Dead World

CHAPTER 9

Shadows spread through the woods as the sun sank. Anna knew they would have to rest soon but she wanted to find a spot that offered some protection. She now carried a large, heavy branch she’d broken off at the tip, creating a sharp point. The makeshift weapon made her feel a little more secure.

Behind Anna, Lucy clung to Zeke while Ben kicked his heels at the rear.

“Keep up, Benjamin. I don’t want you getting lost.”

Ben snorted and closed the gap.

“Mum, I’m hungry. When are we going to stop walking?” Lucy asked.

Anna paused and reached into her satchel. She pulled out three apples. She handed one to Lucy and offered the others to Ben and Zeke. Zeke’s eyebrows arched.

“Where did you get these?” he asked.

Anna hesitated, and shrugged. “From the church.”

Lucy grimaced, while Zeke grinned. He accepted the apple and took a bite.

Ben recoiled as though he’d been offered poison. “You’re going to hell for that.”

Anna looked at him sharply and was about to contradict him, but instead she sighed and stuffed the apple back in her bag before starting walking again.

“Come on, we need to keep moving.”

“I need to pee,” Ben said.

Anna stopped and glanced over her shoulder. “Now? Can’t you wait?”

Ben shook his head.

Anna glanced around at the trees and the darkening sky. “We need to find a safe spot to stop for the night. Can you wait just a little—”

“I can’t hold it.”

Anna pointed to a nearby tree. She motioned to Zeke. “Go with him. But don’t go far.”

Ben frowned, his face dark; he turned on his heel and disappeared between the shadows of two trees. Zeke followed close behind.

Zeke walked several steps behind Ben, crunching noisily on his apple.

“You’re going to burn right along with mother for eating that.”

Zeke studied the apple in his hand, pondered the idea, and took another bite. “Can’t be much worse than the situation we’re in now.” He continued chewing.

They walked several more feet and Zeke tossed his apple core to the side, wiping his fingers on his trousers. “Come on, you’ve gone far enough. Piss already.”

Ben slipped behind a tree and said, “Stay there! I don’t want you right next to me.”

“I’m not going to argue about that.”

Zeke leaned against a tree and folded his arms across his chest. He was still trying to get his head around what had happened; couldn’t quite believe they were outside of Sanctuary and that his mum had killed a God. They were supposed to be immortal. It didn’t make sense.

He looked around, peering through the trees. The sky had grown dark, and much of the forest was bathed in blackness. The only light came from the half moon, illuminating the tree branches and shooting shafts of faint light on the ground.

Strange noises echoed through the trees and Zeke chewed his lip, gaze flitting from tree to tree.

“Hey… uh, Ben? Have you finished yet?”

When he didn’t receive a reply he peered around the tree trunk.

“Ben?”

Zeke’s eyes widened and he rushed through the trees to the spot where Ben disappeared. He spun around, searching the bushes but Ben was nowhere to be seen.

“Oh, shit.”

He turned tail and ran back to his mum. “Ben’s gone!”

“What?”

Zeke pointed in the direction they had gone. “He went behind a tree, but when I checked he wasn’t there.”

“Right, I don’t want us all getting lost, so stay with your sister. I’ll be right back.”

Zeke looked across at Lucy, saw the terrified expression on her face, and nodded as he watched his mum run towards the trees.

Anna ploughed through the undergrowth, crashing noisily through the bushes. Her breath came in ragged gasps.

“Damnit, Ben. Why can’t you trust me?”

She came to a stop, catching her breath as she listened. She looked around, eyes wide.

“Ben! Ben where are you?”

Something crashed through the bushes to Anna’s right, making her heart miss a beat, and she spun around, eyes narrowed to try to penetrate the dark, but couldn’t see anything.

“Ben, is that you?”

Something screeched in the tree above. Anna glanced up, saw something take flight against the backdrop of stars that twinkled in the firmament. More noise originated from in front and she glanced back down in time to spot a figure come crashing out of the ferns. She automatically stepped back, almost tripping over tree roots that protruded from the mulch. Her breath caught in her throat and it took her a moment to realise it was Ben. She grabbed him by the arm, almost toppling over as he tried to keep running.

“Let me go. Let me—”

“Ben. It’s me.”

Ben stopped struggling, and twisted his head to look up.

Anna pulled him close, smothering him in a hug. “Benjamin. Don’t ever scare me like that again.”

Ben tried to wriggle free. He started crying.

“Let me go,” he sobbed.

Anna looked down, surprised and hurt.

“I want to go back to Dad.”

“Ben, you need to understand—”

“No! You don’t understand. You don’t understand anything.”

A scream echoed through the dark from somewhere far away. Anna shivered. Ben hesitated, as if torn between huddling against his mother and running away, and Anna grabbed him by the wrist and pulled him behind her into the woods.

As they reached Zeke and Lucy, another scream pierced the night.

“What’s that?” Lucy asked, her voice trembling.

Anna shook her head. “I don’t know, but we need to get somewhere safe.” She gazed around, and then up, lips skewed. “We’re going to have to climb.”

Lucy scowled. “Up the tree you mean?”

“It’s probably safest to get off the ground.”

Lucy stared down at her dress and raised her arms in exasperation. “In this?”

“How do we know the Gods or whatever they are can’t climb?” Zeke asked.

Anna shook her head. “We don’t. I don’t see many other options.”

To Anna’s surprise, Ben shouldered past and started to climb the tree. Zeke shrugged and followed. When he was part way up, he reached back down and helped Lucy before he extended his hand back down for Anna.

“Are we going to be OK?” he asked as Anna clambered up beside him.

Anna took a deep breath. “I hope so.”