Page 47 of Shattered Love

“I can’t promise you that you’ll make it there. I can’t even promise you that they’ll let you inside. But there are trains leaving from Dozier Station in five days, as well as a week after. They are heading to the bunkers.”

I paused, letting the information settle. Before I could begin speaking again, a man shouted out, “What if they don’t let us on?”

I didn’t have an answer for him. In fact, that had been my biggest fear. The people manning the trains were following orders, just as the guards inside these walls had been. And there was nothing more terrifying than a person who was a slave to control, willing to do whatever was ordered.

“That’s entirely up to you.” I scanned the crowd, meeting as many eyes as I could, letting them see the fire burning in my gaze. “But I’m going to fight. I’m going to do everything in my power to survive, and I urge you to do the same.”

Murmurs started in the crowd as I finished. In seconds, the murmurs turned into shouts, and then, as we assumed, chaos ensued.

People began rushing through the camp, shoving and pushing each other, scrambling to get their things, their families, and leave. I knew what I had done. Our chances of getting on the train just diminished exceptionally. And yet, there was no regret to be found.

“Hey! Back up!” Someone shouted from my right, drawing my attention.

One of the civilians wrestled a guard, trying to pull the weapon from his hand. My eyes widened with shock and when I glanced around, I realized he wasn’t the only man doing so. Dozens of people were attacking the guards, vying for their weapons.

This time, regret did fill me. This wasn’t what I wanted. But I had told them to fight and thus, that’s what they were doing.

From my vantage point, I noticed the man barreling toward Rainer, his gun a beacon. Calling out his name, I gestured over his shoulder, his body turning as the man collided with him. The two tumbled to the ground, rolling around on the grass.

Mina stumbled on her feet, falling to her butt, the crowd swallowing her up. Shit, shit, shit. Hopping down from the chair, I searched out Aiden, his hand finding mine in the chaos. Dozens of bodies swarmed us, their movements frantic, their expressions filled with fear.

“We need to get out of here. And fast,” Aiden yelled over the shouts and I nodded quickly, my heart hammering as I tried to spot Mina’s red hair or Rainer’s tall frame.

Aiden shoved people out of the way, heading toward where Rainer and Mina were last seen. Breaking away from a mother and her children who hurried past us, I spotted Mina curled on the ground, protecting her head from feet pounding past her.

“Mina!” I yelled, grabbing her arms and pulling her up. Aiden gripped her hand, still holding onto mine, as we continued to search for Rainer.

My mind wandered to the three inside the building and I hoped that Murphy got the message out, that they were escaping, able to make it out of here.

Some people ran toward the front gate after gathering their things, but not enough. Too many people were fighting with the guards for the weapons and then each other once a gun traded hands. It was desperation at its finest, a person’s need to survive greater than their decency.

Finally, I spotted Rainer on the ground, still wrestling with a man. But there was someone else in the fray. I recognized the dark skin immediately. Emmanuel.

He was helping Rainer, pushing the other man off while Rainer scrambled away. What was he doing here? The thought faded as I glanced around in horror. I spotted the twins immediately, Stephanie and Lucas’ frightened stares shrouding their features. Elizabeth looked on with horror, a hand covering her mouth as she watched her husband fight a man two times his size.

Once Rainer was back on his feet, he took the butt of his gun, slamming it across the man’s head, knocking him out. Holding out a hand, he helped Emmanuel to his feet, searching for someone in the crowd.

His gaze landed on me and I rushed to meet him in the middle, Aiden and Mina in tow. The four of us ran toward a tent, sliding inside. Emmanuel called out to his family, the three of them avoiding the onslaught of people as they joined us inside the canvas material.

When we were inside, Stephanie let go of her mother’s hand, her small body thrown against mine. I wrapped her in a tight hug, equal parts thankful and terrified to see them again. Why weren’t they already headed for the trains?

Rainer must have been thinking the same thing because he gripped Emmanuel’s shirt, yanking the fabric and turning that furious glare on the older man. “What are you doing here?”

Emmanuel held up his hands in defeat, sorrow in his eyes. “They never sent someone for us. They promised they would, but they never did.”

Vex must have been in charge of securing their safety. But he was dead.

Rainer realized he wasn’t going to get anything else out of Emmanuel and he dropped his hold, turning that glare on me. “Realizing this was a bad idea yet?”

I wouldn’t admit it to him, but yes, yes I was. Maybe there had been a better way to go about this. We had anticipated the chaos as everyone rushed from the camp, but I hadn’t been prepared for the anger. For the aggression.

Rainer shook his head in annoyance at me, but let it be, focusing on the predicament at hand. “We need to get out of here and as far away from the crowds as possible. And then immediately leave for the trains. The number of people showing up is going to be absurd.”

We all nodded in agreement. “Aiden, you stay at the back. Make sure no one catches us off guard. Everyone else, follow me and sprint as fast as you can.”

I knew the kids couldn’t run as fast as we could and so Emmanuel and Elizabeth both threw one of them on their backs. We formed a line at the entrance of the tent, Rainer peeking his head out, checking for a path to the exit. And then we ran.

Chapter Twenty-Six

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