Total pages in book: 73
Estimated words: 68870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 68870 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 344(@200wpm)___ 275(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
When I get to my apartment door, it’s locked up tight. Another small comfort—no evidence that anyone has yet come looking for me.
But as soon as I unlock the door, a hand reaches out and grabs my wrist, pulling me inside. I yelp when I see him, then begin to cry.
It’s Brad. Soaking wet, stripped down to his bulletproof vest and jeans. There are no entry holes from any bullets in the vest. But there’s a red slash at his hairline. The bullet had only grazed him. Holy shit.
“You’re alive!”
“Yeah. No thanks to you,” he says, scooping me up in his arms and kissing me until I can’t breathe.
“I’m so sorry!” I finally say when he lets me up for air.
I begin to shake. Everything I bottled up in the last 20 minutes is bubbling to the surface. I pretended to kill my lover, then really did think I’d done it, and now he’s back from the dead. I might be going into shock.
He holds me close and kisses me again. “Hey, shhh. It’s okay. I’m okay.”
I calm down as his arms tighten around me and I realize I didn’t lose him. I thought I’d lost him. That I’d never be whole again.
“I love you, Sylvia. I’m never leaving you again.”
His smell and taste are filling my lungs and peace comes over me. “I love you, too,” I say, snuggling close to him. “We have to go into hiding.”
“If hiding has you in it, then I’m ready.”
I smile as he kisses me again. I think we’re going to be okay.
Epilogue
Brad
Four years later…
I lean up against the doorframe watching Sylvia move about the room organizing her books and putting them back on the shelves in the school. My eyes go to her hips, which are a little fuller now. I make sure to keep her well fed. I would never let her go without, no matter what I had to do.
I see two books sitting on her desk and I know they are coming home with us tonight. This is something she often does. She can’t seem to stop touching the books. Whenever people find new ones and bring them back to the school, they are always so excited to show her what they found. I would get jealous of the books, but those are some of the same books she reads to our daughter and me at night when we lie down for bed, one of my favorite parts of the day.
She glances over her shoulder at me. “You going to join the rest of us outside?” I ask her. She smiles at me before putting the last book back on the shelf. The school day is over but some parents can’t come get their kids right away so a lot of us play outside in the playground until all the parents come to collect their children. All the teachers take turns staying after, but usually most of them stay. We just aren’t teachers here, we are leaders and the support system that help hold our community together. We all work together.
Sylvia and I are both teachers here at the school. The children learn math, reading, science and actual facts of history. Along with sustainable gardening, they also learn how to build safe places for us to live and plan out our cities. Our community is growing and pulling together and we all know the heart of it must be our children.
We knew this when we wanted to make a change for The Insurgence. We stopped going after The Regime and started focusing more on ourselves. The only time we mess with the Regime is when they try to come to our side. Then we rob them blind. It helps to keep them thinking we are worthless savages.
They think their side of the wall is better, but they couldn’t be more wrong. We’re free here. There are no stupid laws and regulations. We live in peace together, helping one another. I’ve never felt more alive in my life. I had no idea of the bonds that had been wrapped around me until Sylvia set me free.
I stride into the room. I can’t stand any distance between us. I pick her up and she wraps around me as I take her mouth in a deep, hungry kiss. She rubs against me.
“Don’t get all worked up,” she teases before biting my lip and letting go. I growl, knowing I won’t get to be inside her until late tonight after we put our daughter to bed. I grunt and put her back into her feet. I steal one more kiss, but it doesn’t help the lust I’m feeling right now. It hasn’t lessened over the years and I don’t think it ever will.
“Sir.” I turn my head to see Ryan standing in the doorway. He’s young, but he’s one of my best men. I run a small group of men who make sure everyone in our little community is kept safe. I’m going to have to get more men because each day more people request to join our group. People come from all over when they hear what we are doing and we turn no one away. “I think they have finally given up,” he tells me, smiling. I nod.