Page 22 of Resistant

“Brynn, baby! Are you okay?”

“Wyatt?” He sounds far away, and I hear crackle noises through the line.

“Yes, baby, it’s me. Listen, you and the boys, you need to leave now. Don’t wait baby. Get out and go as far as you can into the northwest. I’ll try and find you there when I can.”

“Wyatt, I’ve been so worried. Are you okay? I love you so much.” I’m sobbing into the phone, and I struggle to talk through the hiccups.

“I don’t have much time, Brynn. And I love you too baby. Tell the boys I love them and I’m so proud of all of you. Brynn, can you hear me? Brynn?”

“Yes, I hear you.”

“I know what you’ve had to do, and it’s okay. It’s okay Brynn. I’ll see you soon.”

I hear a few clicks and the dial tone replaces his voice.

Taken

Brynn

I wake up to the boys climbing in bed with me. I pull the covers over them and snuggle in. I remember…Wyatt. I smile to myself, smooth Nathan’s hair from his forehead and pull David close.

“Your Daddy called last night. He’s fine. He wants us to leave today, so we need to get up and get moving kiddos.”

“When do we get to see him, Mama?”

David has turned over and his little nose is pressed to mine. I clutch Nathan’s hand.

“I don’t know honey, he said he’d try to find us when he can.”

Nathan looks up. “Mama, what is that noise?”

I sit up and can hear a deep rumbling noise.

“I don’t know. Hurry up and get dressed. We need to load our stuff into the truck. David, take Lily out back to do her business as soon as you get dressed. We are leaving.”

The boys scramble out of my bed, and I pull on some jeans, several layers of shirts, and a sweater. I head to the front of the house to peer out the window and a hard knock on the door startles me so badly that I jump back.

I see a flash of camouflage in the window, and I panic. I run from the door and find David pulling on his pants.

“Baby, take Lily, go to the shelter in the woods. Stay there until I come for you. If I don’t come back by tomorrow morning, go find help. You know what to do.”

I look down at Lily and point to David.

“Master, Lily, Protect.”

She heels next to David, and I know she won’t leave his side. She’ll stay with him no matter what, unless one or both of them are killed.

David nods, throws a backpack over his shoulder, and looks me in the eye. I see fear, and the tears roll down his cheeks. He’s still a boy. My heart hurts.

“I know what to do Mama.”

Pounding on the front door pushes me into motion. I glance back and see David and Lily disappear down the basement steps to sneak out the back. I wait until he is out of sight, and I open the front door.

“Mrs. Evans, we are here to enforce the draft for Nathan Evans. Please have him report immediately. He has 10 minutes to gather his gear and meet me out at the convoy.”

I slam the door in his face.

“Nathan! Code Red!”

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