DYSTOPIA | BOOK 2 of Death of the Future Series

ELEVEN

MIN SEO 

Min Seo felt like each step she took was shortening her journey to death. Her heart was drumming against her chest. Her breaths came out in short puffs. She kept a sharp ear out for any sounds, glancing around her once in a while. The sun was high in the sky, but the light didn't reach the green grounds of the forest floor. The leaves above her created a canopy like structure, keeping the hot rays away as she continued to head east.

The sun rays that did manage to filter through the gaps between the leaves scattered on the ground in jagged patterns. It made a pretty picture if she had the time to admire it.

Small mercies, she supposed.

She bit her tongue from the reflex to scream when she heard a sound echoing from her right, pulling her out from her musings. Turning her body to the direction of the noise, she raised her gun. Steady, calm, she made sure she pushed down her anxiety and fear that threatened to swallow her rationality whole. Fingers tight on the trigger, she narrowed her gaze.

A shadow.

She saw a shadow moving from behind one of the large tree trunks. It was casted on the ground, the shape distorting every time the person moved. She took a small step toward the tree that became that person's hiding spot.

Had the Official found her?

She really thought she was far away from them.

Cursing her luck, she analysed her escape routes.

If anything were to go wrong, she had no choice but to pull the trigger and shoot. The forest was an open route, every single path could either lead her to salvation or to her doom.

Min Seo didn't know if she wanted to take that risk. Not just yet.

The shadow morphed again with movement from the person. Tightening her jaw, she took another step. If she could press her gun against the person without getting detected, she could have an advantage in this situation. She was good at being stealthy, she knew.

Another step.

Another movement from the intruder.

Before she knew it, she was a feet away from what she assumed to be the Official. She furrowed her eyebrows, confusion swelling inside her when the person didn't make a move to break away and run or fight back. She looked to the ground, noting that the shadow hadn't moved. Raising her gun a little higher, she counted to three in her head.

And then, she moved.

She turned, stepping in front of the individual. With the gun pointed at a man, she took advantage of the adrenaline running in her blood to sharpen her senses. Making sure her muscles weren't too locked up so she could move swiftly if required, she looked at him.

The words, the urgency to yell at him died in her throat when her suspicions were confirmed.

An Official. 

"Don't shoot me!" a dark-skinned man yelled, hands raised in air with palms facing her.

Min Seo thinned her lips, ignoring the shakiness in that man's voice. It all could be a lie for all she knew. She kept the gun aimed at his head. Taking him in, she noticed he was wearing the Official uniform.

"Where are the rest of you?" she hissed, taking a step back.

The man shook his head. "No one's here."

Min Seo didn't buy that. She wanted to take a look around her in case this was a trap but she couldn't turn her back against him. Forcing her body to move, she took a step toward him again, this time, her finger itched to press on the trigger.