I've been trying to update for a while now, but my Internet is not cooperating. So perhaps if hordes of my loyal fans descend upon my ISP with pitchforks, they'll get their shit together and fix my Internet. Just a suggestion ;) So I noticed some of you thought I lied about the "small" cliffhanger last part. I apologize...I really only meant "small" in relation to the cliffhanger at the end of this chapter...it's going to be HUGE. I know you're all mad, but just think...if you stone me to death, you will never find out what happens! So read, enjoy and tell me what you think...
Chapter 10 – Lay Down Your Burdens
Is that alright with you?/ Give my gun away when it's loaded/ Is that alright with you?/ Leave me out with the waste/ This is not what I do/ It's the wrong kind of place/ To be cheating on you/"Everybody man your positions!"
The loud wailing of a wavering siren fell across the compound and streams of Disciples flooded out of the shacks. People were shouting, some running to different sections of the compound, rifles clutched in their hands. Some women were leading a string of children towards the dining hall, probably to seek shelter in the bunker below. Many of the children were crying. Gunshots rang out and Miley's hand twitched in hers. Lilly felt the world return to focus.
The Emergence had practiced for this scenario, so many times Lilly could probably run through it in her sleep. Enemy combatants outside the compound. Her job was to open fire from the northern watchtower; she'd proven fairly successful with a rifle. She didn't even know what Miley was supposed to be doing, but she didn't think it would be anything good. Bullet sponge, perhaps. She shook her head and looked around at the frenzy.
"We need to get out of here!" she said to the brunette, who only stared at her numbly. Lilly had no intentions of fighting alongside people she had despised for five years. She did not care who was outside the gates.
One Disciple roughly bumped into her shoulder, running past. It seemed as if everyone was armed; she did not see a single Disciple who was not holding a rifle or at the very least a handgun. The ground shook again, the roar of another explosion ripping through the air. More distant gunfire could be heard; the enemy was fighting back apparently.
Lilly tugged on Miley's hand, pushing her way through the people fighting to get to the gates and towers to do their jobs. She didn't know where to go. The compound was surrounded not only by fence, but now most likely by enemies who wouldn't hesitate to shoot at two girls. There was no solution. A heavy weight settled on Lilly's chest as she realized they would not be able to get out alive. Did she want to walk down to the gates and die in a blaze of glory? One look at Miley told her that was definitely not how she wanted to go.
Someone fired their gun from the middle of the compound, the loud shots ringing in Lilly's ear. She pulled Miley along, between the rows of shacks. She just wanted to get away. Realizing she still had her rifle slung over one shoulder she threw it to the ground. She wouldn't need it anymore, anyway. There were fewer Disciples along the muddy paths, though it seemed as if a few others, too, were hiding out.
Fire erupted in front of them, noise threatening to burst her eardrums and suddenly an invisible hand flung her off her feet. Lilly landed on her shoulder, pain shot up her arm and she rolled onto her back with a groan. Her face stung and her ears were ringing so loudly all noise sounded as if behind a filter. Lilly opened her eyes to the dirt hanging in the air, noticing the flattened shacks surrounding her. Rolling back onto her stomach, she managed to push herself to her knees.
The first thing she noticed was the dead body lying only a few feet away from her, the Disciple's blank eyes staring straight ahead. She did not remember his name. Lilly looked around the shambles. Her heart thundered in panic. Blood dripped into her eyes and she angrily swiped at her forehead.
"Miley!"
Her own voice sounded funny and hollow to her ears. She stood on shaky legs. Her shoulder protested at every movement. Muffled gunshots sounded somewhere behind her and she flinched. Lilly's eyes swept across the broken wood and dirt. Miley was lying on her side between some broken wooden slats; Lilly was next to her within a split-second.
"Miley?" she turned her friend onto her back. Miley groaned, grabbing Lilly's upper arm with her right hand.
"Lils, did you get the plates?"
The blonde stared at her friend dumbfounded. Maybe she'd heard her wrong with all the ringing in her head. Miley stared at her.
"The plates? From the truck that ran me over?"
Lilly raised an eyebrow at the brunette. Miley was odd, but perhaps that was what she loved about her. Lilly ducked across her friend as several Disciples thundered by; she hoped they'd ignore them and think they were unconscious or dead. As soon as they left, the blonde sat back up. Miley frowned at her and reached out a hand towards Lilly's face.
"Lilly, you're bleeding," Miley said softly.
Lilly pushed her hand away, "I'm fine, Miles." She wasn't totally sure, but figured if it didn't hurt too bad, it wasn't that serious. She almost reached out a hand to the cut that vanished in Miley's hairline; it was bleeding a fair amount, but not too bad. Lilly stopped herself and grabbed her friend's hand instead, pulling her up. The brunette doubled over, as if to catch her breath.
"Come on, let's keep moving."
Miley stumbled a few times behind her, but Lilly kept a firm hold on her hand. She wanted to go to the bunker, but knew they'd keep a watch on that. Suddenly an epiphany hit her and she turned abruptly, cutting through the shacks that were still standing. The middle of the compound had cleared out a lot since the last time they'd been there and she dragged Miley through to the other side. It was still standing.
She moved towards the doorway quickly. Another explosion rocked the ground, but this time it was farther away. Lilly pulled her friend inside and threw the rickety wooden door shut; not that it would provide much protection. The noise immediately quieted down. Miley stared at her in confusion.
"Why are we in the brig, Lilly?" Miley shuddered, this place held nothing but bad memories.
"It's concrete, I can't really think of anywhere safer we can get to," Lilly said and moved to the middle cell. The cell door pushed open and she went inside.
"What are we doing here?" Miley asked, her voice almost a whisper as she followed Lilly into the cell.
Their eyes met and Lilly swallowed hard. Suddenly she felt cold. There really was no good answer and they both knew it. If they managed to hide safely from the carnage, whoever won would surely kill them; either the enemy for being there or the Disciples for cowardice. Lilly knew she hadn't brought them here to survive.
"Miley, I…" she trailed off, glancing around the cell and turned back to her friend, "if we're gonna…I…"
Despite her incoherent ramblings, Miley pulled her closer and managed a weak smile. The brunette kissed her softly and wrapped her arms around her friend, mumbling in her ear, "I wouldn't wanna be anywhere else, either, when it ends."
Lilly felt a lump in her throat and rapidly tried to blink the tears away. She wanted to enjoy what time she had left, not spend it crying. Wrapping her one good arm around the brunette, Lilly squeezed and deeply inhaled the scent that was so inherently Miley. She closed her eyes and pressed a kiss to her friend's cheek. Suddenly their lips were pressed together, an urgency to their kisses they had never experienced before. Miley's tongue brushed against hers and hot fire raced through her body.
She maneuvered them backwards until Miley's legs hit the cot, neither daring to come up for air. Lilly gently pushed the brunette onto the cot, pressing her own body against Miley's as she climbed on top. She grasped Miley's hands in hers, intertwining their fingers. Her skin was burning and her head was spinning. She needed air, but Miley was her air, her everything. She nipped at the brunette's bottom lip and Miley groaned into her mouth. Lilly released Miley's hands and suddenly her fingers were running under the brunette's shirt, trailing along the bare skin of her abdomen. Miley shuddered and Lilly looked at her.
Her own emotions reflected back at her from Miley's eyes – fear, lust, despair, but most of all, love. She kissed Miley's lips, then each of her cheeks, her eyelids and her forehead. They stared into each other's eyes and Lilly felt like crying, again. It was the end, but still, there was so much love left inside of her.
"Miley," she said so softly it was almost a whisper. Their eyes were still locked, "If I'm going to die, I want to die making love to you."
They stared at each other for several more seconds, before Miley pulled her back down into a slow kiss.
* * *
Miley was panting in her ear, her pulse racing against Lilly's lips where she was brushing them across the other girl's neck. Lifting her eyes, she watched the look on the brunette's face in reverence. Ecstatic, so relaxed, so unlike the past five years and Lilly wanted to cry. Tears dripped from her eyes onto Miley's shirt. They hadn't bothered with clothes; there was so little time for them to be together. The sounds of the fighting were coming closer.
Suddenly Miley grabbed the back of her neck with her free hand and pulled her down, crushing her lips to Lilly's. She moaned into Lilly's mouth and tensed up, gripping the blonde tighter against her. Lilly closed her eyes and gasped as she felt herself go over the edge as well. It wasn't like anything she had felt before. For just that split-second it was just Miley and her, connected so deeply and purely, that nothing else even registered in her brain. No pain, no sadness, not imminent death, she just felt pure love and elation like she hadn't ever thought possible.
When the real world came rushing back at her, she wanted to push it away. The sound of gunfire still echoed in the compound, seemingly coming closer. Perhaps she heard screaming. Lilly looked into Miley's impossibly beautiful eyes and leaned down to kiss her softly. She tasted salt, but couldn't tell which one of them was crying this time. She didn't want it to end. Pushing herself up on one elbow, Lilly reached out a hand to brush a strand of hair behind the brunette's ear. Her shoulder protested at the movement, but she ignored it. In just a little while, there would be no more pain.
"I love you, Miles," she said softly, the hint of a smile on her lips.
Miley brushed her fingertips across Lilly's lips, "I love you, too, Lilly."
Lilly knew then it had all been worth it in the end. Every tear, every drop of blood spilled, every cut and bruise; she knew she would not change a thing if she could. It was all worth it just being with Miley. She moved to lie on her side next to the brunette, one hand tracing idle patterns on her friend's bare abdomen. A light sheen of sweat clung to Miley's skin and it felt cold against her fingertips. A cold draft was coming through the small window and from under the door.
The boom of another explosion shook the building. Yelling could be heard. Miley's breaths were rapid, little clouds of fog expelled into the cold air. She reached for Lilly's shirt, fingers curling tightly into the fabric.
"Lilly, they're coming," her voice cracked and tears pooled in her eyes.
Lilly cupped the brunette's cheek, trying to convey as much love and reassurance with one touch as she could, "It's okay. We'll be together, 'till the end."
Miley wrapped her arms around the blonde, burrowing her head in Lilly's chest. She was shaking, whether from the tears or the cold, Lilly did not know. Tears ran down Lilly's cheeks as well and she bit her lip to keep from sobbing. She never expected to meet her end in a concrete prison cell, waiting for her executioner. Lilly's arms wrapped around Miley, holding on as tightly as she could. She would not let anyone or anything tear them apart at the end, either.
Miley looked up at her with teary eyes, her voice barely audible as she whispered, "Thank you."
The wooden door burst open and a bullet struck the wall above their heads. People were yelling outside, their voices interrupted by the clear staccato of gunfire. A large shadow entered the doorway and Lilly looked up. She pressed Miley's head closer against her chest and let out a shaky breath. Boomer took a step into the brig and raised his gun. Lilly squeezed her eyes shut, arms tightening around Miley. A gunshot sounded. Another and she felt pain. Then there was nothing.
It's the wrong time/ She's pulling me through/ It's a small crime/ And I've got no excuse/ Is that alright with you?/ Give my gun away when it's loaded/ Is that alright with you?/ If you don't shoot it how am I supposed to hold it/ - Damien Rice