Watching the End of the World – Nate gets captured 3
The shockwave knocked Jenna down like the blow from a giant fist. She lay on the ground for a moment, temporarily stunned. Blinking against the afterimage of the flash and debris that had blown into her eyes, she rolled onto her side. The burning wreckage of the truck cast the road in a lurid, wavery light.
A hand grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet. It was Santiago. He was yelling something but she couldn���t understand him over the ringing in her ears. He pointed and she saw Caleb getting to his feet. Beyond him was Akila, shouting something, waving them over. Behind Santiago she saw several of their attackers just getting to their feet, reaching for their weapons. Her expression must have alerted Santiago because he turned and fired several quick shots at them, causing them to hit the dirt. Santiago picked up her rifle, pushed it into her hand and began pulling her after Akila.
They plunged into the trees. Branches slapped Jenna���s face. She tripped and fell almost immediately. Santiago grabbed her arm and pulled her back up. Bullets popped through the leaves around them.
Jenna focused on Caleb���s broad back as he ran in front of her, trying not to lose him, terrified of finding herself alone out there. The light from the burning truck faded behind them and the darkness closed in. She put on a burst of speed and caught hold of Caleb���s shirt.
Somehow Akila led them through the darkness. Jenna banged her knee and tripped multiple times but her hold on Caleb���s shirt kept her upright.
After some minutes they stopped.
���What���?��� Jenna started, but Akila shushed her.
They stood there in silence, the only sound their heavy breathing.
���Okay, I think we lost them,��� Akila said at last. ���Is everyone okay? Did we lose anyone?���
���I saw Tony go down,��� Jenna said.
���Tony? Are you here?���
Silence.
���Damn. We lost Tony.���
���Nate���s gone too.���
���Should we go back and look for them?���
���We���ll never find them in this,��� Akila said. ���Not without giving away our position.���
���We���re just going to leave them?���
���You have a better idea?��� Akila snapped. ���I don���t like it either but there���s nothing we can do for them right now. We need to get back to base and regroup.���
Jenna didn���t like it, but she knew Akila was right. It was black under the trees. There was no way to find the others without shouting and that would only alert the men who were probably looking for them. Nate and Tony had probably been captured anyway. If so, there was no way they could rescue them that night. Now their attackers would be ready for them.
It took hours, making their way slowly through the thick undergrowth, and Jenna was scratched, bruised, thirsty and exhausted by the time they finally broke out onto the road.
���We should be close,��� Akila said, leading them down the road to the right. By the time they stumbled onto the airstrip the first light of the new day was showing over the trees.
Watching the End of the World
