Selection (Book 2 of P.O.E. chronicles)

The Secret Origin of Tom Triole Part 6

If you haven't read Part 1 - 5, they are at the end of Evolution. This is a novella from Tom's point of view. Don't read it unless you are finished with Evolution and Selection.

THERE WILL ALSO BE SOME DEVIATION from the original story - as this is written based on the rewrite of Selection that would be self-published early 2017.

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The forest was a scary place.

Once again pursued by Legres, I looked up at the full moon and realised our mistake. We must hadve unwittingly entered the Lupa's territories when they were out, and now they were mad. I could feel the exhaustion seeping through my limbs, but I pushed myself onwards. It was flight or dead.

Abigail's rugged breaths started to become fainter behind me, alerting me to the fact that she was falling behind.

"Gail, pull yourself together!" I shouted, looking back to see her eyes glossing over and her hair sticking to her face. A large branch was right in front of her, and she only managed to narrowly miss tripping over it. My heart almost launched out of my throat and the near-miss. That girl was going to give me a heart attack.

"Go left!" Evanna shouted and I had long learn to trust her. Whatever mistrust or grudges we had before our venture into the wild had long been forgotten. I stole a glance at Bowen, who was running alongside me as we changed direction. I never thought a day would come when the two of us would be talking to each other without snapping, let alone call each other friends.

I tried not to let the howls of the Lupas get to me; we had come this far, we will prevail again.

"Gail, run!" Owen's voice drifted over and I whipped my head around. My heart almost stopped at the sight in front of me; he was going to hold off the Legres and let the girls escape.

It didn't surprise me to see that Abigail was trying to help. Exchanging a look with Bowen, we ushered the rest forward and started running back towards the trio. We couldn't afford to lose Evanna, and I couldn't just stand and watch Abigail try to get herself killed.

We got there just in time. Abigail fainted, and I managed to catch her just in time. Evanna managed to mutter a few words to Fred before slumping on the ground as well. Wasting no time, I created a firewall where her mind wall must have been and pulled her on my back. This should buy us some time.

Owen was smart, and he quickly caught up to us as we tried to gain as much distance from the Lupas as possible. The movement on my back told me that Abigail had regains consciousness and I smiled despite the situation; she was a tough one.

"Put me down, I am fine," she insisted, but I ignored her. There was no way I would let her get on her own feet and try to get herself killed.

A secession of howls reached us and I risked a glance back. Cursing under my breath, I mustered as much energy as I could spare at the moment and conjured up another firewall between us. However, I could tell that it was nowhere near enough to stop the Lupas. The lack of sleep and food was getting to me, however much I would like to deny that.

I could tell that Abigail and Bowen had been doing something to throw them off too, but the truth was we were no match for them, at least, not like this. The others had already disappeared into the treeline and I knew it was only minutes until we made it, too. But those were minutes that we might not have.

"You guys run," Owen said, gesturing for us to go on. "I will hold them off."

"No!" Abigail screamed. I winced a little at the proximity and volume. I shared a look with Bowen and we both shook our heads; leaving someone to fight off the enemies had never been okay with me.