I waited, motionless, in the branches of the tree until the sun began to peek over the horizon with a burst of light. It stained the eastern sky blazing orange, as if the heavens had caught fire.

It had been hours since I'd heard any footsteps crunching the leaves below, so I finally felt secure enough to climb down. My tense muscles practically sighed with relief when they were finally able to relax.

For once, I felt entirely focused and determined. I knew exactly where I was headed: our rendezvous point. I would get there before anyone else was supposed to, and I would try to warn everyone who had escaped that the location was compromised. So far, I wasn't sure how I would accomplish that task, but I hoped I'd find a way to cross that bridge when I got there.

So I set out on foot, keeping a close eye on my surroundings and staying as quiet as possible. Kyle's mannerisms had rubbed off on me—I found myself checking over my shoulder every few meters. It was painful to think of him every time I did so, but in my situation, one could never be too vigilant.

After an uneventful walk through the woods for probably half an hour, I came upon the familiar, serene lake that my friends and I would sometimes spend all day swimming in. I knew I was headed in the right direction; it was a landmark on the journey to my destination.

I sat by the shore to catch my breath, realizing I'd been straining myself more than I thought. I had plenty of time until high noon, and I might need the energy later—I was about to put myself in a potentially dangerous and compromising situation.

I sat there for a few minutes until, to my horror, I was once again prodded in the back.

I froze, and my heart dropped. I internally cursed myself out for thinking I should ever stop to rest.

I couldn't make myself turn around, so I sat there, closing my eyes and waiting for my fate, trying to make peace with it. With the number of times I'd only narrowly avoided capture, it felt inevitable. I had imagined or dreamt it so many times that it felt like it had already—

"Tess?" Kyle said uncertainly, interrupting my thought.

I immediately stood and whirled to face him. Even though I was ecstatic and relieved, at the sight of his face, my stomach did a flip as if I were peering over the edge of a skyscraper.

"Kyle, my God, I'm so sorry. It was all my fault, and I really didn't mean—" I stammered on, only half coherent, until he abruptly leaned in very closely, throwing a wrench in my limited concentration. I wasn't sure what he was doing, but it felt so out of character that my mind went silent. The only sound was my anxious breathing and the waves lightly lapping at the shore.

But my breathing halted, and the world seemed to go completely silent, as Kyle reached out to hold both sides of my face. His hands, though bruised and bandaged, were gentle and deft as ever.

His eyes, expansive and green as the forest around us, were inscrutable. They fixed solely on my face with an intensity that was almost too much to bear. I tried to say something, but no words would come out. Then, in an instant, there was nothing but the sublime pressure of his lips on mine, his smoky scent filling my lungs, and tangles of his untamed hair between my fingertips.

And then, all at once, it was over as quickly as it had begun. We had no more time to waste.

With shocking abruptness, everything felt entirely back to normal. Once again, It was Kyle and me, alone together, racing through dense forest with trees blurring past us.

It felt too good to be true - everything had worked out too perfectly. I had a haunting feeling that there would be a hitch in our plan because all of our good luck had certainly been used up. I tried to shove that thought to the back of my mind.

"Hold on," Kyle said suddenly, casually grabbing my wrist to slow me. I realized we were on a hill above the rendezvous point—an abandoned cathedral. Then I followed Kyle's gaze and saw the two figures entering the structure - a man and a woman. Just before they disappeared inside, I caught a flash of familiar long blonde hair.

"Those are ours," I said with a sigh of relief. "That was Rosalie."

"You're certain?" Kyle asked, unsure. "I couldn't see."

"Ninety-nine percent," I replied, glancing at him—still in disbelief that he was really there with me. He nodded, taking my word without question.

We strode forward, this time at a walking pace rather than crashing through the trees in full sprint. The sun was still far from the center of the sky, so we were plenty early. Internally, I prayed that we had beaten the soldiers.

We reached the valley below, and I gazed up at the imposing cathedral. Even though some of the stone was crumbling, it was still a beautiful structure, with intricate ornamental carvings around the entrance. Nature had encroached upon it, allowed to grow unrestrained without human intervention—vines scaled the outer walls, and the forest extended all the way up to the edges of the building. The side nearest to us had a tall bell tower, and it looked like the bell was still intact.

"What's our game plan?" I wondered aloud as we paused just before the entrance.

Kyle was intently scanning the vicinity while crouched behind a tree. "I have no idea," he muttered.

My jaw nearly dropped. "But you always have a plan. How can we do this with no plan?"

He stared into space as if lost in thought. "Because we can't not do it."

His sentence sunk in slowly, and I realized he was right. Our friends were in danger, and I wouldn't just let them walk into a trap.

"We'll figure something out," he said. Kyle grabbed my hand and lead me into the cathedral as my heart thudded erratically in my rib cage, for more reasons than one.

_____________

I hope y'all are doing well. This year is wild. Best wishes for your health (physical and mental) and safety, regardless of who you are.

What songs are you listening to right now? I love music so much, and it can be very cathartic.

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I thought I'd mention that I have two other stories on my profile. If the descriptions happen to interest you, maybe check em out. I'll love you 3000.

Dopamine Dreams: (werewolves but with a twist...the twist is hard drugs.)

Every month, on the night of the fullest moon, Jude loses all control to the savage within - consumed by an unimaginable, voracious blood lust...until he discovers a way to sedate the beast.

(sort of enviro/eco-fantasy, Open Novella Contest entry.)

In the future, the actions of the human race have devastated the planet. On her seventeenth birthday, Aera strikes a match, igniting a bigger blaze than she could have ever expected.