Page 9 of Whispers and Warriors
It was a slow roll before Alex parked the damn thing, the engine falling silent as if holding its breath. Chris’s voice cut through the stillness, with a command laced with authority. “Everyone out, except Emma and Bash. You two stay put, keep an eye on our surroundings.”
“Understood,” they replied damn near in unison.
With a deep breath, William reached for the door handle, his fingers curling around the cool metal. He glanced back at Emma, drinking in the sight of her, committing every detail to memory. Her eyes shone with a fierce determination, a silent promise that she would be waiting for him, no matter what.
The hinges creaked as he pushed it open, the sound unnaturally loud in the oppressive stillness. He stepped out into the wan light, his boots crunching on the sun-baked earth. The others followed suit, fanning out behind him in a defensive formation.
William scanned the area with a critical eye, searching for any sign of danger lurking in the shadows. But there was nothing, only the eerie silence and the faint whisper of the wind through the branches. And there were branches. It seemed the entire world didn’t have toxic soil, because even though many trees were dead, many more boasted bright green needles and leaves.
He exchanged a loaded glance with Liam, wondering if Liam was concerned that the ground here somehow didn’t die like everywhere else. They had to be cautious and had to approach this meeting with the utmost care. Too much was riding on its success.
William’s heart hammered against his ribs, adrenaline coursing through his veins.
For a moment, hesitation hung in the air, a palpable weight that pressed against his chest. The unknown stretched before all of them, a yawning abyss that threatened to swallow them whole. But they had come too far to falter now, and like William, their resolve had been forged in the fires of the dangers they’d all faced survived. This would simply to another to add the lists.
As the men stepped out of the vehicle, the sticky warmth of humid air enveloped them. William’s senses were on high alert, his body coiled like a spring, ready to react at the slightest provocation.
From the shadows, a figure emerged, his movements measured and cautious. William’s hand instinctively reached for his weapon, his fingers hovering over the trigger. The newcomer was tall, almost as tall as Bash’s six-foot-two but not quiet. It seemed to be a man’s build, but a bandana covered from the nose down and a beanie hid any hair that might have given gender away. Still, he moved with the heaviness of a man.
The man’s gaze swept over the group, assessing them with a mix of curiosity and wariness. William could feel the weight of his scrutiny, the unspoken questions that hung between them. But there was something else there too, a glimmer of hope, a recognition of kindred spirits in a world gone mad.
“You heard it, then?” A man’s voice almost seemed to croak out, reminding William of a parched throat.
“And if we did?” Chris moved to the front now, but William didn’t take his hand off his weapon.
“No other reason to be out this way. People abandoned the mountains years ago.” He gave a small hand gesture for them to follow. “Come on then, we don’t want to talk out in the open and I imagine the woman you’ve got locked away is on edge.”
None of the men responded that there was a woman, and not one spoke of Bash being in the truck. If this man was out to traffic women, they weren’t going to give him additional intel.
William exchanged a glance with Chris, giving him a small nod. The soil at their feet was undisturbed, there wasn’t any one else out here and no reason not to go forward and find out the truth. They knew the risks, the potential for betrayal, but they also knew that trust was a precious commodity in this new reality.
Taking a deep breath, William fell into step behind the stranger, his senses on high alert. The darkness of a setting sun closed in around them, a cloak of uncertainty that shrouded their every move. But as they pressed forward, a flicker of hope ignited in William’s chest, a whisper of possibility that perhaps, just perhaps, they had found an ally they could actually trust.
As they followed the stranger farther from the car than he liked, the barren landscape began to shift, giving way to something entirely unexpected. Amidst the desolation and decay, a warm glow emanated from a small, makeshift shelter, and an actual set of trees with birds chirping.
William’s eyes widened as they approached, his gaze drawn to the figures huddled around a flickering fire. A woman, her face etched with lines of weariness and determination, cradled a small child in her arms, while two slightly older girls sat close by, their eyes wide with a mix of fear and curiosity.
“My family,” the stranger said, his voice rough with emotion. “They’re all I have left in this world, and I take a great risk in bringing others here. So, trust me when I say, the woman you are hiding is safe here. Not forever, but at least for a few days before you’re on your way.”
A lump formed in his throat, and a surge of empathy welled up within him. He knew all too well the pain of loss, the aching void that could never be filled. He’d lost it all until he found the others. He believed this man as much as he had when he’d heard the transmission details from Chris.
Who isn’t saying if this voice is a match for the voice he heard.
As they drew closer, the woman looked up, her eyes meeting William’s with a flicker of recognition. In that moment, he saw a reflection of his own pain, a shared understanding of the sacrifices they had all made to survive.
Without hesitation, he lowered his gun, but didn’t holster it. Not yet.
“Welcome,” she said softly, her voice almost soothing in its softness. “We don’t have much, but what we have is yours while you wait for the next step.”
A wave of gratitude washed over him. He was surprised it was so profound that it nearly brought tears to his eyes. In a world where trust was a scarce commodity, these strangers had opened their hearts and their home to them, offering them protection at their own risk.
If this isn’t a trap.
William watched the children huddle closer to their mother, their faces shining with an innocence that had long since been lost to the world, William wanted to do nothing more than protect them. To ensure they grew up in a world that wasn’t full of danger. That had been rebuilt. He knew, in that moment, that when they had a child, regardless of who is genetically belonged to, he would do whatever it took to keep them safe, to shield them from the horrors that lurked beyond the boundaries of this small oasis.
“Thank you,” he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. He wanted to believe it was exactly how it appeared, but after the safe haven fooled him, he was torn.
William took a moment to block everything out and focus on the world in front of him. Were there any signs that this man lied?
