Ruined World (Surviving the End Book 5) by Grace Hamilton

Author:Grace Hamilton [Hamilton, Grace]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2023-11-07T16:00:00+00:00

20

Adrenaline from fighting the mountain lion still coursed through Shane’s body, energizing him. If not for the others, he might have taken off running. However, Amelia was hurting and Beth was exhausted. They were both moving even slower than usual. Fortunately, within a few hundred yards, he spotted some higher ground off to the left. It was a low ridgeline that cut through the woods. Whatever grass or plants had covered the rocky ridge were all burned away.

“We’ll head up to higher ground,” he said, pointing toward the distant ridge. The crest of the ridge appeared to be maybe a quarter of a mile away. Not an easy hike under their current conditions. “Can all of you make it?”

Amelia nodded, but her eyes were glassy, eyelids heavy. Beth angrily swiped water off her face and said, “We can make it.” And Kaylee said nothing, just huddled over her fire horn, hugging it in her arms, and keeping her head down.

He turned toward the distant ridge, but this meant they were now walking up a gradual slope. He tried to keep his ears open, listening for any indication of the mountain lion’s return rather than signs of his missing family members. However, the roar of relentless rain made it hard to hear anything. They would simply have to trust Ruby’s instincts.

The slog was getting more difficult. Shane felt his boots sticking in the deepening mud, which slowed them even more. They had no choice but to press on, and gradually they approached the ridge and started up the slope. However, when he glanced back, he saw that the rest of the group, except for Ruby, had fallen behind. Amelia had a pained expression on her face, her bandaged arm pulled tightly against her belly and cradled by her other arm. Beth was using her spear as a hiking stick, but every step seemed like a struggle. And Kaylee was desperately trying to keep the rain off her fire horn.

Shane turned back around and spotted a small rocky outcropping at the base of a massive tree. He headed toward it and came to a stop beneath a mostly intact canopy of branches. This at least diminished the amount of rain that was pouring on them. And the rocks on the ground meant they didn’t have to sit on mud. Even so, the steep slope made it awkward.

“Great idea,” Amelia said, dropping down onto the rocks. “I could really use a short break. This is miserable.”

Shane dumped the suitcase on the rocks and knelt beside it, unzipping the big pocket, as Beth and Kaylee sat down with their backs to the big tree. He pulled the blanket out of the suitcase and spent the next few minutes stretching it across the lowest branches, securing it at the corners.

“Any relief from that rain is a blessing,” Beth said. “I’ve never been so soaked in my life.”

“We may just have to camp here for the night,” Shane said. “I think we’ve pushed ourselves enough today.”

He pulled some individual packets out of an MRE from the suitcase.

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