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Chapter Nine
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After the Downfall Chapter Ten
Gradually, I felt the motorcycle lose speed sometime later as it bumped over the tree roots and stray branches, and Gage came to a complete stop before I could gather myself together enough to talk. I don’t know how long he’d driven for, but it didn’t feel like it had been long enough. Luckily, there hadn’t been anything indicating we were being followed, so I’d been able to get a better hold over my emotions during the rough ride through the forest. Even so, I felt wrung out, ready to collapse onto the first passably soft surface I came across, but Gage swiftly thwarted my plans when he dropped the next bombshell on me. Peering back at me from over his shoulder as he dismounted, he gave me a sympathetic look as he said ruefully, “I know it has been a long day already, Zoe, but we’re not done moving yet.” Schooling my features, I got off the bike as he started digging through our supplies. I stood back, unsure what was going on, but I couldn’t help darting my eyes around nervously
After the Downfall Chapter Eleven
“Damn, Zoe!” Gage exhaled in a coarse tone, simultaneously rubbing a hand over his throat as he went on, tittering, “I see I had no reason to worry about leaving you alone.” “I am so sorry, Gage. I didn’t know it was you, and I freaked.” I effused in an unsteady tone as I released the weapon from my shaking hands, wincing a second later as it clattered noisily against the stony floor. “No harm, no foul, honey, but I do think it would be best if I showed you how to use that later. I don’t want you getting hurt.” A concerned look accompanied Gage’s statement, but I also took in the discomfort he was attempting to mask, diverting the attention back towards me. Moving aside as he bent down to retrieve the blade, I encouraged him to take a seat as I noticed his limp, too pronounced for him to hide even with the limited walking room available. He complained as I proceeded to fuss over him, examining his right ankle after he eventually gave in, but I was just as shook when I realized how
After the Downfall Chapter Twelve
Glass and rubble littered the cracked streets that we followed deeper into what I was guessing used to be the heart of this city, and I found it difficult to believe we would find anything of value in the wasteland extending out before us, but Gage apparently thought different. “I know it’s not anything to look at, but I’m positive there’s plenty to find in the east section of town. I haven’t cleared that area, and the looting wasn’t bad over there from what I remember when I was out this way last.” “How do you know so much about all this? You always know where we should go for safety or supplies. I couldn’t even make it twenty-four hours without running into trouble, and the bulk of your community stays holed up in that old silver mine, terrified of the big, bad wolves roving free now.” “Trust me, Zoe. I only semi know what I’m doing, and even then, it’s because someone helped me once upon a time. Consider it me paying it forward if you need to justify my actions to yourself, but I
After the Downfall Chapter Thirteen
Stretching out in the bed, I rolled over as my mind struggled to catch up with my surroundings and the events that had taken place before I’d lost consciousness. I couldn’t remember what’d happened at first, but as I nuzzled my nose further into the pillow under my head, a mouthwatering fragrance assaulted my awareness with the vaguely recognizable smell of a forest after it had rained. It was difficult to put a name to how the aroma made me feel, but the refreshing scent seemed to invigorate me, giving me the sense that I could be standing in the middle of the woods if I left my eyes shut. All my apprehensions were absent as I felt peace for a fleeting span of time. Unfortunately, fragments of my memory came back to me as I slowly stirred, and then I was gasping in alarm, flying up into a seated position as I restlessly whirled my eyes around the room that I found myself in. I realized rather quickly that I wasn’t where I’d recalled being knocked out at, and it was impossible to
After the Downfall Chapter Fourteen
Everything went smoothly for the next couple of days, and we were able to gather another load of supplies to transport to the drop off point together. The roundtrip hadn’t taken any extra time this go around, and there were no signs of the wolves, my protector or the other more perilous ones otherwise, as the days elapsed. Gage practically refused to let me out of his sight the whole time, but I couldn’t say I was unhappy about his overprotectiveness given what had happened. Added, I appreciated the training sessions he’d insisted on in between scavenging, and I was beginning to grow accustomed to the katana, even if I did prefer a different weapon. I couldn’t resist keeping an eye out for the massive black wolf, both in town and as we traveled, but I kept my increasing fascination to myself, not understanding how I could be so enamored with someone I’d never met. Gage and I were loading up the last of the provisions onto his motorcycle now, and I knew I was dragging my feet as th
After the Downfall Chapter Fifteen
The rain had us pinned down for two days, and I was beyond tense with Mother Nature’s forced delay. Howbeit, Gage and I were finally on the way back to his community, and he repeatedly reassured me nothing was going to happen. I was starting to believe him, but the pressure bearing down on me wasn’t easy to overlook. I did my best to distract myself, trying to find the black wolf as the hours elapsed while Gage weaved through the murky forest, but I didn’t see him before we made it to our end point. At any rate, Gage proved he was true to his word, directing us towards Robbie’s chambers before attending to anything else. We did make a detour to the room to deposit our belongings, but the deplorable leader was standing before me less than fifteen minutes after Gage and I had entered the old silver mine. He was the last person I wanted to see, but Gage’s presence let me feel as at ease as possible as I learned what my fate would be. I didn’t miss the leer Robbie aimed my way as I to
After the Downfall Chapter Sixteen
With my vision blurred, I stumbled through the door and into the room I’d been sharing with Gage. It didn’t feel like home to me, but I’d at least felt safe here for a while with Gage by my side. I was a little sad to be leaving it, but that was nothing compared to the battle I was waging in my mind over having to leave Mira and those other girls behind with what I knew they were enduring on a daily basis. The salty liquid wouldn’t stop flowing from my sore eyes, but I was able to breathe deeply through the worst of my emotional pain. Part of me wanted to ask Mira to come with us, but I was aware there was no way she could handle any type of trek through the woods, and that thought led to me freaking out about the fact that I had no clue where we were going to go. Sure, Gage had several well-stocked hideaways, but none of them were suitable for long term accommodations. Not to mention, the overall safety of them was thrown into question with how the first shelter had been ransacked
After the Downfall Chapter Seventeen
“Y…you want us to g…go to the bunker I grew up in? I can’t go back there.” I stammered out as a tidal wave of melancholy, wound with a healthy dose of apprehension, slammed into me full force. Gage didn’t recoil from my panic as I’d anticipated. Instead, he reeled me into the circle of his arms, soothing my frayed nerves and assuring me I wouldn’t have to go anywhere near the fallout shelter. It took a while for me to regain my equilibrium, but Gage’s presence, and the comfort I received from the necklaces I wore around my neck, aided me in coming back to the present. Once I was feeling better, Gage looked down, guiding my face up from where I was resting against his chest to lock his hazel orbs with my own chestnut-brown ones, saying, “I’m sorry, honey. I should’ve been clearer. I will go there to replenish our supplies before we head east, and I want to take a look at your dad’s truck if that’s alright with you. There isn’t much left to the west before we reach the ocean, and the
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