The Last Survivors: A Dystopian Society in a Post Apocalyptic World by Bobby Adair & T.W. Piperbrook

Author:Bobby Adair & T.W. Piperbrook
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub, azw3
Publisher: Beezle Publishing
Published: 2014-09-30T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 20: Ella

The sky was a tangle of crimsons and oranges when Ella, William, and Bray reached the base of Wanderer’s peak. After a full day of hiking, the three travelers had fallen into a rhythm—Bray in the lead, Ella and William tight behind him, as if they’d practiced the formation for weeks. It’d been half an afternoon since their last stop and Ella’s legs were sore, but she knew they needed to press on.

The dying light was like a fourth companion, keeping them on track and pushing them along.

For most of the afternoon, they’d been unable to see the mountain through the thick forest, but now that Ella had a clear view, the sight was breathtaking. She stared up the steep slope. The side was flecked with trees, but about halfway up, the landscape gave way to stone and shrubs. The mountain’s peak seemed miles away, and she was reminded of some of the stories the townspeople told of the ruins—buildings whose tops seemed to extend into the heavens.

It was then that she realized something.

She’d seen this mountain before, on her way from Davenport to Brighton to become Ethan’s bride. The sight hit her with a wave of nostalgia, and her eyes watered. She looked over at William. His mouth hung open, and his eyes danced around the steep slope.

Bray stopped them with an upturned hand, and she was wrenched from her memory. “If we run into anyone, I’ll do the talking,” he said.

Ella and William nodded.

Bray resumed hiking, navigating the slope with practiced ease. Ella and William struggled to keep up. As they made their ascent, Ella listened for noises from other travelers—some sign that they weren’t alone—but heard only the gleeful chirps of birds. Aside from the three demons and the deer they’d encountered the day before, their journey had been quiet, and Ella was grateful. More human contact would lead to more questions, and questions would lead to getting caught.

Bray remained quiet. The setting sun seemed to have dampened his mood, and Ella understood his sentiment. Out in the wild, there were no barriers to separate men from monster, and loss of visibility often meant loss of life. They’d been lucky to pass the previous night safely in the Ancient room. She hoped they’d have similar luck at Wanderer’s Peak.

They passed out of the trees as green vegetation gave way to roots and rocks. Ella mimicked the moves of the experienced man ahead of them. She saw several paths worn into the side of the mountain, but she noticed Bray was skirting around them, as if he was trying to elude some unseen enemy. The rapid ascension had her breathless, and she fought the urge to stop and rest. She could still hear Bray’s words in her head.

A lot of townsfolk aren’t used to the exercise.

Even a day later, the comment still bothered her, and Ella felt the need to prove her worth. She pushed harder. She glanced behind her, peering at the wall of trees that they’d left behind, thinking she’d hear shouts in the distance.

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