Snow

Chapter Five

The next morning, I woke up to the sound of wind.

I propped myself up against the wall, realizing I'd slid down during the night. My neck was sore from the awkward position I'd been in. Light seeped in from behind the fluttering blanket, creating sparks of white across the metal walls.

Wind blasted in, more ferociously than usual. The blanket wouldn't hold up.

To my right, Asten was fast asleep with his head lolling to the side. I had to wake him up to tell him about the wind, but I wasn't sure how. Finally, I awkwardly shook his shoulder until his eyes opened.

"What's going on?" he asked, more alert than I was.

"Wind," I muttered as I carefully stood, taking my mind off my bandaged and bootless right foot. The blanket flapped against the sides of the shelter. I pushed it out of the way so I could see outside.

Snow flew everywhere as broken treetops swayed in the harsh wind. The sky was barely visible above the snow-strewn air, with white gusts spiraling in every direction. I'd seen windy days, but this was one of the worst. If we were planning on going to the Equator, today would be a hard day to start our journey.

But if this shelter broke...

"We need to move," Asten commented, joining me at the entrance. "This shelter won't hold." As he spoke, I heard a quiet screech of metal rubbing against metal. Rust and decay had taken their toll.

I nodded before putting on my boot and lacing it up swiftly. Asten grabbed a jacket and picked up his gun from the ground. He didn't seem to carry food on him. I never chose to take that risk, but I could respect it. His few extra cans of food would be abandoned with the shelter. I almost considered grabbing a can or two, but they probably wouldn't fit in my bag.

The harsh winds rammed into my body as I walked outside, Asten close behind. I turned to him, my light brown hair whipping into my face. "Where should we go?" I asked, nearly shouting to be heard.

"I know a place!" he shouted back. "It's not extremely close, but it's safe. Somewhere we can stay for a while."

"Then, let's go."

The temperature had to be below freezing and my foot was killing me. Somehow, we walked for an hour straight through the cold. I kept my arms crossed over my chest, trying to keep warm, but it didn't work. The cold always found its way in.

It was how it'd always been, how it always was, and how it always would be. Nobody could escape nature.

My limp worsened as we wandered through a large forest of pine trees. The wind started to die down. The treetops towered above us, seeming like they could crumble down onto us any second. I stuck my hand out and touched the rough bark of the nearest one, my calloused fingers brushing over its coarse surface.

Ahead of me, something in the distance caught my eye. My hand fell to my side, small drops of melted snow falling from my fingers. The world was stormy gray. I couldn't look away, even as it got harder and harder to see.

Despite the blurriness, I recognized what we were walking towards.

My fist came up and slammed into the side of Asten's face. My knuckles hit soft, vulnerable flesh as he grunted in confusion and stumbled. I shoved my body on top of his, placing my knees on his chest, and pulled back my fist once more to deliver a hard punch.

My dagger was gone.

All I had left were my fists.

"What the hell were you planning?!" I shouted at him. The building wasn't just any building, it was a gang trading site. I'd been by it before. No supplies. Terrible place to seek shelter. Gangs swarmed it.

He'd been leading me towards it. I didn't know him well enough to trust that it was simply a coincidence.

He didn't need to speak to confirm my suspicions.

Before I could blink, he grabbed my still-raised fist. Then, he twisted my arm painfully behind me. I was forced onto my back, snow dampening my hair as the cold seeped through my jacket and into my skin.

Asten hovered above me, desperation lacing his features as he tightened his hold. His thighs held me in place while his hands kept both my arms pinned to the ground. I jerked my body upwards, trying to throw him off, but he was too strong.

Anger and helplessness filled me. With it, came a familiar choking feeling in the back of my throat. But I couldn't cry, not in front of him. Crying never helped anyone.

I spit in his face, wincing in pain as my arms were yanked further behind me. Asten refused to let up his hold.

I expected cruel words, but when he opened his mouth, he simply said, "I'm sorry...I don't want to hurt you." Did he not understand what he was leading me into?

Still, his expression mimicked my own. Hopelessness. Confusion. Fear.

"Then let me go," I whispered through gritted teeth.

He shook his head. "I can't do that."

I was tempted to laugh, to break out into hysterics, but I couldn't even find humor in this. I'd been with someone for barely two days and had already been betrayed.

He was going to sell me.

He was going to trade me to a gang.

I didn't know why. I wished I knew. I wanted there to be a reason.

I guess there was a reason that I refused to accept. In this world, everyone was untrustworthy.

I stared into his gray eyes as he grabbed my wrists and pulled out a zip tie. He made quick work of tying my hands. He dragged me to my feet.

Snow fell, as my last hope of finding someone disappeared underneath it.