Existing (under editing)

Chapter 17*

He was warm. I lay next to his broad chest, listening to his heart beat and his slow, deep breathing. The air tickling my face. He looked young. I stopped myself from moving my arm up to brush his light curls from his closed eyes, but scared if I stirred I would wake him of his deep, luxurious sleep. His eyes rolled rapidly back and forth in his sleep. I blew at his hair; it was annoying me, only for it to fall even more in his eyes. They fluttered open as he stirred. Waking up and grinning. His perfect straight teeth on show with his lop sided smile as his cheek was squished from resting on the ground below. He laughed shaking both of us in our sleeping bag. "What are you doing?"

"I-" I felt the heat flush to my cheeks. Lucas just smiled wider and sighed. His eyes drooped looking down at me as we lay together, pressed against each other.

Pepper sneezed next to us, spraying dog spit. The moment, whatever it was that had been in his eyes, ruined. We both rolled over to see them.

Morning. Hunter woofed as he and Pepper approached as we unzipped and got out. I was glad Hunter was finally getting to understand us with Peppers help. But it was surprising how fast he was growing. He had gained at least six inches since we had first met him and had over powered Peppers height completely. He still tended to trip over all the time just the same though, and his ears still flopped from side to side and I was getting the feeling they were going to stay in their dopey position. I handed out the last of the fresh fruit, as it had reached its limit, to Lucas as he folded the sleeping bags and put them away.

Morin decided to join us around about half way down the drop after a morning fly. I was able to get a hold of a pet parrot that can speak thankfully. He managed to tell his owner and can meet us around the west side. At around twelve when the walls timer resets there is a thirty second period leeway to get through. But you have to hurry. Be thankful they found it the other week.

Lucas shrugged and we kept on going. We made our way around to the west. Traveling swiftly, manly behind bushes and the scattered trees but from what we could see no one could see through the wall. When we reached the designated area we sat and waited.

"It looks like there have been bombings or something." Lucas said eyeing off the smoke that still rising from the walls within.

"It could be a good thing. Maybe someone's finally fighting back." I encouraged him.

"I hope so."

Then a sort of dim beeping sound came on and the blue wall seemed to fade in the section we had been shown, a man with an eye patch on the other side yelled to come. He wore drab filthy clothes and had a tough lean body with muscles stretching the fabric to the point holes had formed. His Asian physical traits of dark hair, although been shaved almost bald, and slit like eye meant that days in the hot sun had tanned him a more of a yellow ting as well. He branded many tattoos and a parrot on his shoulder bobbing up and down. I grabbed Lucas's hand and stepped through. Letting out a sigh.

"Come on Pepper." I said back behind me. But as they went to step the man butted in.

"No dogs ma'am, too suspicious." she said.

Pepper and Hunter stood waiting. Morin sat on my shoulder silently watching.

"He's right Alma; they will know there's a break in the wall if they turn up out of nowhere." Lucas squeezed my hand, still holding it. "They will be alright. We can send Morin to check on them."

I nodded, "I'm sorry Pepper. Morin you look after them. Come to me every day and say how they are."

The bird nodded and flew over to sit on the wolf pups head. But my heart wrenched as Pepper disappeared behind the blue wall.