Of Monsters and Humanity: The Genesis

Chapter 76 - Terra

Five days after....

"Who's here?" Kerensa asked, stepping forward.

Alistair's eyes widened.

"The Coexistence," I breathed.

"No," Xander shut down. "It could be Project X."

My heart raised into my throat. Oh, no. It couldn't be. "They can't find us," I whispered. "No, no, no. They can't."

"They could have," Xander opposed. He stormed out of the kitchen.

I followed quickly after, taking three steps for each of his one. I heard Alistair and Kerensa behind me. "No, they can't," I moaned. Anxiety was taking over my system. My breath was rigid. "This is private property. They can't take you again."

"They can take whatever they want, legally. They could have changed our contract for Walhalla's Tetrault Woods State Forest behind our backs," Xander growled, walking through the main room, towards the doors leading to the foyer. "But I won't let them take any of us." He spun around. His eyes were dark, a serious demeanor on his face. He glared at his friends. "Both of you need to get the Hell out of here. Now. Kerensa, start up the jet. Fly to Washington and get new papers from a contact of Rune's."

"I'm not leaving," she growled.

"Neither am I," Alistair declared.

Xander growled. "This isn't some damn playful siding with. They will take you alive if you don't leave now."

"We aren't standing by while you deal with the government again, Alexander," Kerensa argued angrily, the Russian visibly furious. "This isn't just your fight anymore."

"It has always been mine," Xander disagreed.

"No! Not anymore!" she yelled. Her voice carried through the tall ceiling and rang through the upper level of the house. "I would rather go back to Chernobyl than allow you to give yourself up like a martyr."

Xander huffed. "They're getting closer," he grumbled. "They're going to be heading up the drive soon. Terra, go to the attic and don't move until one of us comes to get you."

I couldn't believe his words.

"Until one of you gets me?" I asked in horror. "Like you're not going to be there to get me?"

"I might not," Xander murmured gently, his body betraying his calm demeanor as it breathed heavily. He stared at the door. His fists were balled and I saw dark veins protruding from his shallow skin. Suddenly, his eyes widened and he stood a foot back. "They're here," he exhaled raspily. "Terra, go now."

"No!"

"Terra!" Xander raged.

I was furious. I turned and stormed up the stairs, my footsteps angry and heavy. I ran to the attic bedroom, the door flying open as I walked towards my suitcases. I dug through my things until I found my backpack. And the thing I was looking for. I grabbed it and stormed back downstairs.

Alistair, Kerensa, and Xander were all furiously screaming at each other by the time I got back. In my fury, I shoved past Xander, unlocked the front doors, slung them open, and stormed outside. I loaded my gun and walked into the cold winter's day, my socks freezing as I walked onto the cold drive.

All was quiet and time had slowed as I was outside. The sky was a bleak grey, small snowflakes falling from the sky and onto the dry, frozen ground. All was quiet. All was still. All was dead. I shivered in the cold, the bare fingers around my gun starting to freeze. I noticed my car still sitting out, covered in ice.