Till the end

Chapter 24

"So, the rest of my group decided to stop at this settlement but it wasn't for me. I couldn't sit still knowing that there were people out there that needed my help, you know? So, what about you? Where are your friends?"

"It looks like it is going to snow tonight."

I pointedly looked at the dark sky, putting an end to Kiyoshi's question. I saw him smile and shake his head. We had been slowly making our way south since we woke up in the morning and he had been telling my all about himself and asking about my life but I couldn't find a way to answer that didn't hurt. Every memory was filled with pain because I had left them all behind.

"You aren't very talkative, are you Kuroko?"

"Not everyone had a good life like you. We weren't all surrounded by friends and have a place to call home."

My words came out more bitter then I wanted and saw the pity in his eyes.

"Sorry I didn't mean to bring up bad memories."

"Don't be, that's in the past. Let's keep going."

He took the lead again and led us on, this time he kept his silence and I thought over what my next step would be. Right now, we were just on the move. Foraging for food and water but without a destination in mind. From what he had told me about his home base, it was the same place that the doctor had told me about, the place with his daughter and the scientists. That option was there but I didn't really want to be around people and Kiyoshi with his too sharp eyes was enough. I didn't want to become a lab rat or someone's slave ever again.

He caught me as I stumbled over a pile of snow and let me go when he felt me stiffen at his touch. I saw his eyes turn thoughtful as he filed that away in his Kuroko file, he doesn't like to be touched.

"Maybe we should take a break. You don't really seem use to this life on the move."

I opened my mouth to answer I was fine but he held up his hand and I could hear what he had.

Voices.

We crouched down and headed towards a grouping of trees and looked around to see a group of four men gathering up some firewood and I could see one of them had a few rabbits.

"They are just foragers. We should see if they want to trade or if they could put us up for the night."

He went to move but I grabbed his shirt and kept him down beside me, my eyes wide as I shook my head, staring at the people before me.

"Kuroko, what's wrong?"

I was foolish to not pay attention to where we had been headed. I should have changed direction but my thoughts had been full of Akashi and everyone I had left behind. We had come close to the village that had imprisoned me for most of my life.

"We can't. We have to run away."

"But they could help us."

"No, I can't go back. I won't!!"

I turned at that and ran for all I was worth. Behind me I could hear his big body crushing through the trees as he called out my name. I ignored him and put on more speed. Further away. I had to get away. I could recall each blow, each attack and every word that had been thrown at me.

"Kuroko, stop!"

My feet slipped out from underneath me, my backpack falling off as I stumbled forward and then the ground gave way underneath me. Not the ground, I had run onto a frozen lake. My lungs burned as my soggy clothes threatened to pull me under. It was so cold it burnt my skin and my lungs screamed for air. I kicked as hard as I could, aiming for the hole I had fallen into. I took a deep breath before my clothes pulled me back under.