Static Screams

I rushed to catch her before she hit the ground, trying to shield her body from any more unnecessary trauma. Her deadweight caused me to topple to the ground, but I managed to take the brunt of it. Her face was bruised and bloody, hair matted together with blood and stuck to her face with sweat.

Darren rushed to my side, helping lift her off of me. “She probably hasn’t even eaten since they were taken, god only knows when she ate before that.” After making sure she was still breathing and her pulse was steady, he picked her up.

I stood, and opened my mouth to say something but small arms wrapped around me from behind.

“Holland! You’re okay!” Natalie cried into my back. “You came back!”

“I don’t know why you all thought I wasn’t going to come back,” I grumbled to myself. “You’re my family.”

I turned to hug her back, and Sawyer clapped me on the shoulder. “Nicely done with the boneheads,” he said. “Bet you weren’t expecting us to show up.”

Darren readjusted Scarlett so he was carrying her over his shoulder, carrying her out of the tunnel. “I was hoping you would,” I said, watching him walk away. “I figured it was only a matter of time before Scar came for her revenge.”

Peter picked Seven up, and with a curt nod, followed behind Darren. Cosmic looked between us for a moment, before giving me a small smile and following him as well.

Then it was the three of us, the only other sound being Amanda’s silent sobs over Tana’s body. Could an arrow to the shoulder kill her? I didn’t know, but I decided I didn’t want to stay to find out either.

Sawyer wrapped his arm around Natalie’s shoulder, and we walked out of the tunnel, climbing out into blinding sunlight. It felt like a small victory, but it was victory I’d take.

“Where’s Logan and Lila?” Sawyer asked as we walked.

“They’re safe,” I said. “But you guys should know...” I trailed off. I was still grappling with the thought that there were two tiny babies, sleeping in drawers in an abandoned farmhouse in the middle of the apocalypse.

“We should know what?” Natalie pressed curiously. “Did something happen to the baby?”

I shook my head with a smile. “Only that they multiplied.”

Sawyer caught on before Natalie, a huge grin on his face. “No shit? Twins?”

I nodded with a laugh. “Two little girls. Hollyn and Ryanna.”

Natalie launched her arms around me again, into another hug. “That is amazing news!” She pulled back, smiling. “Scarlett is going to be over the moon.”

I smiled to myself and continued on. After the last few hours, after the heightened adrenaline and anger coursing through my veins, I was so tired. I wanted to curl up into a little ball, fall asleep for a few hours and forget about everything that just happened.

Other than Scarlett’s badass entrance. I would have to remember to tell Lila about it, how impeccable her timing was, like always.

Walking up the drive, bringing up the rear behind everyone else, I decided to take a seat on the wraparound porch before continuing in the door. I sat down on the porch swing, letting the cold air blow through my hair and settle on my skin.

Everyone was fussing over the babies, though I imagined Logan was fussing over Scarlett, trying to bring her back to consciousness.

I closed my eyes for just a moment, but with the sun shining across the porch and the cold wind blowing, I felt normal, safe. Maybe it was finally being drained of adrenaline, but I fell asleep.

And dreamt. Of Ryan, bleeding all over me and dying in front of me again and again. Sometimes he was screaming, other times he was laughing, other times he didn’t make a sound. Sometimes he begged me to help, sometimes he cursed my name, sometimes he cried out for Lila. And one time, he didn’t die.

We left him there, in that basement. And continued on without him. But he followed us, he found us, came strolling up the drive with that goofy smirk on his face, stomping on the porch so loudly I felt it reverberating in my bones. He sat next to me on the porch swing, punched me in the arm jokingly. “You hittin’ on my girl, asshat?”

“Not at all,” I replied. “She kissed me first.”

He raised his brow, grinning in amusement. “You didn’t kiss back?”

“Nah, dude,” I shook my head. “She’s your girl.”

He shook his head, laughing. “No, she ain’t,” he sighed. “I don’t know if you’ve noticed, Hol, but I’m not exactly an eligible bachelor anymore.”

I frowned. “You...you’re still dead.”

He nodded. “Bingo, Sherlock. But even if that wasn’t true, Lila’s always been her own. She can’t belong to anyone but herself.”

I sighed. “This is a fucked up dream.”

“It is,” he grinned. “Listen, dickhead. You’ll take care of her because you don’t have a choice. I’ll come back from the depths of hell and kick your ass personally if you don’t.” He stopped for a moment, thinking, then continued. “But, you’ll also let her take care of herself, because she’s a badass chick, and she can hold her own.”

I wanted to cry. “Your babies are beautiful,” I muttered, not knowing what else to say.

“Of course they are! Look at me! I’m fucking gorgeous!” He laughed loudly, before sighing and patting me on the leg. “You’ll do what you need to do, and you’ll know when to do it.”

“Could you be any more fucking cryptic?” I asked bemusedly.

“I could,” he shrugged, “but I don’t have time for that. It’s time for me to go.”

I wanted to reach out and hug him, apologize for everything, for not saving him. But there’s never enough time, even in your dreams. “You’re my best friend,” I finally spoke.

He grinned. “I’m the only one that would tolerate your shit,” he corrected. “Or...I was. You have a good group here.” He stood, heading for the steps. “Take care of her, Holland.”

“I will,” I promised.

“Bye, Holland.”

Holland.

Holland.

“Holland,” Lila said sternly, shaking me awake.