Jamison took a hold on the helicopter's controls, while I had the gun in my hand, ready to threaten him if necessary. I got into the machine with the other five prisoners, sitting in between Zenon and Erin. Shane sat on the other side of Erin.
The helicopter flew up into the sky with the chopping sound of its blades. Jamison passed back a few headphones to my friends and I, leaving the other prisoners without communication. Terri watched as I slid a pair over my ears, still holding Adelyn in his lap, one arm draped over his neck and breathing peacefully like she was just asleep, not unconscious.
The dusty landscape flew by. I watched buildings reduced to rubble disappear behind us. There were a few other things I noticed as well. Large, unearthed strips of concrete lined with two parallel yellow lines. Rusty metal boxes that slightly resembled the helicopter, but with no propellor. Tonnes of them. Especially on the yellow-lined concrete. In a sudden moment of realization, I recognized the concrete as roads. We had them in my home city, too. They just weren't covered in dust and... those metal boxes.
Adelyn made a groaning noise and moved her limbs, making Terri have to adjust his hold on her. Her eyes fluttered open.
"Addy," he said, brushing the hair off her forehead. I couldn't hear what he was saying over the noise of the helicopter, but I could read his lips.
Good. Adelyn was okay. I breathed out a sigh of relief.
"Adelyn's awake," I said.
"Good. We'll have less of a burden now," Zenon said. "We don't need any more unconscious people."
"No. But that also means that Leanne will wake up soon, if she hasn't already."
"So what?"
"There's more than one helicopter," I said. "They're bound to come sooner or later."
"We'll be in the city soon..." Zenon's voice faltered on the word 'city'.
"If we hide, we'll be okay," I said.
"Hopefully," Shane chimed in. "I don't want to be chased around again."
Zenon snorted. "Like you know about being chased around. Try surviving off the Forest for a year."
"Whatever," Shane said. "I've almost been killed too many times for comfort, and I'd like to avoid any future risks."
"Heading back to the city is one big risk," I said.
"How so?"
"I don't know many details-"
"Let's just say you've done quite a number on our little safe haven," Jamison interjected.
"Safe haven," Zenon scoffed.
"For the damaged," his dad corrected. "Maybe not so much for you."
"No kidding."
A green ring showed up on the helicopter's radar, filled with grey. The city. I looked up out of the window, expecting to see the familiar circle of dark green brush.
"Holy," Erin gaped.
And she said that because, much to my surprise, the Forest was gone.
YOU ARE READING
Hinterland (The Aftermath #2)
Science FictionApril has survived her execution. She's survived the perilous Forest and its obstacles. She's deceived, been deceived, fought and been fought. But she's still alive, and she thinks she's survived all that the government has to throw at her. In this...
