Chapter 3: Take Over & Hide

The blazing fire the open air, the sound of crackling, burning wood stabbed at my heart like a knife. 

"Aunt Lexa!!" I cried against the roaring flames. "Uncle Braun!!! Uncle Axel!!! Pip!!! Rina!!! Abbey!!! Michael!!!!"

"Stop it, Rune." Heath muttered. His arms were wrapped tightly around my waist to keep me from running straight into the fire. I was desperate enough to do such a crazy act, and he knew it.

"Shut up, Heath!!" I screamed, digging my nails into his arms. Even when I drew blood, he held tight. "Let me go!!! D____ it!!! Let me go!!"

"Please, Rune..." He whispered. Something in his voice caused me to pause. I turned my head to look up at him. Two tears were running down his cheeks. Just two. Heath didn't bother to wipe them away, his arms were still wrapped around me protectively. Seeing him in such a weak state shook me to the core. I broke. I let the dam holding back my tears burst, my legs fell weak and I pulled myself into Heath, burying my face in his chest. My sobs shook me, but Heath held me steady.

I don't know how long I cried. In that moment, time had stopped. My life, everyone I loved, it was all taken from me in such a swift motion. Everything...

Then I heard it. A faint rustling sound beyond the screaming fire. I turned, and from the carnage emerged a dark figure. Firemen rushed to help. Aunt Lexa, Uncle Braun, and Uncle Axel crawled out, their skin completely charred black in places. Each held a child or two in their arms. I didn't feel anything. I just reacted, so did Heath. We ran - flew, to them. Hope flooding my veins.

~~

"How did this happen...?" I asked Uncle Braun, rubbing his light burns with healing ointment. We sat in the back of an ambulance, Aunt Lexa, Uncle Axel, and the few children they were able to save had been rushed to the hospital. Uncle Braun was lucky enough to only recieve wounds as badly as second degree burns...the others weren't nearly as fortuitous. Heath sat beside me, helping me treat Uncle Braun. 

"It wasn't suppose to be like this." Uncle Braun sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. For once, that kind smile on his face was gone, his eyes were distant, collected. Eventually, he lifted his head and looked Heath straight in the eyes, moving his gaze to me after a few seconds. With a cool expression, he slowly moved his injured arm behind his back. Red, painful blisters ran up the full lengths of his arms; just seeing him move made my arms ache. After a moment, he handed me an object wrapped carefully in white fabric, barely singed. It was light, only about nine inches in length. I gave Uncle Braun a questioning look before cautiously unwrapping the fabric. 

It was...my knife?

A leather sheath covered the weapon, intricate designs running along it. Slowly, I grabbed the familiar handle and pulled the knife out, my reflection staring back at me on the shiny metal. I looked up at Uncle Braun, confused. Why would he go through the trouble of saving something as silly as my knife? A sad smile lined his lips.

"As the both of you know..." He began, hesitating for a moment. "...I fought alongside your parents, Rune. Lexa and Axel did too. We were quite the team back then... Along with your older sister, Heath, we all fought together in the Free Army against Zaroff. After he was killed, your mother and I decided to start up this foster home. As time went on, she left to live a happy life together with your father. But when the Free Army began to desperately need your parents, they dropped you off here, Rune. What I'm trying to tell you both is...The main focus of this foster home has been to create a safe place for the orphans of the war. But over time...Lexa, Axel and I... we had an idea. Right now, the war between Zombies and the Free Army can go either way. So the three of us decided that--"

"You would create soldiers for the Free Army." Heath interrupted. Uncle Braun nodded slowly. Furious, Heath stood up and began pacing the small ambulance space. I turned to Uncle Braun, shocked. It suddenly all made sense - Why Uncle Braun would teach me how to wield a knife and how to fight at such a young age. Why he would teach me about medicine and how to treat wounds. Why Aunt Lexa and Uncle Axel would take the time to teach me about mechanics.

They were turning us all into soldiers.

"Before you start screaming at me," Uncle Braun smiled, "just hear me out, okay? It's true, we want you to become Free Army soldiers, but we also wanted to make sure you guys could take care of yourselves when the time came. Do you think this fire was a stupid accident?"

"Are you saying..." I began quietly. "Are you saying this was...an attack?"

"Precisely." Uncle Braun nodded. "...It's because Lexa, Axel and I support the Free Army... but...but we didn't expect..." His expression changed drastically. Pain, regret, guilt...they were all painted clearly on his face. He brought a hand up to cover his face, the tears were already rushing to his eyes.

"None of this should've happened..." His voice was shaky. Hearing Uncle Braun like this stabbed my gut like a blade. I didn't know what to think. On one hand, I resented him for doing this to us all. Yet at the same time, I was thankful. I knew it was only because they loved me as much as I loved them. They wanted us to be prepared, ready... but no amount of training could prepare us for this day. Heath's expression told me he felt the same as I did...but rather than sadness, there was anger.

"If you knew all of this..." Heath began, his hands balled into fists. "If you knew there was even the slightest chance this could happen, why bother?! Those kids in there - they were nothing but sheep to slaughter!! And what are we?! Pawns?! What made you think I even wanted to be a soldier?! You sick mother f--!"

"Heath, stop it!" I exclaimed, pushing myself to my feet.

"Shut up!" He exploded, the crimson rushed into his eyes, causing me to take a step back. Whoa. I'd never made him this angry. Never in my entire life...

"Heath..." I said softer, walking over to place a hand on his arm. I expected him to jerk away, but he just stood, seething with rage. "No one could've known... I mean... they only did this to us for our protection, right? They only wanted us to...to..." My voice failed me, a lump caught in my throat. The faces of all those kids flashed in my head. It wasn't fair. It wasn't fair...!

I quickly wiped away my tears, but they continued to come. Still, I smiled.

"They wanted us to be prepared, you know?" I cried, a stupid grin on my face. "Because they love us. And you know that, Heath...!"

"Rune..." Uncle Braun began, tears running down his cheeks. He gritted his teeth together and dropped his head into his hand. "You're just like you're mother..."

Heath turned to leave, but I grabbed his hand. He stopped, gave my hand a light squeeze, then left the ambulance. 

"Heath!" I called, about to run after him.

"Let him be, Rune." Uncle Braun said softly. "...He needs to be alone... so do you."

I turned to Uncle Braun who gave me a sad smile.

"I know this is a lot to take in." He continued. "If you end up hating me, I'll understand. For now...just think about it."

"T-think about what?" I asked, already knowing the answer, but still fearing it.

"If you're going to fight the Zombies or run."

I was going to draw a picture of James, but I found this and thought it already depicted him pretty well. :D

Thanks for reading!!! 

I would've uploaded this sooner, but....

eh. Never got around to it. m(_ _)m