Code of Honor

He didn’t answer instead he walked past me with a hard expression. Like I hadn’t even spoken. I frowned and followed him down the hill. His eyes stared straight ahead at the crowd before us. I looked back. It seemed to get bigger as we got closer. And louder. By the time we reached the back of the crowd I couldn’t see the gates and tents anymore. My father started to push his way through the crowd and I stuck close behind him. His hand reached back to take my arm and keep me close.

He called something back but I couldn’t hear him over the noise. People were screaming, fighting to be heard. Some were crying and somewhere close by I could hear people arguing intensely. I assumed the argument turned into fight because suddenly everyone was pushed back a few feet from their direction and two men. Dressed in heavy army uniforms rushed forward. Ready to take action. Dad glanced over at them back at me and pushed forward again.

“Why aren’t they shooting us?” Phillip asked dad quietly, “They know who we are.”

“It’s a tense truce,” Dad said carefully. “Even if they recognize us they can’t do anything tonight. This is for all purposes neutral ground until morning.”

The crowd thinned out a little as we reached the front. There were more soldiers up here all with trained weary eyes surveying the crowd. The crowd itself seemed to split into two major and disorganized lines. Both before the lightly colored tents.

The entrances to the tents were well guarded by a handful of bulky soldiers. They were the only way past the tall fence I realized. I recognized the scene quickly. We’d been at a similar setup before. We were evacuating the city.

“Dad,” I called. No answer. “Dad!”

He turned in time to catch me as I pushed by the crowd. He pulled me further forward to where the crowd thinned out enough for us to breathe. He opened his mouth to speak but I cut him off.

“What are we doing here, we’re can’t go anywhere?”

“Grace,” He whispered.

He glanced around and put his arm around me. Leading me further from the group. to as much privacy as we could manage in this crowded area. Kneeling to be at my level to spoke. “This is not the life I want for you...I could have never imagined this for you.”

“And you think it’ll be any better if we trek across the country?” I questioned.

A sad frown took his lips. I caught the feeling I was missing something but only a second later it hit me. I looked back behind me. Out of the small group behind us only Phillip and his friend had a single bag over their shoulders. Ben had two small bags in his hands. I had turned in time to see him give one to Dimitri without a word.

“No,” I whispered and turned around to face my father. “You’re not coming?”

He didn’t answer with words but the look on his face was enough for me. Sure I had been mad at him over the whole Penny debacle but I didn’t want to lose him forever. He was my father and the only family I had left in this sad world.

“Dad...I know I’ve been a bit of a brat lately...and I didn’t take the Penny thing really well but you don’t have to send....”

He pulled me up as quickly as I was rambling. Shock taking the sadness of his features.

“No Grace...No,” Quickly he put his hands on my shoulders. “This has nothing...absolutely nothing to do with any of that Grace. This is about giving you something better than I can provide here. I want better for you Grace.”

“So you’re sending me to California alone,” I stated.

He hung his head for a second.

“I’m taking the chance you’ll have a better life over there. For both you and Dimitri. The two of you have a better chance than any of us. They won’t hesitate to take the two of you, you’re young and healthy.”

“I’m not going,” I said firmly.

“Grace please don’t make this harder than it already is.”

“No. I won’t go. I’m staying here with you.”

“Grace!”

I flung around. It had not been anyone of our grouping to call my name. Another similar voice had called me form over the hundreds of heads around us. I picked his voice in an instant. I looked everywhere trying to find him in the crowd but it seemed impossible. Surely if he could see me I should be able to see him.

“Riley?” I called. Still I couldn’t see him. My father stood up and frowned into the crowd.

Suddenly he came barreling through a small group of people. They turned to argue until they seen his uniform. He was dressed head to toe in a thick army uniform I had never seen him in before. It was topped with a bullet-proof vest. A large gun adorned the space of his back. His eyes were wild and his hair was sticking up. I assumed he had recently been wearing a helmet. He took my arm in his strong hand as he stopped before us. I noticed my father from the corner of my eye fight the urge to pull him off me.

“You said you weren’t coming here.” He said breathlessly.

“I didn’t think I was,” I replied quickly. “What’s going on?”

“You have to get out of here...right now.”

“What, why?”

He glanced behind him. Another tall and bulky soldier was watching him with weary eyes. His dark eyes narrowed in confusion and suspicion. Riley turned back to me and quickly whispered.

“I can’t say but you have to get out of here.”

“What’s going on?” My father questioned. Riley glanced at him. Then back at me.

“Whatever you do, don’t get on those buses. Don’t let anyone you care about get on those buses. Just get out of here Grace. Quickly.”

“Rawson!”

Riley and I both turned in the direction of the voice. A sulky looking man was staring him down. He looked important. He wasn’t dressed the same as the other soldiers and he had several flanking him. Riley took one glance at him and stepped away. Letting go of my arm he turned back to me once more.

“Please just get out of here.”

He turned and walked away without looking back at me. I watched him disappeared into the crowd in the direction of the officers who were calling him. I realized he couldn’t have explained to us what he had to say with them right there. He could get in enough trouble for speaking to me as it was. I turned back to my father who to was watching the crowd were Dimitri disappeared.

“I’m not going,” I said turning his attention back to me.

He stared at me. Indecision lacing his eyes. He was torn between the thought of a safer life for me and Riley’s warning. Dimitri walked up beside us. The look of worry on his face told me he’d heard everything. I doubted he wanted to leave either. Like me everything he had left in the world was right here.

“Can’t we just go back...,” Dimitri started.

Suddenly an ear splitting crackle cut him off and caused all within a few metres to cringe. We all turned to see where the noise was coming from. On the other side of the fence a short man was standing amongst a large group of soldiers. A microphone with duct tape around its middle sat in his hand. He was surrounded my soldiers so I assumed he was someone special. On this side of the fence the rest of the army’s men stepped into action.

They pushed everyone back away from the entrances to the tents causing the whole crowd to move a few feet backwards. People started screaming and arguing. Wanting to be let through. Just ahead of us I watched a desperate man try and force his way past only to be grabbed and pushed backwards by two soldiers.

He fell backwards and disappeared under the feet of the crowd. Another woman begged to be let past, her face was badly burnt on one side and she had a bundle of blankets in her arms. They pushed her back just as roughly. Another crackle brought my attention back to the short man. He watched out at the gathered crowd with beady eyes for a moment before he spoke.

“Can I have your attention...,” He started formally. It put me on edge. His voice was too easy. “Remaining citizens of Richmond.” He paused for a few seconds until a decent curious silence fell over the crowd. “I regret to inform you that we will not be taking any more applications for evacuation.”

This caused a serious uproar in the crowd. My father reached out to grab me and pull me closer before I could get lost in the angry crowd.

“Please return to your homes,” he went on.

“What homes!” Someone behind me yelled angrily.

He was the first of many. I could barely hear the short man over all the screaming and anger. When I did I wasn’t sure if I’d even heard him correctly.

“...Move on, or we will be forced to open fire.......use of deadly force...Five minutes.”

I glanced up at dad who without a word grabbed me in a tight hold so not to lose me and pushed forward through the crowd. Looking back once for Dimitri who followed behind quickly. Only some people were taking the warning and moving away. Most were still fighting to get through and make it to the buses. I wondered if this had been what Riley was trying to warn me about.

I glanced back to see if I could see him. It didn’t take much. In my split second of distraction a push in the crowd separated me from my father and our group. It only took a few seconds before an uncountable amount of confused people separated us. I found myself being pushed around and falling deeper into the mess of the crowd. I soon lost my bearings and didn’t know which way was out.

I looked around frantically trying to find someone familiar in the faces of those surrounding me but came up with nothing. My panic was short lived. I heard his voice before I seen him. I knew he wouldn’t leave me behind. A second later he was grabbing me from behind. At first I jumped, ready to defend myself only to turn and come face to face with my father. He wrapped a muscled arm around me.

“C’mon we have to get out of here.”

The words had just escaped his mouth when a gunshot filled the night air. Then screaming and the sounds of panic. When I looked back in the direction of the noise I seen a solider with his rifle lifted. The rest reaching for their guns. The crowd had parted near the entrance to the fence where the body of a man laid dead. Bleeding heavily from the chest. Then more gunshots filled the air.

At that point everyone got the warning and stampeded back away from the fence. Again I had to fight to keep with my father, he refused to let me go no matter how bad the crowd got. All I could see was the colours of people shirts and skins. It was a mess and the only guidance I had out was my father.

Pulling me in the right direction. Then before I knew it there was a part in the crowd. Dad pulled my towards it and once free of the confusion we broke into a run. The sound of gunfire chasing from behind. We only stopped when we had made it a block away and ran back into Dimitri and Ben.

“Where are the others,” Dad panted as we came to a stop behind the cover of a deserted alley.

“Don’t know,” Ben replied breathless. “We lost them, but they’ll make it back on their own. They’ll be okay without us.”

“What the hell was that about!” Dimitri asked.

We all looked back. The large crowd had evaporated as quickly as it had arrived. All that remained were the soldiers, the fence and the body’s if the unlucky few who couldn’t make it out fast enough. Or those who had been trampled in the furious escape.

“They only killed those who tried to break through,” Ben said. “The rest was just warning fire. I don’t doubt had we stayed any longer they would have shot us to though.”

Dad nodded. “I shouldn’t be surprised.”

“We should get out of here before they change their minds about the truce and come after us,” Ben said and dad nodded. Glancing at me.

My father and Ben moved ahead. Dimitri and I followed behind with our heads low and mouths shut. We had dodged a serious bullet tonight. Not only the armies but my fathers. He had wanted us to get on those buses and leave. Though a part of me and seen where he was coming from I couldn’t help but feel and little hurt.

I didn’t care what the other side of the world offered because it didn’t have the one thing I wanted. My dad. The Penny incident dropped to the back of my mind and stayed there. I would not lose my father over anything. He was to important and the only family I had left. I could be angry all I wanted but I had to forgive him.

“Do you think that’s what Riley was trying to warn you about?” Dimitri mumbled.

I shrugged. “I think so.”

I wasn’t so sure myself. Maybe he wanted to get me us out of there before they opened fire. But in the back of my mind a more sinister suspicion plagued me. He didn’t want me on those buses at all. Something was really amiss about the whole thing. I noted to ask him next time I seen him.

Three days later I got my chance.

That night while everyone was fast asleep I snuck out once more. Quietly creeping down the stairs and legging it to the north side of the city. I ran nearly the whole way and soon regretted it. Jamison wasn’t kidding when he said my lings would not recover. By the time I made it to the plaza I could barely breathe. But my sweaty heaving form prevented a small group of Russian soldiers from approaching me.

They glanced at me from the distance and kept walking. They probably thought I was diseased and I decided it was better that way. I crossed the plaza trying to clean myself up with nothing but my hands and trying to make myself look somewhat presentable. I couldn’t help it. A part of me didn’t want Riley to see me this way. Another part of me scolded me. This wasn’t right.

Still I pressed on and found the side door. Following the vague memories I had form out first meeting. Only falling over twice, I stumbled through the dark hallways with some ease, quickly finding my way into the main area of the mall. The half moon was low in the sky so it was much darker than usual. I found myself a little lost without the light to point me in the right direction.

I walked around a little until things slowly started to flow together in my head and I had a small map planned in my mind. Easily I found my way upstairs and to the old furniture store. Carefully so not to make any unnecessary noise I lifted the large roller door. Briefly underestimating it’s weight. Riley had made it look so easy. Still I was able to lift it up enough to slip myself underneath. Then unable to hold it up any longer I dropped it. It hit the floor with a resounding crash. I flinched. My ears slightly ringing.

“Grace?”

I looked around for the source of the small voice.

“Riley?”

He suddenly appeared from behind a beige couch. A playful smirk on his face.
“Should have guessed it was you.”

“The entrance gave me away didn’t it,” I asked with a smile. I was still flat on my back.

“Yeah it did.”

He jumped the couch in one fluid movement and walked over. I sat up and brushed the dust off my arms. Sneezing as I did so, he laughed and held out his hand. Without a second thought I took it. His large hand wrapped around mine and pulled me to my feet. He continued to shock me.

He was so thin and lanky but yet he had some strength in his muscles. Once firmly on my feet I found myself looking straight into his chest. I glanced up. We were extremely close, I could smell him clearly. It was almost intoxicating. It brought me back to the kiss we’d shared. I swallowed the hard lump in my throat.
We’d been so drunk. Would he even be interested in me sober? I glanced up at him. He looked as confused and as tense as I felt. We stood there for a prolonged moment before stepped back awkwardly. He let go of my hand.

“I wasn’t expecting you tonight,” He said breaking the silence.

“Yeah...I got the chance to get out so I took it,” I replied just as awkwardly. “Dad’s kinda been watching me since last time.”

“He caught you?” Riley asked quickly. Concern in his voice.

I nodded. “But he took it surprisingly well. I think they were more amused than angry.”

He chuckled and turned around. “C’mon,” he coaxed.

I followed him through he maze of couches and bedside tables to the bed we’d shared last time. He fell back on it and stared at the roof. I sat down and leant against the headboard. Our feet touched. Carefully his foot knocked mine playfully. Without a word I returned the gesture.

“Have you guys had any trouble with the Russians?” he asked conversationally.

“Nope,” I replied. “None at all. See them from time to time though. I guess you do?”

He shrugged. “Time to time. Usually unless we have we avoid conflict with them. There meant to be leaving soon. I think they realized there’s nothing here to have.”

“I guess that’s a good thing,” I yawned. “For you anyway.”

He nodded and fell silent. Not sure how long I was going to able to stay with him this time I questioned him about the evacuation. I wanted answers. His reply startled me.

“You said you weren’t going to be there,” He said a firmness to his voice.

“I didn’t think I was going to,” I defended. “Dad never told us he was taking us.”

He frowned.

“What happened there?” I questioned moving closer to him.

With a sigh he explained. “Once the buses were at capacity we were told they would have one warning then we were ordered to open fire. They didn’t care who or if we killed. As long as any trouble makers were taken out.”

“Trouble makers as in?” I asked with a horrible feeling settling over my gut. I figured I already knew the answer.

“Those who tried to force their way through....” He looked away for a moment. “Or those we knew who were apart of rebellion groups. They recognized your dad and those other guys you were with. If you hadn’t of left when I told you to and stuck around long enough. You guys would have been the first to go down.”

“Then I owe you more than I thought it did.”

He shook his head. “I couldn’t let you get on those buses.”

A playful smirk took my lips. I couldn’t help myself. “Why didn’t you want me to go to Cali.”

He didn’t return the smile. “Those buses were never going to California Grace.”

“What?” I frowned.

“There was a reason they were so picky this time and why they turned so many healthy people away. They only wanted trouble makers, people from rebellion groups and those who traded with you guys....”

“Why?” I questioned when he faltered.

A deep sadness took his voice. “I had no idea until they’d already left. They drove them a few hours out of the city, then pulled over and slaughtered everyone inside.”

“What?” I stuttered. Shock taking over every nerve in my body. I had truly believed they would have taken them to safety. How close had I come to joining them? “Why?”

“To cull out the numbers of these groups,” He said as if it were obvious. It was I just didn’t know what else to say. “From what I’ve heard they took out one whole group and half another. They took out a few suppliers that have been giving people guns and food. I don’t think they got any of you guys, they were a bit pissed about that. You’re the main ones they want taken out.”

“Why us,” I frowned.

“You guys are the biggest or at least most organized group,” He said with a smile. “You’ve lasted longer than any of the others. Usually they dwindle away. Weather you know it or not you guys have quite the reputation around here.”

“Wow,” I replied simply and he laughed.

“That’s another thing that upsets them. The reputation you guys have, and the one they can’t keep. It’s like rubbing it in their faces,” He chuckled.

I sighed and laid back on the bed. My head falling into his lap to use him as a pillow again. Slowly his hand moved from his side and started to stroke my hair. I closed my eyes and let myself relax. I could never achieve this feeling of calm anywhere else. Only when I was laying with him in this little spot we had. I don’t know how long we laid there in silence just enjoying the others company. I didn’t keep track, but before I knew it the moon was right above our heads. I could see it in the broken spotlight. With a yawn I sat up and looked back at him. He smiled at me, I couldn’t help but smile back.

Without a word or warning he moved forward and pressed his lips against mine. I was too shocked to move at first. I had been certain he had only kissed me the last time because of the drink. This time we were both completely sober. There was no other excuse. When I didn’t react to him he pulled back slightly. A guilty frown on his face. All I could think about was his lips on mine. How soft they had been. I wanted to taste him again. This time I shocked him by pressing myself against him. Kissing him the way he had been kissing me. Unlike me he reacted in a second.

Wrapping his arms around me. I couldn’t control myself. Our attraction was so deep even though I’d only known him for a short time. Maybe it was just the loneliness taking its toll and making some mild attraction ten times better. Whatever it was I didn’t care. I cared for nothing outside of his arms around me and his soft lips moulding around mine. He pushed me back until I back was pressed against the mattress and I felt myself sink into. Until there was nothing but him around me.

I don’t know what happened after that. We fell so deep into our affection we got lost. His lips never separated from mine as his hands ran down my side. I shuddered underneath him as his hand snuck up my shirt. He smirked against my lips moving his hand up the skin of my stomach. Moving slowly, waiting for me to refuse him. I didn’t and I wasn’t sure why. At first I thought I was scared but I soon realized it wasn’t fear that made my stomach twist.

It was lust and concern. Not for what might happen. But concern for if I was good enough. Slowly his lips moved down my chin and down to the sensitive skin of my neck as his finger tips brushed the bottom of the old bra I was wearing. A small sigh escaped my lips. He took this as permission, his hand traveled further up and his lips moved back to mine. Again I lost myself in him.

A small part, deep in the back on my mind, scolded me. I barely knew this boy. I barely knew anything about him other than his name and he was in the army. But to the rest of me none of that seemed to matter. What we were doing felt so right. I felt like we should’ve been doing this a long time ago. It didn’t matter how much I knew about him.

“OI, Keep up ya wankers.”

We shot apart. The voice was loud, too loud. They were close. Close enough for me to pick the heavy English accent in the voice. Softer voices soon answered. Further away. There were people here. Slowly Riley rose to his feet. I sat up slowly watching him. Ready to move if he did. It wasn’t until the thought of needing it that I realized I had left my gun behind.

Stupid move on my behalf. Carefully Riley lifted his jacket and started to pull it over himself. I followed suit. Slowly standing up and cringing when the bed springs creaked beneath me. Once he had everything together Riley reached for me hand and started to lead me back towards the backside of the store. I followed without hesitation. Behind us the voices came closer.

We darted in one of the back doors and wound up in Wal-Mart storage again. With a bit more speed we crossed the large room. Moving swiftly around shelves and boxes to sacred to make a noise. The voices got louder as we traveled and I had the fleeting thought to turn around and go the other way.

But Riley seemed intent on going this way. I was about to stop him when I realized the voice were in the main part of the mall. There was a whole shop and several doors between us and them. We were backtracking behind them. We came to a stop outside a thick looking door. Riley instantly started investigating it trying to find a way to open it. But came up short. The door didn’t even have a handle. He glanced back at me then behind me. I started looking around for another way out.

There were only a few doors in the room. The one without a handle, the one we’d come through, the freezers and one last large double door opening into the shop. That really only left us with one way to go. I walked over slowly and pushed one of the doors open. It was lighter than it looked. The large store expanded out before me. I had expected to see rows of empty shelves and littered hallways.

Instead the all the furniture and shelving had been split in two. Everything had been pushed away to either side of the room leaving the huge space in the middle. All the way down to the front door was lined with makeshift beds. Most were a mess and tipped over. All were missing there covers. One section was considerably neater than the mess around it. It looked like a few desks and shelving. All made out of anything they could find.

“What the hell?” I muttered taking a small step inside.

Riley frowned at me with an eyebrow raised. “They used it as a small treatment area when the hospital got flooded. There was a few set up. Didn’t you know that?” He whispered.

“I knew of a couple,” I whispered. “But not this one.”

“It never lasted long,” He replied as we walked slowly across the open space, ready to hide at a moment’s notice. “But they shut it down when there was an outbreak of some disease. They didn’t want to risk it being airborne of something.”

“Great,” I muttered. “So we could be walking through some deadly disease?”

He shrugged. “It’s this or them.”

He had a point. We stopped when we reached the large doors at the front. They were large roller doors like the furniture shop beside us. But they looked heavier and in much worse condition. Riley pressed his head up against the door and I followed suit.

Listening hard for anything. We could still hear the voices on the other side. But this time they were distinctively to the right of us. They were laughing but I didn’t know about what. Again the heavy English accent came through. Loud as ever.

“Do you recognize their voices?” I asked. Maybe they were soldiers.

He nodded. “Yeah there on bases, well I think so. Let’s go.”

Instead of opening the door for us like I thought he would he reached up and pulled himself up over the first pile of debris that had once been the shops displays. I frowned at him but followed obediently. He seemed to know what he was doing. From there it was a delicate walk across the unstable piles.

Half the time I wasn’t even sure what I was walking on and occasionally it would slip out from underneath my feet and I almost fell down. Riley always seemed to know when to reach back and catch me or over a hand. My clumsiness had become second nature to him. When we finally reached the far wall he stopped to clear a small space on the floor and jumped down into it. He waited for me to catch up and slide down. There wasn’t a lot of space. My body was pressed up against his in the small space.

Heat rushed to my cheeks and I looked down trying to hide it. If he noticed the warmth of my body like I did id he didn’t show it. Instead he reached down and slowly pried the door open. Thankfully it didn’t screech or moan. It rose easily and carefully slid himself halfway under and looked down the hall. He waited a moment and motioned me out.

I slipped out as gracefully as I could without drawing attention to myself. When I looked up I could see the small group of soldiers walking ahead to our right side. All with their backs turned. They looked relaxed with bottles in their hands and gun strapped harmlessly to their backs. I the realized why we had climbed over the mess. Had we opened the center door we would have been a lot closer to them and they may of hears us. Quickly I pulled myself up and followed Riley around the next corner as fast as possible.

We stopped with our backs against the wall and listened for them. I waited for the accusations to start flying, someone to say they’d seen us. But it was silent aside from there drunken laughter. I looked up at Riley. His eyes were already on me. As soon as our eyes locked we both almost burst into laughter. But held it back quickly. He grabbed my hand again and out fingers tangled together effortlessly.
I let him lead me down the long hallway and down an escalator. We soon found our way back under the moon and broke into fits of laughter. He didn’t let go of my hand as we walked away from our near miss.

“What would they do if they caught you with me?” I asked continuing our last conversation.

“Depends,” He replied swinging our hands. “There’s a good chance I’d be shot. But if I gave them some decent information maybe they’d spare me...don’t worry. I wouldn’t tell them anything.”

I believed him. But I still worried. “Let’s hope it never comes to that.”

He nodded in agreement and looked back. “By the looks of it were to ninja for them anyway.”

I laughed and he smiled at me. We walked down the middle of the deserted street. I felt safe with him. More than I should have. But I couldn’t help it. He reminded me of the old times. When things were safe and I thought nothing of walking around with Oliver. Riley might not have been Oliver but he killed the loneliness in me and he provided the same feelings Oliver had once provided, if not deeper. I had laid awake the whole night before thinking about the two of them.

My thoughts of seeing Riley in the future had made me think of our kiss, then of Oliver. At first I had felt guilty. Had I not screamed and fight with my father when he basically did the same thing? But as I thought it over more I knew Oliver would want me to be happy now he was gone. Nothing would ever stop me missing him, but I had a life ahead of me. I couldn’t spend it lonely. I was jolted from my thoughts unexpectedly when Riley stopped in his tracks.

His hand curled in mine stopped me. He smiled and at and nodded ahead. I looked up a smile breaking across my face. Ahead stood to beautiful Whitetail deer. Glowing in the moonlight. I recognized them both as does. Hunting trips with my father gave me most the basic information on the animals. But what had my eye was a little fawn. It couldn’t have been more than a few days old. It was still wobbly on its feet. At the sight of Riley and I the two females pushed him on, watching us with their ears high.

“Aren’t they cool,” Riley whispered.

I smiled at him. I had always thought so. I thought they were beautiful animals. But no one really ever echoed my thoughts. Especially not another man. But again most the men I knew hunted them for sport. They didn’t see the beauty past the horns on their head.

“They are,” I replied. “I always wanted one as a pet but dad said no.”

He chuckled and we moved forwards again as the deer fled into another street.

“It’s cool they come in here now,” I said. “I like seeing them in this setting it’s kinda...I don’t know. I can’t think of the word,” I admitted with a frown.

“I know what you mean,” He smiled at me. “I like seeing them to. It kinda makes you think, once were all gone they’ll have run of everything. Not just them but all the animals will take it back...want to see something even better?”

I mirrored his smile. “Sure.”

He took a quick right heading towards the outskirts of the city. I followed without hesitation. Still holding his hand tight in mine. I wondered what it was he wanted to show me. It could have any number of things. I really didn’t care. As long as I was going with him. Though I was curious and kept my eyes peeled for anything out of the ordinary. It didn’t take long for me it.

We were on the outer border of the city itself. Where the buildings were smaller and the land was more open. Where we were standing had once been an area in development, which had been halted when the war started and the bombs destroyed the progress they made. Leaving the area flat with a good view out towards the horizon. Which was the only reason I saw the lights. They stood out in the darkness. Too hard to miss. I stopped and stared. Riley stopped beside me a frown on his face.

“What’s that...out there?” I asked. His frown deepened.

“The base...didn’t you know that?”

“I’ve never seen it before,” I admitted.

I knew it was around but had never really laid eyes on it until now. It looked to be fenced off in three sections. The biggest part sat to the left of me. A huge wire fences surrounded it. The entry was on the left side in the form of a huge gate. Towers on either side. I could see the shadows of men standing on them. On the right side was a hue building. It looked to be made of concrete. It had no windows.

It looked permanent. I wondered how long it had taken them to make it. Behind it and stretching all the way across the back fence were lines of large dirty white tents. They didn’t even look to have sides on them. Either that or they had been rolled up to let in the cool night air. Inside I could make out rows of bunks but that was about it. The other two sections were slightly less impressive. One sat to the left of the first community. It to was gated and guarded. But there was no buildings or structures inside.

Only vehicles. Ranging from cars to trucks. All I recognized from their trips around the city itself. Then further away from the other sections. Out on its own was another concrete building. Much smaller than the other one and again no windows. It was fenced, but the fences were higher, thicker and sharp barbed wire lined not only the top. But the bottom of the fence. It had an ominous feel to it. I didn’t like the look of it.

This whole base was then again fenced off one last time. This fence stretched all the way around all the sections. Combining them as one and providing more protection. In the distance I could see the gate inside. This one was the most guarded of them all. I doubted anyone would or could get in without permission. They more or less die trying.

The whole place was flourished with activity. When I looked hard enough I could see people working on two of the cars, people walking around the tented area. There were men running laps around a nonexistent track out in an empty area. All wearing some comforted version of the uniform they’d been given. It looked do peaceful and quiet. The only part without movement was the smallest section out to the left. It made it even more threatening.

“It’s huge,” I breathed. When I had imagined the army base I had pictured something smaller. Much more makeshift and dirty. Not this.

“What did you expect?” he asked.

“I don’t know,” I replied not sure myself anymore. “Not this...it looks so...permanent.”

He nodded. “It went up pretty quickly. I thought you knew it was here.”

“I knew it was around but I didn’t know where.”

He pointed to the biggest building furthest building to the right. “That’s the main building. That’s where the generals and higher ranking guys bunk, the have there meetings and so on in there. Not really ever allowed in there unless it’s for passing messages or office duty,” He frowned and rolled his eyes. “Tents are were the rest of us live and sleep, not the greatest but its dry so I’m not complaining.” He motioned towards the cars. “Parking obviously and were the mechanics do all their work, that empty section over there’s just like a training and practice ground.”

“What about that one?” I questioned pointing at the smaller concrete building.

He hesitated. “That’s a prison.”

“Prison?” I frowned.

“Where they keep everyone they catch. Like opposing soldiers. Those who break there ‘laws’. I know they got a few Russians in there at the moment.”

“Guys like us?”

He nodded slowly. “When they can catch you yeah. But no one ever stays in there long. Unless they have some serious information to give and don’t give it up quickly.”

“Is it true...they torture people?” I asked. Again he hesitated and it was all the answer I needed.

“Yeah...sometimes...if you get close enough you can hear them screaming.” He shuddered. I tightened my hand in his. “I don’t know what they do. But it’s bad and no one ever walks out of there alive. Unless there taken to be shot in a ditch.”

“Shit,” I said under my breath.

“C’mon, let’s go. It’s not safe to stand around here. They might see us.”

I followed him without hesitation. Only looking over my shoulder once to take in the scene once more.

“So where are we going?” I asked.

He shot me a small smile. “I told you I wanna show you something.”

“Wasn’t that it?” I asked nodding over my shoulder in the direction we had come.

“No,” He snorted. “I got something better...well I think you’ll like it.”

I didn’t question him any further and just followed. We walked slowly down the street, still on the outskirts of the city. I admired the horizon as we walked. There was no destruction out here. Just trees, grass and peace. Eventually Riley turned and I had to pull my eyes away from my daydreams. It didn’t take long for him to come to a stop and let go of my hand. He glanced around and then scurried slowly up a pile of rubble that leaning against the building.

I followed him up without hesitation. I had to find my footing carefully since nothing was very stable but it wasn’t a long climb. I reached the top shortly and was surprised but what I saw. There was a large hole in the building beside us. Opening up into a large room. It looked to be an office building of some sort. Or it used to be. It provided good shelter but at the same time we could look out at the city and the moon. I stepped back beside Riley as he scanned the area with his eyes.

“There,” He said suddenly looking at me with a smile. “His here nearly every night.”

I looked over to where he was pointing. A smile spread across my face. Across the street from us was a small grassy area. It was long but I could still make out what Riley was trying to show me. Sitting amongst the grass and slowly eating was a beautiful black bear. I knew they lived into the surrounding areas of the city.

But I had never seen one. They had always been a risk on our camping trips when my father and brother would hunt. But the closest I ever came to one was the garbage bag one tore up when we had been away from our campsite. I had always wanted to see one. I thought they were beautiful animals.

“Wow,” I breathed.

“Thought you’d like it,” He smiled at me.

I smiled back. “How do you find all this stuff?”

“I have a lot of spare time and use it exploring,” He replied.

Slowly he stepped back into the shelter of the shattered building and sat down. I glanced back at the bear which was so content with his food hadn’t even noticed out presence. I sat next to Riley and watched the bear as his hand wrapped around mine. He smiled at me again and I instantly felt lighter. I smiled back and together we sat there all night.
Watching our bear.