The Enclosure

Chapter XI

The group of seven walked along the trail, it was dusty and sandy, as they walked the rocks crunched under their boots. Cove's jacket laid on Eliza's shoulders, she wasn't used to this kind of weather, even if it seemed hot to everyone else, Eliza was freezing. Every so often so far they'd stop for food and to sleep. Today they were stoping in Laughlin, and abandonded city with tons of toxic air. But the air wasn't as toxic as the air they encountered at the Flame border, you could breathe in Laughlin's air and only get a stomach ache if you were sensitive enough.

The seven of the arrived at the entrance of Laughlin it had a large brown cloud hovering over it, the buildings broke down as they moved in ward, and the wind was heavy. There were birds calling and signs creeking against the wind, this place had a heavy tone. Devin looked up at one of the buildings keeping an eye as the sign tilted forward and backwards. Cove looked at Elan stepping close to her hoping Elena knew what she was doing, clearly she did. Rowan and Eliza hoved together, making sure each other was ok. Griffin and Alexei stood in the back making sure nothing caved in under.

"I remeber when Laughlin was a bustling city. Filled with Russian trade routes, now it's just dying tree's, toxic air and broken buildings." Alexei spoke, everyone looked over to him before spotting the sign falling quickly behind him.

"Alexei!" He quickly ran forward into Eliza who held him up from falling, she grabbed onto his upper arms and smiled sweetly.

"Close one Comrade." Elena turned a shoulder looking at the two of them, before looking up to one of the signs.

"We will have to move forwards quicker, theres a building at the end of the road, safest structure in Laughlin. No more signs falling on any of you, don't follow any bird sounds or calls, their tricks made by residents to warn off Ravengers." Elena continued her way down the path, Devins eyes quickly wandered the buildings before looking to Cove who wandered a little too close to Elena.

Eliza walked with the bag strapped around her arm looking at the area around her, her eyes pacing from tree to building, to cloud then to bugs crawling on the ground. She looked over to Rowan who wobbled beside her, he seemed off.

"Rowan?" Eliza glanced over to him with a soft smile trying to cheer him up.

"Sorry I was thinking," His pace quickened and he felt embarrassed for some reason he didn't even understand.

"Was it Ethan?"

"It doesn't always have to be Ethan I'm thinking about, I just want to get the fuck out of here." Quickly as he said that he herd a shot fire in the background, before looking over to Eliza covering her arm. Rowan looked to her in fear, followed by the rest of the group stopping in their tracks.

"Russians." Devin stopped behind Elena who looked over to him with a raised brow.

"That's racist,"Elena smirked only to hear Devin's grumble.

"Lena, it's Irina," Griffin looked over to her with a hesitant frown, of which Elena nodded.

"Irina, it's Elena Pavlov from the south end Flame." Elena yelled she didn't hold her hands up in peace or anything she just looked up, hoping she'd get spot, but she was quickly thrown a Russian remark.

"What'd she say?" Cove looked at Alexei who was helping Eliza, from the bag on her shoulder.

"She told Elena to go away, but a little more agressive." Griffin smiled shakily, causing Devin to frown.

"Irina, you're father and mine were friends can we pass through Laughlin, we'll be gone as soon as possible." Elena's hand quivered over the gun on her belt hoping for some kind of peace, but with another full Russian remark from Irina, Devin took the gun from Elena's pocket and shot at the sign, only to hear Irina scream.