The First Death (Columbia River) by Kendra Elliot

Author:Kendra Elliot [Elliot, Kendra]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Montlake
Published: 2023-06-12T16:00:00+00:00

I can’t stop. Must keep going.

Malcolm halted, panting hard, and leaned one hand against a tree, staring up at the hints of blue sky between the pine trees. It was the afternoon of the second day since he and Rowan had escaped. Yesterday he’d carried her all day but taken frequent breaks. They’d figured out a way for her to ride on his back that made it easier for him, but he still couldn’t go that far without stopping. It was hard to carry her without bumping her leg.

This morning he had left her where they’d slept overnight, telling her he could move faster to find help and that he would mark the way so he could lead someone to her. He’d been dragging his heel, making gouges in the dirt and breaking branches, so he could trace his path back.

Was I right to leave her behind?

They’d drunk at a creek the evening before, but there was no food. He hadn’t even seen berries on their trek. Although if he had, he wouldn’t have known if they were poisonous and so wouldn’t have tried them anyway. Desperate, Rowan had chewed a couple of leaves and spit them out, saying they were bitter.

Malcolm hadn’t seen any trace of people. No roads. No paths. No tents. He kept thinking he heard cars or voices, but he couldn’t find them.

Even if she was with me, we still wouldn’t have found people to help us.

There had to be a town somewhere. The forest couldn’t go on forever.

His feet hurt. He was thirsty. He was hungry. He was tired of crying.

But he started walking again.

“Where you going, boy?”

Malcolm froze.

Is his voice in my head?

“Answer me, boy!”

He slowly turned. The bearded man was twenty feet away, and he had a rifle slung over one shoulder. Waves of anger rolled off him. A few feet behind him was the man who had freed them.

Was this a game?

“You thought your sister and you could escape?” The big man shook his head in disgust. “Stupid kids. You’ll be punished for this.”

Malcolm wanted to run, but his feet hurt so bad. And the man had a gun. He had no doubt he’d shoot him if he ran.

Maybe being dead is better than going back with him.

But he needed to stay alive for Rowan.

The men moved closer. The smaller man took Malcolm’s upper arm, and they followed the armed man. Malcolm stared at his feet for a long time as they walked but occasionally glanced at the man who had freed them. He wanted to read his face, see a sign of hope, but the man wouldn’t look at him.

He wondered again if it had been entertainment for them.

Another cruel game to get their hopes up and then destroy them.

Malcolm halted as he realized they weren’t on the path he’d made to Rowan. His throat started to close as he panicked.

How will I find her?

They hadn’t asked where she was, so they must have found her first. The second man yanked his arm, and Malcolm stumbled along.

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