In Between Seasons

Chapter 51

The next morning I woke to see Hunter air boxing, and I couldn't help the laughter that erupted from me.

"What?" he asked, stopping with his hands in the air.

I jumped up and laid a soft jab in his ribs.

"Hey!" He jumped back, but not before my hand connected with him.

"You left yourself completely open, oh, wise one!"

He narrowed his eyes at me before rushing me and pushing me to the ground where our blanket was.

"This only works if you're trying to seduce your opponent!" I teased as he locked my arms over my head.

He nipped my neck. "Maybe I am."

I pushed him off me. "In the middle of the woods?"

Hunter shrugged before smoothing out my hair, which had tangled during the night.

"Supply hanger?" he reminded me with a glint in his eyes.

"At least that was inside!"

Hunter shrugged again, and I hit him in his shoulder.

The tension from the previous day seemed to have let up, and Hunter helped me to stand before slipping the pack over his shoulders.

"Ready for another day of running?"

I nodded my head even though my stiff muscles were saying the exact opposite. His fingers intertwined with mine as we exited the safe house and set off at a brisk pace. The desperation to escape our pasts began to dissipate, and our running relaxed to a rate that my warmed muscles were glad of.

Despite the cloud coverage the sun cascaded light through the trees, creating shimmering patterns across the forest. I couldn't help but smile over at Hunter; perhaps we could find some sort of peace—even if it meant living in the forest all alone. I wondered if Mara and Rob had found the location they set off towards. I had a feeling they at least knew where they were going. We were running blindly. I gave a burst of speed as a drop of rain plopped on my nose.

I glanced over my shoulder at Hunter. "I think I've gotten good enough to beat you at a race!" I taunted.

Hunter lengthened his stride only slightly and caught up to me. "Oh, really?"

"Yes!" I shouted as I sprinted ahead of him. The rain began to crash down over our heads, and I heard his laughter behind me as he rushed to catch me. I smiled as I breathed in the fresh rain air and dashed in between the trees. The forest rushed past me as I jumped over logs, and I felt as though I was flying.

This was what freedom felt like.

I closed my eyes for a second to take the moment in, and when I opened them the feeling drained from me. I skidded to a stop, barely able to keep myself from careening into the wall towering over me. Panic pulsed through my veins as I pushed myself off of the barricade and looked up at its dark frame as it scaled to sky, snarling into it with a top of barbed wire.

It looked exactly like the barbed wire we had left behind, but this wall was far higher.

Walls are bad.

My insides burned as I stared up at it. Then the hands grabbed me, yanking my arms harshly behind my back. The air left my lungs in a whoosh as I heard Hunter screaming behind me.

"KATE! KATE! NO!"

I kicked hard against the body behind me as I screamed out his name.

"HUNTER!" My voice broke in fear as he came into view out of the corner of my eye.

He was pinned against the wall by two men—two men with guns pointed at his chest.

"Let me GO!" I screamed as I pulled towards Hunter.

Fear blurred my vision as I screamed his name over and over.

This was true fear.

My whole body was on fire as I lurched towards Hunter. The feeling of absolute loss of control flooded my body as I felt my body going limp.

"Sorry, sweetheart," the man said, and I felt his hand pinch my neck before everything went black.