Broken but not lost

Chaoter 26, FLYNN

"This is up to you, Bri." I tell her, stepping towards her and resting my hand on her bicep. "We can go and do what we can, maybe die in the process, or we can keep moving. Disappear off the face of the earth like you said." I stare at her, even as she looks south, her head facing away from me.

She bites her lip in debate. We both stand there in silence for a good minute before she speaks. "I want to help." She looks back to me, blue eyes lined with silver.

"Good. Gives me a chance to save Kyle's ass and then beat it myself." I tell her, earning a smirk from her beautiful lips.

"That's not his nam— you know what? Never mind. You said a couple miles out?" She returns to her thoughts, rotating her body back to the south.

"If we move now, follow the gunfire, we might be able to reach them by noon." I say by way of response, debating how long the journey to them might take.

"Then let's move." Briar turns around, gently leans the rifle against a rock and picks up her pants. She steps through with one leg, then the other, wiggling her ass to get the pants over it.

I follow in suit and pull the discarded shirt from last night over my head. After putting our shoes back on, we both pick up the rifles, our packs and waters. Briar begins moving as I stomp out the embers of the fire.

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There's little to no talking as Briar and I follow the sounds of death, whether from fear or just from exhaustion, I don't know.

Briar took the lead on the hike, I didn't argue. But as we walk I notice the slight wobble in her steps and the constant tripping over little rocks.

I throw the strap of the rifle over my arm and rummage through my bag, finding the same pack of crackers I gave to her over a week ago. I jog two steps closer to her and wave the pack in front of her.

"You haven't eaten." I state.

She turns her head and looks me up and down. "How do you know?" She mocks.

"There's a few reasons I could give, do you want to hear all of them and then argue with me until you eat or eat now?" I question, knowing she'll put up some kind of fight either way.

"Neither."

See what I mean?

"Briar." I sigh her name.

"Oh, fuck off." She shoves me, grinning, but it's easy to tell she's irritated.

I stop and grab her arm, spinning her into my chest roughly. "Say that again." I warn.

She sucks on a tooth, staring at me. "I said: Fuck. Off."

I chuckle mirthlessly. "Briar, I could tackle you to the ground and shove these," I shake the pack in her face, "down your throat. But I'm asking you to eat." I look her dead in the eyes, furrowing my brows in concern. "Please."

She looks to the pack and then back at me, her eyes seeming to feign obedience. Or at least debating obedience.

"The less you eat, the weaker you are. If we're going to help your tribe, you need to be strong. Just eat one. That's all I'm asking." I step back, releasing her and letting her decide on her own.

Silver brims her eyes once more as she debates eating it.

I swallow, "At least do it so I don't have to carry your ass all the way there." She chuckles slightly and takes the pack from my hand.

"Just one." She says, pulling a single cracker out. I nod my head and smile proudly. She takes a bite, chews, swallows, and repeats until the cracker is gone.