The Girl Who Broke Free (Death Fields 5)

“Erwin gave me the coordinates for a bunker off the highway.”

“And he’s sure it’s not compromised? Chloe knows about those bunkers too.”

He nods and I spot two horses tied to the post near the gate. It never stops surprising me that we’ve shifted so easily back in time, using the same transportation as our ancestors. Jude helps me mount the horse and quickly hops on his own after offering a treat from his hand. I clutch the reigns, nervous, but I’d rather take the horse than a vehicle. Too noisy for a day like today.

We wait as two guards roll the gates backwards. They’re the first guard I’ve seen all morning. The only people we’ve seen at all. The entire place is functioning as a skeleton crew, everyone already on assignment. I don’t deny it feels weird to be left back.

We pass through the gate and I flinch as it rumbles shut, the metal clanging against the hard pavement. Everything seems even louder than normal, including the birds chirping in the trees. I’m struck with an eerie feeling I haven’t had in months.

“Does this feel weird to you?” I ask once we’re out of the shadow of the fence. We’ve got to get through the outskirts of the town—the barren commercial district that is a harsh reminder of where society has fallen.

“Does what feel weird to you?” He points to an abandoned yogurt shop. The windows are smashed and someone, at some point, tagged all the dancing yogurt cones and spoons with paint. I spot a bird’s nest in the O of the sign. “That all I can think about is ice cream right now? Even after all this time? Because if that’s weird then yeah, I’m feeling it.”

I roll my eyes but decide to push back my uneasiness. “I guess it’s just been a long time since I’ve been out on the road, you know?”

Jude nods and we trot through the outskirts of town toward the main road that will take us to the highway. From there it’s about ten miles to the bunker. The horses settle into an easy pace and the early morning sunrise over the farmland and fields helps brighten my mood.

“What do you think the end game will be for all of this?” Jude asks.

“For what? Today? This battle?”

He shakes his head. “No. Like in the future. Will we be able to rebuild? Will we have cities and schools and a government?”

“I don’t know,” I answer truthfully. “It feels impossible to think that far ahead.”

“Yeah. I guess I just wish maybe we could get a do-over. Build small towns, create the type of place we want to live. Too bad people are so…”

“So what?”

“So terrible, I guess.”

I laugh because it’s true, but then the idea makes me w

ant to cry because the humans are few and far between now. The Hybrids and Mutts can take us over easily and we’ll end up living how they want to live.

“We have to fight, you know.”

“Fight who? Chloe?” he asks.

“Chloe. The Hybrids.” I wrap the reins around my hand and give him a glace. “Erwin and the Mutts.”

He grunts in reluctant agreement, eyes narrowed and his jaw tense. “So what, we start another war? One we definitely can’t win?”

“No. I don’t want a war but I’m hoping maybe Jane can fix this.”

He raises and eyebrow. “Talk about risky.”

“What if there was another option? Like something else we could do. A way to get stronger but not go all the way down the rabbit hole.”

“I’d say you’ve been hanging out with your sister too much.” He jerks his chin down the road. We’re approaching a section of highway lined with cars. From our distance it looks like they were abandoned early on, probably an accident. Scenes like this no longer affect me emotionally. Not the children’s car seats in the back or the owners’ belongings strewn across the grass by scavengers. Not even the occasional sight of a dead body withering away. We are halfway down the alley of vehicles when my horse twitches and jumps to the side. Jude reaches his hand out to me, grabbing for my reins, and I struggle to calm the giant animal.

He frowns. “Do you see that?”

Up ahead in the middle of the road is a dark stain. No, not a stain but something wet. A spill. I reach for my hatchet with one hand and feel for my gun with the other.

“Let’s get out of here,” I say quietly.

He nods and spurs his horse to a gallop. Mine mimics his and we’re off to a run, weaving out of the cars and onto the grassy shoulder. Jude is moving quickly when he pulls back suddenly. His horse neighs in protest.