knife. He raises it up and I feel my heart pound against my chest. I stomp on his foot and he cringes. I’m able to run from his grasp, almost. He pulls me back by the foot and turns me with my back to the ground. I’m about to call help again only to feel the man jab the knife into my thigh. I scream in pain. The knife is left there, he doesn’t even bother ripping it out.



“Ronnie!” I hear Kimberley scream over the sound of my ringing ears from the pain. I clutch the knife handle in my hands and feel it in my leg. I can’t do it. I can’t pull it out. Not without help.



The man is suddenly tackled off me, and I roll to one side. My eyes closed trying to seduce the pain in my leg. “Ronnie,” someone comes over and takes my head in their lap. It’s Jason, it has to be.



I look to one side and see Kimberley beating the man up as she punches him across the face again and again. Then I see her pull out a knife about to cut the man’s throat. Here it comes, the death blow. But she hesitates and keeps the knife raised.



And all at once a sharp shooting pain rips through my whole body and I scream at the top of my lungs in agony. Kimberley turns her head giving the man enough time to take his fist and punch her hard across the head. She falls to the side and doesn’t get up.



“Kimberley!” I hear another scream. Saige’s. She rushes over and shakes Kim. I hear a car start and Blake shouting for someone to stop. Then there’s gunshots. A lot of them, but the truck drives away.



“Shit!” Blake says throwing the gun on the ground. “God damn it!”



Jason slowly helps me to sit up and look at my injured leg. Blood runs from the wound and I press my hand down on it to try and seduce the bleeding.



I see Kimberley get up holding her cheek. She moves her jaw bone a little making sure it’s not dislocated. “Are you okay?” Blake says rushing over to Kimberley’s aid.



“Yeah, yeah, I’m she,” Says shooing him away. “How’s Ronnie?”



I’m terrible, the pain is too much. I can’t move. It hurts so much! “I’m fine.” I lie.



Kimberley walks out onto the road and sees no truck. “Did we get all the supplies from the truck?” She asks hopefully.



“I strapped the bag of food onto my bag.” Saige says showing her bag with the food. “Luckily we all grabbed our packs right?” Kimberley doesn’t look so enthusiastic that we remembered all the supplies. She still seems out of it from the hit to the jaw. Then she looks down at me. “Are you going to live?” She asks.



I nod. “But it hurts like hell. And I can only put pressure on one leg.”



She crouches down in front of my leg and examines the wound as Jason still holds onto me. “I can’t do any medical treatment here. We’ll need to get deep in the forest before I can fix anything.” Then she reaches into her bag and pulls out some cloth. She then slowly and gently lifts my leg a bit and slides the cloth around my thigh. She does a simple tie before pulling she looks up at me. “Hold your breath, this will hurt.”



“Geez, don’t sugar coat it for me or anything.” I say sarcastically.



“Wasn’t planning on it.” She says not even cracking a smile while trying to wrap my leg. She pulls tightly until I let out a whimper from the pain and she stops just to pull it again. About three to four times she does this before finally tying off the knot off. “That’ll have to do for now, sorry.”



“It’s plenty to get us a few ways.” I say trying to stand up. But Jason does most of the work, pulling me up by my arm pits. I put weight on my right leg and let the left hang there.



“Where the hell do we go no?” We all turn to Ivan looking at the directions on the map. “We don’t have a car, we don’t really know which way we’re going. This just became mission impossible.”



“Huh, I’ve got news for you Ivan.” Kimberley starts, “It’s been mission impossible from the beginning. Now it’s just almost impossible . . . almost.”



“No it’s just impossible.” Ivan says.



“Not if we get something that can help us translate the map.” She says. She looks at Jason, “Do you know anything that could?”



“Why do you think I have all the answers?” He asks. She shrugs but doesn’t answer. Jason sighs, “There is something but it’s expensive.”



“I’ve got enough money.” Kimberley says holding out the stash from the pocket. “We should get moving though. We can walk a few ways.” But then she turns back to me. “Can you?”



I nod but don’t dare say anything. “Here, just lean up against me.” Jason says as I wrap one arm around him. Then another around Blake. Both secure me and Kimberly watches them carefully. She takes a deep inhale and lets it out. “Saige, you’re up front with me. Ivan trail the back with your brothers. Watch our backs.”



“Why do you get to call the shots?” He says crossing his arms. She glares at him sternly but finally gives in. “Fine I’ll take the back. You and Saige get front. Lead us into the forest.”



Without hesitation Ivan and Saige move up to the front and Kimberley moves in the back with us. I hear her cock her gun but don’t turn around to see and keep walking with Jason and Blake supporting me.







We walk till it starts to get dark. Saige and Ivan lead us into a forest where there is practically no roads or really any civilization.



“Ah, hey Kim,” Jason grunts under the weight of me. After a while I couldn’t walk anymore so Jason decided to try and carry me on his back. Blake and he took turns each carrying me. Even Kimberley has to take a few turns to make sure Jason and Blake have enough energy to keep walking. “We need to stop for the night.” Kimberley hesitates to agree but sighs and nods.



“And where do you suppose we should stop huh?” Ivan asks. “I don’t see any resort around here.”



“We’ll find something.” Blake says glaring at his younger brother.



“Like what?” Ivan says stubbornly.



“How about this?!” We hear Saige call but can’t seem to see her.



“Saige, where are you?” Kimberley calls running up ahead looking for the younger soldier. Jason lets out a long sigh and runs up to meet with Kimberley. We see her standing with Saige in an entrance to a cave. The entrance isn’t very big but Kimberley and Saige chip away at it so we could walk in with some ease. We turn a corner deeper into the cave and find a larger space where we can all be hidden and safely sleep.



“We need to build a fire.” Blake says. Jason kneels down and I slowly slide off him and lean against the cave wall. I flinch when I move my leg. Jason looks at me but nod telling him I’m okay.



“Kimberley stay with Ronnie,” Jason commands. “Blake, Ivan and I will start the fire.”



“It doesn’t hurt that bad.” I comment. “I can handle it.”



“Still,” Jason says not cracking a smile. Kimberley doesn’t argue when they leave. Only the girls are left in the cave.



“Unwrap your leg.” Kimberley says getting up to get more cloth. She comes back in tossing the roll to me. I notice she is also holding a stitching needle and some thread. I flinch since I know what she’s about to do. Saige even pushes herself up to say something. “Kimberley, what do you think you’re doing?”



“The wound needs patched up.” She says positioning herself so she has a clear view of the wound. “If not it could get infected and you could get blood poisoning.”



“Do you even know how to patch a wound?” Saige asks holding out her hand over the cut. Kimberley pauses showing she is not ready to answer that question. I hold the cloth in my hand, holding my breath as Kimberley ties the thread to the needle. She places her hand below my knee and steadies it. She gives me a warning look, “Ready?” In response, I give her a nod biting my lip as she takes a deep breath. I close my eyes. At first nothing happens, then I feel the metal needle enter my skin. I shudder at the feeling of the cold object. I feel the needle be punctured through my skin again and again before Kimberley ties the stitch. I take the bandage wrap and start to slowly wrap my leg in it.



“Here let me do it.” She offers, but I don’t need help.



“No, it’s okay. I got it.” I say pushing her hand away. She shrugs sliding down the back wall sitting next to me. I try to not to make the wound hurt more than it already does. I wrap it around five or six times before tying it off. Kimberley and Saige watch me as I do it.



“Thanks for saving me.” I mutter to Kimberley.



She doesn’t look at me. She has a look of sadness crossed between guilt on her face. “Welcome.” She mummers.



“What’s wrong?” I ask. She looks away as she figures out we can see her sadness.



“Nothing.”



“Oh, there’s something wrong with you Kim,” Saige speaks up, “what is it?”



Kimberley doesn’t say anything. She folds her arms and pulls her knees up to her chest.



“Come on Kim,” Saige urges. “You can tell us.”



“Maybe another time,” Kimberley mutters. “I don’t want to talk about it right now.”



“But-” Saige starts but I just turn my head to her and shake it. She closes her mouth and crosses her arms disappointed, but if Kimberley doesn’t want to talk about it I won’t force her. And I know neither will Saige, no matter how badly she wants the truth.



The boys come back carrying pieces of wood and sticks. They put a few pieces down and surround it with rocks so the fire can’t catch on anything else and start a huge forest fire. But the ground is mostly sand. Jason kneels down and lights a match making the fire start.



“We can’t have it as big. The smoke will fill the cave and we will suffocate.” He says.



“Good thing for your brains.” I say. Blake sits down next to Kimberley and rets his arm on his knees. He turns to us. “How’s the leg?” He asks me.



“It’s doing better,” I say moving it. “I’m just glad it wasn’t my shin.” At that comment Kimberley leaps up and walks quickly out of the cave. “Kimberley?” I call. But Jason holds up a hand. “Don’t, she’s having a tough time right now. What happened the first day really got to her?”



“Why, so she killed one man. What’s the big deal?” I snap. “She will tell you but not me!”



Jason sighs looking up. We all stare at him since he obviously knows what’s wrong with Kimberley. He searches our expressions for anyway out of this, but we all stare at him for an answer.



Jason gives up and relaxes his shoulders. “Kimberley thinks she’s a bad person for killing the man. She thinks she killed him for the wrong reason.”



“What? He killed two other people before him.”



“Yeah, but he probably didn’t mean to and what Kimberley did wasn’t out of getting even. She didn’t regret what she did or feel bad by doing it. She feels like she made the wrong choice killing him.”



“But she’s killed Union’s before?” Blake comments. “Shit the first person she ever killed was when she was twelve years old on patrol. I remember because I was there. I haven’t even shot my first Union.”



“But he wasn’t a Union. He was American. We’ve learned to help them, and protect them. And she killed one that day. So she’s having trouble coping with it. So just give her some space and it will probably blow over her in a few days.” Jason shrugs and goes back to tending the fire.



We all just exchanges glances and watch him. I look up waiting for Kimberley to come back in, but she doesn’t. I lean my head against the cave wall finding it uncomfortable but ending up drowning in a deep sleep.