I could feel his heartbeat pulsating in his chest, like he had just finished a marathon.
My world became a blur as he tightened his embrace and pulled me closer into his space, turning his body slightly to face mine. The beat of my heart quickened in blissful anticipation. His fingers gently grazed my chin, and then he slowly, carefully lifted my face to meet his.
He leaned forward and I closed my eyes. As soon as his soft lips pressed against mine, I melted into his arms. His mouth parted, and he slid his tongue along my lips, tentatively asking for entrance. I opened my mouth to him and he let out a groan as his tongue slowly tangled with mine. My hand came to rest on his chest, where I could feel the sharp contours of his well- defined pecs.
His lips, his tongue, his taste, overwhelmed me. It was at this moment I realized how much I had fallen for Finn. He was the first and only boy to ever have a piece of my heart. He knew everything about me. He knew my fears, my strengths, what made me tick and what ticked me off.
Our friendship had grown and blossomed into something greater. Something beautiful. I’d grown to have a deep love for him. I not only wanted his friendship, I wanted to be with him, and right now…I knew he wanted the same. I could see it in his eyes, and felt it in the way he touched me, and kissed me. Our breath became one, and as our worlds collided, so did our hearts. We were connected.
Forever entwined.
The heat between us was building at a frenzied rate. Finn pulled me onto his lap, my legs on either side of his thighs, straddling him. We were breathing as one. He briefly stared at me, like he wanted to say something. But the moment passed and his arms tightened, enclosing me. This time, when our mouths met, it was ignited by passion – more intense. He grabbed my hips and pulled them tight against his. Wow. We both moaned into each other’s mouths. I pushed my hands into his hair and held on.
Warm. Wet. Hungry. Perfect.
I didn’t know that a kiss would ever make me feel this way. I loved being in his arms, the way his hard body felt against mine. It was addicting.
We heard someone cough behind us, and which quickly parted lips.
He grinned. His damp, swollen lips glistened in the light of the moon. The way he looked at me made my insides melt.
“Where the hell did you learn to kiss like that?” I breathed, my heart still trying to come down from the high Finn had taken me.
“Well, you don’t really have anyone else to compare it to, do you?” He grinned.
“No, but after that kiss, I don’t think I’ll ever need to,” I whispered. He chuckled and I felt his hand trace the line of my face.
“Abi, I’ll always be here to make sure you’re safe. I’ll always take care of you, and you’ll always be able to trust me, no matter what,” he said.
I smiled. “And, I’ll always be here for you, Finn Armstrong, no matter what,” I repeated. He rested his forehead on mine, and then kissed the tip of my nose.
“It seems the adults are getting ready to turn in. You know they’ll be checking tents soon,” he said, lifting me up easily, and setting me on my feet.
“Yes. And thanks for helping me with my tent, and for getting my dinner, and for…” I blushed.
“Anytime,” he answered with a wink. My heart fluttered. Damn. I didn’t think I’d ever be normal around him again.
It was funny how easily I’d fallen in love with Finn. I guess it was easy because we were the only two around the same age. I’d always thought he was handsome, but never thought we’d actually grow to have real feelings for each other. I guess hearts grow too.
He bent over and picked up our bowls and turned to give me one last parting kiss. “Sleep sweet, my Abi,” he breathed.
“Sleep sweet, Finn,” I whispered, dizzy all over again.
He turned and walked toward the light and I continued to watch him from the darkness. His smile and his laughter filled my heart.
I took one more glance up at the beautiful night sky and then ducked into my tent. As I tended to my blisters, I overheard Sergeant Powell discussing the safe zone, so I listened attentively. I wanted to know more about the new place we’d be calling home, at least for a while.
“Each person will be designated to specific quarters,” he said. “Those who are married will stay together along with any children under ten. Once they reach the age of ten, they will be separated and assigned a room according to gender.”
“Could you explain that a little better?” My mother questioned.
“Yes, ma’am,” he answered. “All boys and girls will be separated. They will be housed separately, schooled separately, and trained separately. They will only be allowed to intermingle during meals.”
“What kind of training will they be getting?” My father asked.
“We are at war now. There seem to be countless creatures, and if we don’t start fighting back, real mankind will soon be extinct. Everyone in the safe zones will be trained to fight, and when they are ready, they will be sent out on assignments.”
After he spoke there was an awkward silence, and even though I couldn’t see my mother’s face, I knew it was probably furrowed. She was an army brat, and hated it. She had thought that part of her life was over, but now she’d be going right back into it, and now under even worse conditions.
The thought of being separated from everyone for the first time in thirteen years made my stomach twist with concern, but the thought of being separated from Finn made my heart ache.
We were still far away from the safe zone. Who knows what could happen in the time between here and there. Lots happened in the few days we’d come topside.
I laid back and my thoughts lingered on Finn. His spicy scent still embraced me. I envisioned him next to me, his strong arms wrapped around my body. I closed my eyes and let the darkness shelter my thoughts, turning them into dreams.
I didn’t know what time it was, but it was still pitch black outside when all of us were woken to screams. I reached for Hellfire and quickly chambered a round before unzipping my tent. My first thought was the Arvies had found us, and it sent a rush of adrenaline through my veins, quickly zapping my senses back to reality.
Uncle Frank had his large flashlight aimed onto one of the tents, and I quickly realized it was Anya’s. I glanced over to Finn’s tent, and noticed that it was unzipped and empty.
I quickly stumbled to where everyone had gathered.
“What happened?” I asked my mom.
“No one knows. Anya just started screaming, and she wouldn’t open her eyes. Dr. Banks and his wife are trying to figure out what’s happening.” My mother wrapped her arm around me. “I’m sure she’ll be fine,” she whispered. I nodded.
“Mom? Mom!” I heard Finn’s voice, and it was filled with fear. “Is she going to be okay?”
Dr. Banks spoke quietly, and soon Finn came outside. His eyes were swollen, and he quickly walked away toward the darkness.
“Finn,” I called running after him, but he didn’t stop. “Finn,” I said grabbing his arm. He stopped and turned to me, a tear trailed down his cheek. “What happened?”
“I don’t know. She’s in a coma, and they don’t know what caused it.”
“Coma? How could she be in a coma?”
“They don’t know.”
I exhaled. “Did she get close to any of the Arvies?”
“No, but then again, I wasn’t with her every second.”
“Well, someone would have seen if she was attacked by the Arvies. It has to be something else. Maybe it was something she ate.” I thought out loud.
“I don’t think eating food would put anyone into a coma, Abi.”
“I’m just trying to help, Finn,” I said. I knew it wasn’t his fault. He was distraught.
“I know you are, and I’m sorry,” he said, pulling me into his arms. “I just hope the doctors can find out what it is and fix her soon. She’s the only family I have.”
“You have me,” I breathed.
He paused and I saw him n
od. “Yes, you are, but she’s my mom.”
“I know, and I’m sure she’ll be fine,” I said.
We all waited concernedly, and in about a half hour, Dr. Banks emerged. Dr. Lisa remained in the tent with Anya.
“Does anyone know if Anya fell, or hit her head recently?” he asked.
“She did fall when we were in the city,” Mei answered. “She was behind me when we took shelter in that coffee shop. I heard a loud bang behind me, and when I turned around, she was on the ground. She jumped up quickly and said she had slipped on something. She said she was fine, so I didn’t think anything of it.”
Dr. Banks nodded and sighed. “It seems Anya has some swelling on the brain. All we can do is hope that it goes down on its own. There is nothing I can do out here without the proper equipment.”
“What happens if she doesn’t wake up?” Finn asked, stepping forward.
Dr. Banks shook his head. “Let’s not dwell on the negative right now, Finn. Your mother needs you to be strong.”
Finn nodded. “Is it okay if I go and see her?”
“Of course,” Dr. Banks said, patting him on the shoulder. “Remember that she can hear you, so feel free to talk to her as if she were awake.”
Finn turned to me and gave me a nod. I nodded back, and then he ducked back into the small tent. In a few seconds Dr. Lisa came out. Everyone gathered into a circle and grabbed hands, even Sergeant Powell, and then my father said a prayer for Anya.
For the remainder of the night, we all stayed right outside Anya’s tent. Almost everyone fell back asleep except Dr. Banks, his wife, and me. They took turns going in and checking on her, making sure she was comfortable and taking her vitals.
I felt horrible for Finn and what he must have been going through. He was the only one of us who had one parent. His mother was his whole life, and I knew if anything ever happened to her, he would never be the same.
I must have fallen asleep, because I woke to a soft brush across my cheek. When I opened my eyes, Finn was kneeling beside me with a wide smile on his face.
“She’s awake, and Dr. Banks said she’ll be fine. She just needs to rest a few days, so we will have to make camp here until then.”
“Oh, Finn! That’s wonderful news,” I said, sitting up and wrapping my arms around his neck. He hugged me back and gave me a kiss on the cheek.
“She said she wants to see you,” he said with a shy grin.
“Me? Why?” I questioned.
“Well, while she was in a coma, I may have told her something about… about the feelings I have for you. I guess she was listening because when she woke up, she said she wanted to see you.”
I felt my face flush with heat, and had a feeling I turned two shades of red. “Don’t worry, Abi. You already know she loves you.”
“Yeah, but this is totally different.”
“No, it’s not. Come on. I think everyone has a suspicion we’d end up together someday. Come with me. She’s waiting.”
“Alright,” I sighed, wondering what Finn’s mom wanted to say to me, or what I would say to her. I stood, brushed my fingers through my hair, and then followed Finn into her tent. Her eyes were closed but when I turned my eyes toward Finn, her voice spoke softly.
“Abigail,” she said, holding her hand up to me. I took it and it felt so soft and weak.
“Hi, Mrs. Armstrong. How are you feeling?” I asked.
“I guess I could be better. At least I’m not dead,” she smiled.
“Yes, that would not have been good. You didn’t even say goodbye to any of us,” I grinned.
She patted my hand. “My Finn was talking my ear off all night. It seems my son’s feelings have changed about you, Abigail.” Her words made me flush with embarrassment, but her Russian accent made it sound so cool. “I just want you to know that I give you both my blessing, in case I don’t get another chance to say goodbye.”
“Mom,” Finn interrupted.
“Finn. I’m talking to Abigail. Please don’t be rude,” she scolded in a nice way. Finn rolled his eyes and leaned back with his arms crossed over his chest.
“Abigail, please take care of my son. I know you care deeply about him too. You grew up together, and know everything a person could possibly know about another. I’m not saying this because I’m going to die,” she glanced at Finn. “I’m saying this because I came close to death, and I want to cover all of my bases….just in case.”
“I love you Abigail. You are the daughter I never had, and have been such a wonderful friend to my Finn. I told him he will have to watch over you as well, and I am certain that he will. I see the way you look at each other. Family is all we have in this terrifying new world, and they will stick with you until the end.”
“Thank you, Mrs. Armstrong. I promise you, I’ll take great care of Finn.” I said, knowing in my heart, I really meant what I was saying. She smiled and patted my hand softly. I glanced up at Finn, and he had a large grin on his face.
Dr. Banks poked his head in. His dark eyes were weary and bloodshot.
“Anya, we need you to heal as quickly as possible, so you better get some rest.”
“Yes, Dr. Banks,” she said. “Alright kids. You heard the doctor. I’m going to take a nap, so I’ll see you in a few hours.”
I leaned over and gave her a soft hug, and she hugged me back. And then Finn leaned over and kissed her on the forehead.
“Rest up, mom. We’ll bug you later,” he teased.
“That sounds wonderful,” she laughed, and then shut her eyes.
Because we had an extra few days here, my father along, with Sergeant Powell, called everyone over for a meeting. We needed to gather ourselves. We went over directions, precautions, checked our weapons, and combed through the rest of our rations and supplies to make sure we had enough to last us the remainder of our journey. When it was done, they calculated that we had just enough food to last us to the safe zone, as long as we had no more complications. My mind wanted to believe it would be an easy, safe journey, but my gut was preparing me for the worst.
The day disappeared too quickly, and before we knew it, night was upon us. Anya seemed to be doing much better, and the Hatch’s blended a special concoction of healing herbs with a tea, to help keep her relaxed to heal faster.
Dr. Banks checked her and gave her an all-clear to continue traveling the next day, but told my father that she would have to take it slow. We would just have to adapt.
The night wind was nippy, so I decided to turn in. As I headed toward my tent and my eyes adjusted to the darkness, I noticed a familiar silhouette sitting on the rock just beyond my tent. It was Finn. My pulse started to race.
The only ones still outside, sitting near the dim light of the fire were Dr. Banks and Dr. Lisa. His arms were wrapped tightly around his wife and she was nestled against his chest. They were such a perfect couple.
Dr. Lisa had long, dark, curly hair which she usually pulled back into a bun. She had dark, pointy features and her caramel colored skin was flawless. Dr. Banks was very handsome and muscular. Most of the men in our hive were, due to the fact that exercise had been a vital part of our daily schedule. His features were strong and defined, and had curly, raven black hair which he kept very short.
Dr. Banks caressed his wife by the fire, and I watched as he whispered into her ear. A wide smile grew on her face, and soon they both disappeared into one of the tents.
I smiled and took in a deep breath, knowing that Finn was waiting for me. The butterflies in my stomach twisted and turned. I tried to keep myself from running, keeping my composure. It took everything in me to walk slow and act normal.
When I came up behind him, I wrapped my arms around his neck and leaned into his back, pressing my cheek against the side of his face.
“Hey you,” I whispered.
I felt his cheek rise. He didn’t say a word, but placed his hand on my arm and pulled me around to face him. I could barely see his face in the darkness because the moon had hidden behin
d some clouds, but I did see a sparkle in his eye.
“Hey. What took you so long,” he said quietly. His voice was soft and low.
“Were you waiting for me?”
“Ever since your lips left mine, I’ve been craving them. You’re constantly on my mind. Knowing you’re so close, makes it even worse,” he said, with a sly grin.
“Well, I guess we can remedy that… can’t we?” I said softly. I was surprising myself with my boldness, and my heart started to patter. Its rhythm picked up pace, knowing that my lips would soon find his again.
My boldness even took Finn by surprise, and visibly flicked a switch in his behavior. He pulled me close and nestled me between his legs. As soon as his lips found mine, I was immediately transported to a place far, far away. A place where only Finn and I could go. Our own, personal safe zone. The night enveloped us, veiling us from all of the others. We became lost in our new world. A world alive with new and young love.
He had his hands on my lower back, holding me against his body. We were pressed tight and fit perfectly against each other. Our mouths fought for dominance, as his hands continued to trail down, until they rested on my bottom. Squeezing, he suddenly stood up, using his new grip to carry me with him. He was taking me somewhere and all I could focus on was his ragged breath in my ear.
I wrapped my legs around his waist, freeing his hands to mess with the flap of the tent door. He gently laid me down on my sleeping pack, and covered my body with his – from head, to hip, to toe. His masculine scent filled the air around me, making me woozy. I braced myself by wrapping my fingers loosely in his dark hair, and brought his eager lips to mine. Our tongues danced in perfect unison, and desire burned brightly.
His lips left mine for a moment, leaving me breathless. Soon I felt them brush against my cheek, and then slowly leaving a trail of soft kisses down my neck. My lips became jealous and hungry for more, so I placed my hands on the side of his face and pulled his lips back to mine.
“Finn,” I whispered, as he kissed me again.