‹ Prequel: Wanderlust
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Rendering Flames

Twenty Three

I had left without seeing Jaden the next morning. I really just wanted to leave though and Peter was already waiting in the truck when I came out with my bag. Orson yawned and stretched widely before giving me a greeting smile. I smiled back, feeling relieved to get some place familiar, see familiar faces.

I tried to sleep on the long ride, but the road was bumpy and tree branches slapped against the windows like whips. Instead I just leaned my head back and shut my eyes to clear my head. I tried not to think how disappoint I was that Jaden was nowhere to be seen. In fact, I was more than disappointed. I was a little angry but completely hurt. He doesn’t run away scared or avoid things like I do. I expect him to do the things that I can’t do, which is to step up. This time he didn’t though and damn, I really though he would be here next to me.

“You good?” I opened my eyes and saw Orson looking back at me with a questioning look.

“Just want to get going,” I responded, closing my eyes once more.

“I feel you on that.”

When we did get closer and things started smoothing out, I dozed off for a bit. When my head rolled off and bounced off the window I work up quickly saw that the peaceful drive up here was short lived. Nothing prepared us for what we arrived to as we drove up the road into town.

Panic. Mayhem. People speeding down the roads, laying into their horns and almost running people over. Some were screaming at each other. Some were just trying to duck out of the way, scurrying between the currents of people. The truck barely stopped in time to avoid hitting an older man running out into the street in front of us.

“What the hell is going on?” Orson climbed out of the truck, running off onto the walkways while Peter and I just sat idly in the car watching.

“This is madness.” I heard him whisper to himself and I nodded in agreement, neither of us speaking a word until Orson was rapping on the window.

I rolled it down. “What is it?”

“There an evacuation alert. Air raids. Lots. We don’t have time, Dahlia. Apparently there’s a train full leaving soon. They’re just piling people into train cars.” Orson gulped out of breath. “Peter?”

“I’ll get back as soon as I can. Don’t worry about us, we have that bomb shelter remember? Pops was always paranoid.” I reached over and gave him a tight squeeze, telling him to keep safe.

“See you on the other side, brother.” Orson said, grabbing Peter’s hand into a grip.

I was out of the truck, my sack slung over me as I tried to tighten the straps. I kept a grip on the back of Orson’s shirt as he led us through the crowd and lines of cars wanting to get out of the town. My mouth became dry thinking about how fast we had to move to get to the train in time. We didn’t know when it was leaving, if it was full. What if you needed identification to board? I’d be shit out of luck.

“Keep close!” Orson called to me, getting me back to reality.

We were in a jog when I thought I heard my name. I haven’t had any hallucinations lately but I also haven’t been under a lot of stress. If I came down to it, I would tell Orson to leave me behind if I lost my wits. I shook my head, trying to clear it. I heard it again. Then again. Louder and closer. Orson’s name was hollered and then I turned, yanking Orson to a stop.

“What are you doing?” He tugged on my arm to keep going but I shook him off.

“I just-,” I searched, nothing. “I thought I heard our names.”

“Dahlia, we have to go.” He voice was careful, knowing.

I glanced one last time before turning back towards Orson, continuing through the streets. There was a loud horn. It cut through the air. Then there were two short more.

“We have ten minutes!” Orson yelled, pulling us into a full run.

My heart was pounding, adrenaline pouring itself into my body. A million thoughts flowed through me besides making it to the train. Making it back to Millie and Beth. Everyone’s safety. Jaden. Everything was becoming too much, too overwhelming and then I was hit.

I was pulled from Orson and I tumbled onto the ground. I was almost trampled by people running by. Hands were all over me, I was pulled up as quickly as I was taken down. There was so much noise. I couldn't focus on whomever was speaking to me.

“Dahlia!” I was shaken by the shoulders and my head snapped into attention.

My eyes connected with the ones staring wide back at me. It felt my heart explode into substantiated joy as I threw myself into them. “Please, be real. Please.”

“It’s okay.” Jaden gripped me tighter, “I’m not going anywhere. Not again and not without you.”

My eyes stung as I was content just standing here, letting what ever hellfire bombs drop on us. I would be okay as long as Jaden was by my side. “Where were you this morning? I looked for you but I thought that you ran-,”

“No,” he stopped me short. “I just needed some time but it got away from me. When I got back you two were already gone and so I took Luke’s dirtbike and I trailed after you.”

“You’re coming with us?” I would ask it a million times.

“I’m coming with you, Dahlia.” Gravity was keeping us together, my hands gripping the collar of his jacket tight enough to turn my knuckles white.

“This is great, seriously, it is.” Orson cleared his throat, “but can we please?”

I looked between them, “Oh shit. Let’s go, come on.”

I could see the train, the people piling into the cars. I became more and more alarmed when I saw that they were all packed to the point of people clinging onto the doors, practically hanging outside. We were at the second to last car when there was a small gap in the crowd, we’d have to just squeeze into it.

“Here!” Orson stopped, helping me up into the train.

I supported them both as we stood jammed together. I looked forward into the town, seeing it become more and more vacant. The only sounds were car horns and echoed yells. Then the train horn sounded. Any minute. In a minute I would be okay for maybe just a few minutes more. I just needed to be okay.

“Please.” I turned towards the pleading voice. “There has to be room!”

A woman, her hair tattered and weighed down by packed bags and a small child was frantically going down the line of train cars. Her eyes were puffy, her face pink. She sobbed as she saw herself coming up to our car. No one would look at her. When she reached the last car, the horn sounded.

I looked around, knowing that people could shift a few inches. I was at war with myself. I was okay. Oh God, maybe I wasn’t meant to be okay. I dropped my bag to the floor, jumping down from the car. Orson and Jaden called my name.

“Just hold on!” They were leaning out, watching me run down towards the woman.

“Here!” I pulled her by her wrist. “There is room just down here.”

“Oh, thank you!” Fresh tears spilled over and I smiled smally as I helped her lift her child into the car.

Suddenly the train lurched forward and the smile vanished from my face. People argued, shoving around as the woman grappled for space. I watched the wheels take their first turn forward and I tried not to rush her into the crowd. People just wouldn’t stay still. They wouldn’t just move over into people just a little bit more. By the time she was in the train, I was almost jogging alongside the train.

“Take my hand!” Orson was reaching out to me but with the loose rocks underneath my feet, I just couldn’t keep up.

“I can’t!” Our hands brushed together multiple times but never enough to hold onto. I realized my fate and stopped, out of breath.

I didn’t feel regret though. There were two more people on that train instead of one. And more so those two people were a mother and child. I had done the moral thing and in return I had to watch my ride go out of this place leave me behind. I turned away from it, unable to watch it go without my knees knocking together. I hearty sob came from my chest and I buried my hands into my face. Would I die here?

I gave one last look and saw the train halfway down the tracks when someone fell off. If it was with purpose or not, I didn’t know. I started forward, unsure if I should approach them. They got up on uneven footing and I broke out into a sprint when I saw it was Jaden.

“Jaden!” When I stopped in front of him, there was a small cut on his head and some dirt covering his body.

“Are you insane?” He was kneeled over. His hands on his knees, trying to get the breath that was knocked out of his back.

“Are you? Jesus, you just jumped from a moving train!” I gestured to the now vacant tracks ahead of us.

“I told you,” he struggled out before standing up fully, “I’m not going anywhere without you again.”

“I didn’t think you meant it so,” I couldn’t find the right word, “literally.”

“Well yeah.” He took a normal breath of air before looking at me with perplexity.

“I mean,” he looked off to the side, “don’t you know I love you?”

I was taken aback but his bluntness. He said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world and it probably was. There wasn’t any doubt that he did but I could never accept it out of guilt. Guilt out of having him tethered to me then. Jaden had to go so much farther than me and I would just be holding him back. But now that he has said it, there wasn’t any going back. He made his choice and I was more than happy to be there to return it.

“I’ve had inclinations.” I responded simply.

“Good, then it’s clear then. I love you,” he nodded his head with finality.

“Okay.” My hands trembled as I looked to my feet. “I love you too.”

“Alright, I love you.” I looked up to him with blushed skin, forgetting that we were about to be in a bombing range.

“I know. You just said that?” My eyes narrowed at him.

He shifted and I watched with bubbling amusement. “Well, I’m nervous.”

And I laughed. Nervous. I don’t think I’ve ever once seen him nervous. There are always the same shades to him. Confidence, honesty, abruptness, anger, annoyance, worry; the list goes on. I’ve never seen nervous before and it was then that what he was admitting, the value of it sunk in.

The small rocks rolled from under my feet with my prompt movements towards him. My fingertips curled towards his jaw. His growing stubble grazed against me as I wrapped my arms around his neck, my hands moving up into his hair. It was all a flow except for our breaths. Those were loud and waiting, curious and begging. A warmness completely filled me as our noses bumped slightly before our lips finally touched. I leaned into his grasp that weaved around my waist. We were unbelievably close, having not been this close since the first time we had kissed. If you wanted to call that a kiss anyways.

His hand came up just above the base of my neck and he completely pulled me to him. We molded together tightly, wavering into each other with tight clutches, not wanting to ever let go it.

And then the sound of a jet speeding overhead broke us apart. I followed its trail as it veered off into the distance. I looked to Jaden but there was no concern on his face. His eyes were still on me and I leaned up and kissed him gently.

“We have to find some place to go.” I turned to follow the tracks back into town. Stressed, I ran a hand through my hair and let it fall against my thigh.

“I doubt the town has any safety compounds. Peter’s is too far out to get there in time,” Jaden paused to think, “maybe a basement in some place?”

“If we can find a place with its doors still unlocked or anyone to takes us in.” We reached beyond the trees and there were three well armored vehicles lined up along the streets.

We didn’t move any further, unsure of what they were. Surely they weren’t settling the bombs off on ground. We watched equally we armored officers escorting people to the cars, seemingly on their own. I curiously started walking but Jaden stopped me, looking at me as if this wasn’t as promising as I was setting it out to be.

“Do you have a better plan?” I asked him and in response he let me go, his jaw set in a hard line of discontent.

I approached carefully and when we were spotted, one of the armored men talked into their radio and came over to us. He looked us up and down and grabbed me first, leading me towards the vehicle.

“Whoa,” I tore myself from him. “Where are these going? Who are you?”

“We’re helping evacuating the area. We will get you somewhere safe.” Jaden looked at me, not a stitch of trust on his face. But what other choice did we have?

“Okay. Please, take us then if you have room to spare.”

“Just you two?”

“Yes.”

“Good then. We have few spots open in this one over here.”

There were about fifteen other people in the vehicle, sitting tensely as Jaden and I took up the remaining space. The metal clad doors were shut behind us and I could feel in my gut that this wasn’t good. Nothing good was going to come of this. Jaden was staring me down, almost as to say he was right.

“Let’s just stay optimistic?” I offered, nudging him a little.

He grunted, crossing his arms as he looked from person to person sitting around us. Everyone looked as if they were at the end of their ropes. I on the other hand, felt as if things don’t usually go the way I want them too. It’s a rarity I feel and just this once I’m praying that it does.

There was a small clanking within the walls behind us and I turned, startled by the racket. I looked towards the roof and through the small ventilation vent, a white gas started to leak in. Shit. People immediately started to panic. Pounding on the doors, trying to find a way to get out. I stayed where I was, knowing there was no use. I tried not to breathe as I watched an older woman towards the back pass out. The panicking people grew lethargic as their hands slide lazily down the locked doors.

I started to feel it as well and looked to see Jaden’s eyes starting to glaze over as he blinked repeatedly, trying to stay awake. I turned his face towards me. “I’m sorry.”

I felt him sigh when he leaned into me tiredly. “Itskay,” he slurred.

I had to take a deep breathe eventually and when I did I felt like I was hit with five sleepless nights to catch up on. My head was ringing and my face felt a little numb. My head fell against Jaden’s bicep as I breathed hollowed breaths. Everyone was slumped over, looking peacefully asleep. And I gave in, knowing the peace would be short lived.
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Whoop there it is. Yes, officially you could call Dahlia and Jaden an 'item'. But really their characters are the lovey type. There isn't really a grand gesture about their relationship but I'm really excited to start writing it. I couldn't separate them again, they needed to be together.

My updates are going to be scattered. School has me real busy and it's slowly killing me and I just don't have a lot of energy or time to write at the moment. Sorry.But when I do update, I will do my best to make them a little more lengthy.

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