Page 11 of Scarlet Wars
Don’t you dare give up!
My own voice—faint, yet firm—echoed in my mind, pushing back against the prominent death wish creeping in. My thoughts spiraled, racing away from me, but through the chaos, one clear thought cut through. It was small at first, but I clung to it with everything I had.
You will survive this.
I repeated it over and over, willing myself to believe it.
I closed my lids and forced myself to stand. Every muscle in my body screamed in protest, but I had to move.
Preferably before the darkness swallowed me whole. I could feel myself starting to shut down, the battle between numbness and pain now raging for control over my mind. Numbness offered peace, a quiet way to escape this agony, while the pain threatened to drown me in waves so intense I could hardly breathe. They tore at my mind, both vying to consume me.
I couldn’t let either win. Not yet. I had to focus. I would deal with the pain later. I had no choice but to keep going, even if it was just one thought at a time.
Think, Emma. Think!
First things first: a shower. I had to get the blood off. Their blood. My skin crawled with the thought of it, every inch of me sticky, stained. I couldn’t stand it.
Also, I’d need to figure out what to do with the gore, the wreckage that filled my home. It would take too long to clean. But how could I leave it like this?
Small steps, Emma. Shower first.
The hot water stung as it washed away the blood, but it did nothing to clean the guilt or the images burned into my mind. When I stepped out of the bathroom, I steadied myself and forced my focus back into place.
I would have to run. The human government would soon realize their soldiers never returned. They’d come for me, and I couldn’t afford to be here when they did.
But...what was I supposed to do about my house?
Fuck, I needed help. I needed someone. But there was no one to call, no one to reach out to. The phones were gone, blown to pieces like everything else in this shattered shell of a home. Nexing was off the table too, as long as the bubble remained in effect.
I was all alone.
Looking out the window, I noticed the sun beginning to dip below the horizon. My Offensive training kicked in, sharpening my focus.
Once night fell, I would leave. The darkness would be my ally. I had to escape before anyone came looking for me, before the pain overwhelmed me. I needed to move while I still had control.
Pain.
The scorching agony of losing my parents flared up again, stabbing me in the chest.
“Not yet!” I screamed at it internally, shoving it back down. I still needed a clear head.
Looking around the room, I realized I didn’t have the time to fix up the house. Humans would surely send investigators out here, and they would find the proof of my actions, confirming what they already suspected. But there was no time to clean any of it. I had to disappear before they came.
Breathe. Think.
After rummaging through some stuff, I found a map—somehow spared from the destruction—folded in the hallway closet. I clutched it tightly, my only lifeline now.
The map was clear. I had to move north, through New Hampshire and into Vermont. If I walked thirteen hours a day at an average pace of three miles per hour and kept sleeping to a maximum of six hours a night, I’d reach the Canadian border in aboutsixdays. If I cut down my hours of rest, maybe less.
Public transport could get me part of the way, but it was a significant risk, sitting in one place for an extended period. If a picture of me was circulating, I could easily be recognized. Plus, relying on transport wouldn’t aid me in crossing the borders, which would be the most challenging part.
Why had they even closed the state borders? It was absurd, but it didn’t matter.
Fuck, my thoughts were all over the place.Focus.
I needed a small bag, nothing too heavy.
My feet moved of their own accord. In the kitchen, my hands trembled as I grabbed a small backpack, hastily stuffing it with the bare essentials. I packed some food and water—less than half of what I’d need—but any more would weigh and slow me down. I didn’t have time for anything that could hold me back.
