Dead Moon Rising by Caitlin Sangster

Author:Caitlin Sangster
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Simon Pulse
Published: 2019-11-11T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 36 Howl

THE MOMENT THE MOUNTAIN NOTICES we’re gone is obvious. Radios begin chirping as Song Jie and I walk up the hall. Soldiers who were at ease perk up, walking more purposefully as they listen to the radio chatter. Most people are in their rooms, hiding away with the people they love to eat Guonian dumplings made from old ration packs.

It isn’t hard to lead Song Jie along as if we’re both part of this Menghu machine. I was one of them for long enough to know how to fit in. I threw together some knockout bombs from the chemicals in Sole’s room, and now I hold them close, watching the soldiers flood the hallways as we head for the long, barren stretch that leads to the barricades. Song Jie walks a little too close next to me, hand clenched inside his coat around one of the gas bombs. They’re not much different from what we used to do out on patrols. I hope. They have to work. There’s no other option.

The first barricade has two soldiers watching the halls, hands on their guns. Fingering the grenade in my hand, I fall into step directly next to Song Jie. “Take the closer one.”

His shoulders tense, his fingers going to his mask, but he keeps walking. When we get to the barrier, one of the Menghu steps forward to stop us. “You can’t leave now. There’s a lockdown—”

Then he catches sight of my face.

Song Jie lurches forward, but that’s all I see before dodging around the Menghu to kick the one behind him in the stomach. He folds over, one hand going to his radio, but I grab hold of his mask, wrenching him up by its straps and kicking out his knee. My fingers find the strap’s clasp, undoing it and pulling it from the man’s face. I press the mask to my own nose and mouth, then drop the gas grenade.

When I turn around, Song Jie is still grappling with the Menghu, but the soldier’s mask is off, and with no protection against the gas it’s only a few seconds before he drops to the floor with dead-weighted thunk.

Grabbing the radio as it chirps, I fiddle with the controls, finding the signal that links to the next two barriers between me and Outside. Inform them two soldiers will be coming through, then run.

Song Jie is jumpy as we walk past the next barricade, the Menghu manning them focused on their radios as they wave us through, waiting for some kind of tragedy, an outbreak of Sephs, an attack, or something worse to reveal itself over the radio. The barricade past that is empty, the place where the guards should have been, eerie and silent.

Perhaps SS got to them. Sephs. I try not to look as we pass, keeping hold of Song Jie’s arm to pull him past the post.

“What now?” Song Jie rasps through his mask, his eyes catching on the empty chair turned over by the barricade’s empty mouth.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.