Double-checking that no one’s watching me as I go, I duck behind the ruins of the first building and jerk back when I come across a female soldier squatting on the other side.
She sees me and startles, twisting away from me. Thankful for the growing darkness, I turn away as well. “Sorry.” My lips flatten as I try to decide whether to flee or talk my way out of this.
But the soldier stands, zips up and storms away. I watch her disappear with a shrug and trek deeper into the ruins, traversing several abandoned buildings before I finally make it to the barricade itself.
Touching the thick logs lined up next to each other, I drag my fingers to the dried muddy substance that’s sealing the gaps between them. Walking along the wall to my left and farther away from the tents, I search for an opening that I might be able to look through. But everything is completely sealed.
I pause to dodge behind a partially-collapsed wall when several drones fly by and watch them follow the wall in the opposite direction. They disappear around the bend where I first approached the barricade. Then another two appear and followthe same path, patrolling the top of the wall. I can hear another two on the other side.
As the last of them fly away, I debate whether or not to call out for Krellix.
With a sigh, I lean back against the wall, wondering what the hell I’m doing and cursing under my breath. The demands of my body are too strong for good sense, though. Reaching down into my pants, I cup my sex. Rubbing my clit with the pads of my fingers, feeling my bare skin because I still don’t have any underwear left, I let the pleasure my touch brings fuel me.
My heart thrums, and my breathing deepens. My fingers circle faster.
Krellix.
His name doesn’t leave my lips but I form it all the same.
Pushing my back into the wall, I press hard against my clitoris, picturing golden abs, velvety scales shaping toned muscles, and a thick, knotted cock dripping with precum and smelling delicious. The nerves between my legs pulsate, fluttering brutally, and I slide down the wall as I come into my hand. My lips part with a silent moan as I roll my hips and press my clit down against my palm, hoping to elongate my quick climax.
But instead I hear the sound of drones flying along the wall again and yank my hand free. Rubbing my damp palm on my thigh, I swiftly get to my feet. Fortunately, one orgasm was enough to take the edge off my relentless arousal.
As the sky continues to darken, I follow the wall for a while, gradually accepting that there’s no way outside the encampment on this side. Giving up when I start to hear soldiers in the darkness ahead of me, I make my way back to my shared tent with Olivia. Lying down in the plastic covers next to her, I listen to her rough breaths, trying not to think about what I just did. Eventually my body relaxes until I follow her into sleep.
The next morning, I’m helping a dehydrated refugee drink water when I hear shouting coming from outside the infirmary. A glance at the head nurse shows him busy with another patient, so I duck out to see what’s going on. Following the sound brings me down the path opposite the water containers, and I make my way towards the front of the original infirmary, where the soldiers are treated. It’s closer to the entrance, and I eye the barricade’s opening as I get nearer, briefly ignoring the injured soldiers being transported through it.
Seeing the forest far in the distance, I hope for a glimpse of something I know won’t be there. Even if it was, I wouldn’t be able to see it.
“What happened!?”
“It’s those fucking nagas! Those fucking snakes got them!”
“It’s been months since the last attack, what happened?”
My attention shoots back to the soldiers now within the infirmary pavilion. No one’s paying attention to me as I slink closer to listen to what they’re saying. Regardless, I quickly duck around the side when I see several officers, including Graft, approach the front of the large tent.
They head inside together and, straining my ears, I make out some voices.
“Tell me what happened.”
Everyone seems to go quiet, even those tending the wounded, as one of the soldiers begins to speak. Leaning towards the heavy tarp, I can only make out a little of what’s being said.
“Nagas…out of nowhere—” the soldier sputters “—too many… Ran…”
“Did you get a good look at them? Do you know why they attacked now?”
“Hey, what are you doing there!” someone shouts at me from the main pathway
Lurching back, I run in the opposite direction, but heavy footfalls give chase. Glancing over my shoulder as I flee around the back of the infirmary pavilion, I stumble into the dirt path behind it. I lunge across it into the rows of tents on the other side, hoping to lose the soldier between them.
“Stop!”
I weave through the tents, avoiding other soldiers as I race for the opposite side and into another set of ruins beyond. Like all the crumbling buildings around the encampment, these are cement, big and blocky in design. Dashing for the first one, I dodge around the far side and immediately stumble to a stop at the edge of a large opening in the ground.
Backing up before I fall into it, I slide along the wall to see further in. There’s a series of spotlights around the entrance, illuminating the improvised stairway down. Machines and crates are piled at the right side, with a large prefab trailer set up behind them. Hearing voices inside, I crouch and wait for someone to come along. But as I creep along and no one does, I get my bearings and start sneaking back toward the refugee infirmary. I’ve risked enough already.
Because I’ve just found the hole Shelby fell in. The place Celeste went in to save her comrade…
