Chapter Ten: Run
Sitting in the broken window, I looked out over the city, taking it all in, knowing that this was probably the last time I ever saw it. We had no idea what to expect on the outside. We didn't know if we were going to live or die. We didn't know if the people that were out there would ever let us come back here. So much of what was to come was unknown. But we were going to go through with it. We were going to leave the city and hopefully find a better life.
"Are you scared?" Claude asked me.
"Of course." I smiled back at her with furrowed brows. "I'm terrified. But it's something we have to do."
"I thought we were going to be together." She told me. "I thought we were going to do this together."
I nodded at her, feeling emotion fill my chest, "I know."
"And now I'm staying here and you're going out there." She frowned, meeting my eyes.
"I'm sorry." I told her.
"Who's going to keep you out of trouble?" She smirked.
I smiled at her, "I guess Eric and Four are going to have to take up the mantle."
We both laughed lightly, then her face smoothed out. "In all seriousness, Pen. As terrified as I am to leave, I still thought it was going to happen. We're a team. We've always been a team. Since day one and now we're going to be separated for god knows how long. What are we gonna do?"
Sighing, I put my arm around her. "We're going to do what we need to. And I need you to help Johanna in any way that you can. Help her rally the people and prove to them that Evelyn is not the leader of the people. Show them that there is a better way. We don't have to live underfoot of anyone. We're our own people. Government should exist but it is up to the people to decide who that is. A dictatorship is not the way to go. Especially when they self-elect themselves into office."
"You sound like Johanna and Tori." She stated.
"They make sense."
"And what are you gonna do?"
"I'm going to go see what's out there and hope to god that it's better than what's in here."
"And if it's not?"
"Then I'm going to come back." I smiled. "This isn't forever, Claude. I would never just leave and never come back. I'll come back. Or I'll send word for you to follow. But we're family. I'm not abandoning my family."
"Okay." She nodded.
"Not you. Not Henry. Not Terra." I told her. "I'm not going to just disappear."
"Okay." She nodded again.
"Okay." Henry said appearing on the other side of me.
"Hey." I smiled.
"Hey." He said and grinned at me. "Are we doing the goodbyes?"
"No." I told him, shaking my head. "We're just talking."
"About you leaving." He frowned.
Wrapping my arm around his neck, I pulled him to me, pressing a kiss against his temple before resting my forehead against him. "I'm coming back."
"You better." He smirked as he met my eyes. "If you let anything happen to you I'll kill you."
Laughing lightly, I smiled at him, "Agreed."
"I love you, Pen." He told me. "I always will."
Swallowing the emotion that was rising, I nodded at him, running my fingers through his blond locks, "I love you too, Henry. You're one of my most favorite people."
"Stop." He smirked. "You're gonna make me get all emotional."
Laughing, I nodded at me. "Okay."
For a long while we just sat there and reminisced about our life together. Laughing about our initiation. Fighting through the times when we'd all thought we'd known best. In the end we even shed a few tears for the distance that would soon be between us. The one thing we didn't blatantly do was say goodbye. This wasn't goodbye. We were going to see each other again and everything was going to work out in the end. I had to believe that. In order to leave them, I had to believe that everything was going to work out and that we'd all be together when it was all over. We all would have to fight for it, but I knew that we were all willing to do it.
Even when Terra took a seat at Claude's side, we sat and talked as if nothing bad was going to happen. It was nice to spend a little normal time together. It felt like it did when we ate dinner together every night. When they would come see me for tattoos or when we'd spar in the training room. It felt like the nights we all spent in each other's rooms, knowing that we would always have each other. It felt good despite the cloud of uncertainty that was hovering over our heads. I'd take what I could get. I'd ease their minds and take away as much pain as I could. I'd look out for them. I'd look out for them for as long as I could. I knew the same was for them and I couldn't have been more grateful of them. I truly loved my family. It was a terrifying thought to leave them. But I knew I had to. And I wouldn't be alone. I'd have Eric with me. As well as Four and Tris, and even Peter for whatever he was worth. The point was that none of us were going to be alone. We'd be apart but we still had each other. It was going to be okay. All of it was going to be okay.
When the sun was low on the horizon, I stood at the broken window, letting the wind pass over me. Everyone was whispering, the tension of our impending departure tangible in the air. My mind was going through the plan over and over again, looking for any holes that needed to be fixed before the time came to execute it. Thinking of all the ways it could go wrong and what we'd have to do to make it work.
Four and Eric were going to go to the cells to get Caleb and Hazel while the rest of us went to the train. I had every confidence that Four could get into the cells and out without any trouble. Eric was easily recognizable as a close friend of Four's, making the only problem I had with the plan the fact that we wouldn't be together. I had to come to terms with the fact that we couldn't always be together, but the fact that I wanted to be was something. I'd found someone I could literally spend every minute with, even if we weren't always happy with each other.
Once they joined us on the train, the rest was just a matter of moving fast enough. We'd get off in Amity, make it through the gates to the outside and then run like hell. We'd have help along the way. Claude, Terra, and Henry would accompany us to make sure we got out okay, covering our backs as we disappeared into the night. Johanna would meet us with trucks, driving us to the edge of Amity. Then we would be on our own. Then we'd leave our home behind and move on to find a better way. Then we would see what was out there waiting for us.
Looking at the bed, Eric was still sleeping. We all took turns in getting some sleep since we didn't know how long we'd have to be awake for once we left these walls. And those left behind were to keep watch before Johanna implemented her part of the plan. Not that we knew the ins and outs of either plan. All we knew was that we needed to get out.
"How you holding up?" Tori asked as she stepped next to me.
"I don't know." I replied, trying not to itch my arm.
She wrapped her arm around me, "I'm sorry if I've ever disappointed you or made you think less of me or ever thought that I thought less of you. If that makes sense."
"It does." I nodded. "But don't be ridiculous. Even if any of that were true, I love and adore you. Nothing could make me love you less."
"Okay." She smiled, running her hand down my hair.
"And don't talk like that." I frowned at her. "You make it sound like something is going to happen to you."
"Just in case."
"Well stop it."
"Pen." Four said softly. "It's time."
"Okay." I nodded, looking at Eric. Sighing, I stepped to the bed. Sitting on the edge of it, I put my hand against his back as I leaned down, whispering into his ear, "Eric. Baby, it's time to go."
"Pen." He whispered.
Smiling, I kissed his neck and then his temple, "Eric."
"Don't ever leave me." He said with furrowed brows.
He was dreaming.
"Eric, baby, wake up." I told him gently.
"Please."
Pressing my forehead against the side of his head, I let my lips brush against his ear, "I will never leave you. I love you, Eric. I'm right here. Just wake up and you'll see."
In the next moment, I had to fly backward to avoid getting hit. He looked at me and before I could say anything I was in his arms. He was shaking and for a moment I second guessed everything. I didn't think I'd ever get used to the moments when he was afraid. Only then I calmed, running my nails up and down his back to calm him as well. His breathing was rapid as he buried his face in my neck.
"I'm right here, baby." I told him. "Everything is fine. You were just dreaming."
He let me go, gently taking the wrist of my injured arm, "And yet it's coming true."
"Stop." I frowned at him. "I'm okay." Kissing him sweetly, I ran my hand down his face and to his neck. "Time for you to go." He nodded and got off the bed, rubbing the sleep from his eyes before he slipped his hand into mine. "You ready?" I asked him.
"Yeah." He nodded with a raised brow.
"Be careful." I told him.
He wrapped me in his arms, his face in my neck, feeling him take a deep breath. "I love you, Pen."
"I love you, Eric." I replied before I was kissing him.
"Alright, lovebirds, let's get this show on the road." Tori interrupted.
Letting him go, I took a step away from him. "Right. Take care of each other." I told him before looking at Four.
"You have my word." Four said pressing a kiss against my cheek. "Let's go." He told Eric.
He took a few steps before stopping and turning to me. "You be careful too."
"I will." I smiled at him.
"And when I get back to you, you never leave my side, got it?"
"I got it." I smiled wider.
He nodded, staring at me. "Love you."
Laughing lightly, I shook my head at him, "I love you. Now go, Four is waiting."
He nodded and the pair of them disappeared from the room. Taking a deep breath, we all stood awkwardly as we waited the decided time until it was our turn to leave. Packing a small bag with the few extra shirts and some medical supplies, I slipped my sketchbook, pencil, and the salve into it as well. Then came the gun, placing it in the back of my pants.
"Let's go." Tori said softly, nodding at me.
Staggering our departure, we all met down on the street, moving through the pre-decided route to the tracks. We were forced to hide to escape the factionless patrols but overall it was a pretty quick and easy run to meet up with the others. When we get to our rendezvous point, I could see several people standing in the shadows. Racing toward them, I couldn't help but feel excited.
"Tris." I said softly.
It was amazing how much things between us had changed. I genuinely wanted to be with her. I found a certain level of relief in her presence. I didn't know if that was because the men we loved had bonded so well or if it was because of our shared Divergence. Either way, I was happy to finally be reunited with her.
"Pen." I heard her reply.
Then I was hugging her. This girl I used to loathe has become practically a sister to me. Greeting the others, we all stood there, eagerly awaiting the train.
"So far so good?" Tris asked.
I nodded, "Yeah. So far."
"I thought they weren't coming?" Uriah frowned; the only thing I could see is the white of his teeth moving in the darkness.
"They are only coming so far." I told him. "Call them plan B."
"Won't they bring unwanted attention?" He went on.
"No." I frowned. "They can handle themselves. They are Dauntless after all. And if we're followed or anything, they'll cause a distraction to make sure we get out."
"I don't like it." He replied.
"You don't have to." Tris told him before I could. "They're family who has volunteered to stay behind. They deserve a little bit of closure and if that's following us as far as they can then so be it."
"Thank you." I smiled at her.
"Lock it up." Tori told us, the headlights of the train coming in the distance.
Staring at the train, we needed to get into the last car. Jogging next to it, one by one, we all pulled ourselves in. Moving deeper inside of it, my arm burned and I wanted nothing more than to be back in Dauntless, in my old room with Eric in my bed.
"He'll be back soon." Tori told me. "Everything is right on schedule."
Nodding, I moved to the edge of the car, watching the city go by. She appeared at my side with that concerned look she liked to give me. "I'm fine."
"Every time you say that I know the opposite to be true." She smirked at me.
Smiling, I nodded, "I'm just anxious. What if they follow us? What if they attempt to stop us?"
"We'll run that much faster and we'll get out." She replied. "Are you worried about seeing Hazel?" She asked.
Laughing, I nodded, "Yeah. I told my parents that I'd save her life. I didn't think that part of the deal was taking her with us."
"I know. But you might find some common ground."
"I don't want to find common ground." I frowned. "I might not want her dead, but I don't want to be around her either. She is a traitor and was going to let me die. Just because I can't let her die doesn't mean our sisterly bond is still intact."
"I know." She said putting her hand on my shoulder.
"I want Eric." I told her, feeling emotional.
"What happened to your arm?" Tris asked me, stepping up on my other side.
Looking at my arm, I gently touched it; the effects of the salve had worn off, making it twinge if I thought about it too much. "Long story."
"Shorten it up for me." She frowned.
Sighing, I nodded, moving to that back of the car and took a seat. She followed, sitting next to me. "Everyone warned me about falling in love with Eric. He was evil and not worthy of caring about."
"But you showed us that that wasn't true." She smiled.
"I did." I nodded. "But being in Erudite has revealed strings that I hadn't anticipated."
"His parents." She replied with disdain.
"They grabbed me, took me to a room in the basement of an abandoned building." I told her. "His father wanted to save him from me."
"They don't give a shit about him." She replied angrily.
"I know." I nodded. "And they admitted to that. But I think Jeanine had gotten to them and put in place a contingency plan. She wanted me dead and she found the perfect people to see it done." Looking at my arm, I sighed, "He cut me and burned me. But I'm gonna be fine."
"You always are." She nodded, putting her hand on my arm. "What did Eric do?"
"He's freaking out about it. He feels guilty. He's showing his usual tough exterior, but his parents have had more of an effect on him then he's letting on. Not to mention I had a falling out with my own after the meeting last night."
"What?" She frowned.
"Things suck, Tris." I told her with furrowed brows. "Things suck and now we're going into completely uncharted territory."
"It'll be better." She smiled at me.
Meeting her eyes, I smiled, "It has to be."
"Eric and Four should be coming on any minute." Claude said sitting on my other side.
Looking at her, I smiled, "Thank you, Claude. For everything."
"Don't." She frowned.
"I'm not saying goodbye." Henry stated stepping in front of us.
Smiling, I looked up at him, "I'm not asking you to."
He nodded, "Just making sure."
Laughing lightly, I sprung to my feet when Tori stepped away from the door, "Incoming."
Staring at the door, I felt anxious and excited. I wanted Eric but knew that with him came Hazel. Deciding here and now that I wasn't going to let her hold any control over me, she was launched into the car. She stumbled forward, falling to her knees in front of me.
"Pen…" She said looking up at me.
Frowning down at her, my chest was heaving, unsure of what I was going to do. Then Caleb appeared, pulling himself into the car. He looked around before swiftly moving to Hazel's side, helping her to her feet. I felt disgusted as I watched his arm encircle her waist, pulling her against him as he moved to the back of the car. Then Four was inside, swiftly moving to Tris who grabbed his collar, pulling him in to kiss him.
"I always loved watching you do that." I hear her tell him.
For a second I felt panic, only then Eric pulled himself inside, breathing hard with a frown on his face. Only the second his eyes met mine, the frown disappeared and he smiled at me. Unable to stop the grin that crossed my face, I rushed forward, launching myself into his arms. He held me firmly against his chest. My hand moved to the back of his head, running my hand down it as I buried my face in his neck.
"I love you." He whispered into my shoulder.
"Not as much as I love you." I whispered back, leaning away so I could press my lips against his. "I'm so in love with you I can hardly stand it."
He chuckled lightly, kissing me again, before setting me back onto my feet. His fingers disappeared into my hair and he stared at me with such an adoring look. The train car and everyone in it faded away and for a moment it was just him and me.
"Pen." A voice said. "Pen." The moment was ruined as my sister's voice reached my ears. Turning my head toward her, I couldn't help but glare. "I don't understand." She told me. "Aren't they leading us to our death?"
"Is this what you had planned?" Caleb demanded from next to her. "For her to be here when you kill me? That's—"
"Kill him?" Tris asked looking up at Four.
"Yeah, I let him think he was being taken to his execution." He replied loud enough for all to hear. "You know, sort of like he did to you in Erudite headquarters."
"I…it isn't true?" Caleb asked, his face lit by the moon, is slack with shock.
"No." Four replied. "I just saved your life, actually."
"And you saved mine?" Hazel said with a frown as she looked at Eric. "I don't understand."
Caleb started to say something but Four interrupted him, "Might not want to thank me just yet. We're taking you with us. Outside the fence. Both of you."
"What?" Hazel replied. She looked more shocked about this than being saved from execution.
Both of them looked like they were going to be sick. They had fought against this very thing from happening. Jeanine had wanted to keep the world outside the wall from everyone. Out of fear and ignorance. The same that filled the two traitors in front of us. I was starting to second guess saving them. But this would be far worse a fate to them than death. I hoped they suffered since death was too easy, and by the look of them, their Erudite minds were thinking through their options, realizing that they only had one.
"Are you okay?" Eric asked softly.
"I don't know." I replied, forcing my eyes from the couple in front of us.
He wrapped his arm around me, leading me as far away from the others as he could. "We were followed." He told me with worry.
Taking a slow deep breath, I nodded, "Okay. Then we'll have to be that much more careful."
He nodded, "I have to admit that I'm getting eager to leave the city."
Smiling, I brought my hand up to his face; I could feel his tension leaving him with every passing moment. "As soon as we are outside the walls we can start to build our life. We can forget everything that's happened in the past. Leaving those who have hurt us behind."
He smiled, kissing me sweetly, only then a frown crossed his face and he looked toward the others in the car. "As well as those who've become family."
Following his eyes, I looked at Claude and Terra and Henry. They were talking to Tori, a sadness settling around them and yet we all knew that it was for the best. They would make sure we got out of the city, only to return to it in hopes of overthrowing Evelyn and putting the factions back in place. There would be much unrest in the city. I prayed that the life we were moving toward was as peaceful as we hoped. Something good had to come out of all this.
It felt too soon when Four announced our arrival at the Abnegation sector. Taking a deep breath, Eric and I stood from the corner we had been huddled in. I had been perfectly comfortable in his lap with his arms wrapped around me. Stepping up behind Tris, Eric behind Four, we looked out as the train started to slow.
"Pen." Claude said softly from behind me.
Turning to her, I smiled before wrapping my arms around her neck. "Claude."
"It's almost time." She told me.
"You should have stayed back at headquarters. I'm starting to think you guys tagging along was a bad idea." I replied, releasing her.
"No, we're with you." Henry replied.
Turning to him, I sighed, putting my hand against his face, "Thank you, Henry."
"For what?"
"For being there. No matter what's been going on."
He scoffed and nodded, a small smirk on his face. "I'm sorry, Pen. I haven't lived up to your expectations of me. It's my fault. I shouldn't have let jealousy get in the way."
Smiling, I shrugged at him, "It didn't really get in my way. I did what I wanted. If you let it get in your way then that's on you."
He laughed and shook his head, "Sweet till the end."
"What end?" Eric frowned, his arm brushing mine.
"Not yours." Henry replied. "Or hers." He added, looking at me fondly.
"I know." Eric replied with a raised brow, his arm moving around my waist.
Smiling up at him, I furrowed my brows, "You're not jealous are you?"
"What?" He frowned. "No." I laughed, and leaned into his side, resting my head against his chest. "I got the girl."
Laughing again, I looked up at him, feeling warmth fill me as his lips met mine. "I love you."
He put his lips next to my ear, "And I love you."
"Guys." Tori said and we all moved toward the open door of the car.
Eric's arm was still tightly around my waist as he put his hand against the side of the car, looking out into the distance. For a long moment I just looked at him. His brows were furrowed and concentrated. His full lips were perfectly curved and kissable. His eyes were bright; the length of his eyelashes mesmerizing when light touched his face. The tattoos on his neck were visible, the top of them being invaded by the beard he had yet to shave, making me think of the hard Eric that I used to know. He was still there, but the Eric that he showed the world now was so much kinder and…amazing.
"You're staring." He said softly, a smirk crossing his lips.
God I wanted to kiss him. "I can't help it. You're a beautiful man."
He laughed lightly and turned to meet my eyes, the blue of his sending a shiver through me. "Not in comparison to you."
Laughing, I leaned against his chest as we watched the buildings give way to fields, fireflies dancing through them. Letting everything else fall away, I listened to Eric's heart, felt the rise and fall of his chest as we watched the scenery. I knew it by heart. I'd grown up in fields like this. There was a certain level of tranquility in seeing them now, knowing the uncertainty of every moment that was ahead of us.
"It's time." Four told us.
Looking at him, I took a deep breath, before meeting Eric's eyes. He nodded and pressed a kiss against my forehead. Four turned and pushed Caleb and Hazel to the edge of the car. Taking a step back, I felt Henry push his arm against the back of my shoulder.
"You two first. On my mark!" Four told them with his authoritative voice. I couldn't help but smile. It'd been a while since I'd heard it. "And…go!"
He shoved Caleb first and then Hazel when she didn't immediately follow. Laughing, I watched Eric go next, followed by myself. Landing easily, barely having to jog to keep steady, I turned to see Claude, Terra, and Henry right behind me. Watching the car go by, I finally saw Four leave it, then Tris after another long second. Eric turned on a flashlight and blinded me with its beam. Squinting, I shoved him, hearing him laugh.
"Tris!" Christina called as she and Uriah came toward our little party. He had a flashlight as well, with more people following behind them with more lights.
"Did your brother make it?" Uriah asked.
"Yeah." Tris replied, looking to where Four had gripped Caleb's arm.
Henry took Hazel's, yanking her to her feet. She's shaking and her eyes are wide with shock. I should feel the need to comfort her but I can't bring myself to do it. Eric nudged me forward and the two groups came together.
"Not sure why an Erudite like you can't get it through his head but you aren't going to be able to outrun me." Four's telling Caleb.
"He's right," Uriah smirked. "Four's fast. Not as fast as me, but definitely faster than a Nose like you."
Christina laughed. "A what?"
"Nose." Uriah touched the side of his nose. "It's a play on words. 'Knows' with a 'K,' knowledge, Erudite…get it? It's like Stiff."
"The Dauntless have the weirdest slang. Pansycake, Nose…is there a term for the Candor?" Christina asked him.
"Of course." Uriah grinned. "Jerks."
Tori stepped up to my side, "I forget how young these guys are." She told me.
I scoffed and nodded, "Yeah. And they are the fate of our little mission."
"No." She replied. "If we have to, we can do this with just the six of us."
Frowning, I met her eyes, "And abandon the others?"
"If push comes to shove and we need to get out, then we get out." She told me with full seriousness.
Keeping her eyes, I finally nodded. "Okay."
"Yeah?" She asked, needing me to say it.
"We get out with or without everyone. But we need to try and keep Four and Tris with us."
"Okay." She nodded. "All right." She said getting the attention of the rest of the group. "Johanna and the trucks will be about a ten-minute walk from here, so let's get going. And if I hear a word from anyone, I will beat you senseless. We're not out yet." Then Tori is looking at me. "It's time. Say your goodbyes and be quick."
Nodding, I turned and swiftly embraced Claude. "I love you so much." I told her.
"I love you too." She replied, hearing heavy emotion in her voice.
"Pen." Terra said embracing me next. "Thank you for everything. I hope we see each other again."
"Me too. Love you." I replied.
For a second I hear Claude and Eric saying their goodbyes, only then I looked at Henry who already has a tear sliding down his cheek. Laughing lightly, I wrapped my arms around his neck, breathing him in as I ran my hand down the back of his head, gently gripping his hair.
"I love you more than you'll ever know." I told him. "I leave knowing that we are good, Henry."
"I love you, Pen. I've always loved you. And I will always love you." He told me as he buried his face in my neck.
Laughing again, I took his head in my hands and kissed him. He kissed me back before once again embracing me. "Be good." I told him as I tried not to cry.
"Stay safe." He replied.
"Baby." I heard Eric say from behind me.
Letting Henry go, I put my hand against his face, smiling at him before quickly retreating. I stood back and watched Eric shake Henry's hand. Telling him something that I couldn't hear. As soon as he turned toward me, I can see that my family truly had become his as well. Waving to my family, I followed Eric, moving away from what I knew and in the direction of a new life.
Catching up to the others, Tori is in the lead, looking ready for a fight. The flashlights are giving off enough light to see the majority of our party. I see Hazel pressed against Caleb, his arm around her, making me frown. Then I looked to Tris and Four, now smiling. I couldn't deny that they were perfect for each other. And now we'd be able to be with the people we loved without anyone trying to stop us.
Before long Tori is out of sight but I can see her flashlight bouncing with each step. Feeling anxious, I picked up my pace, closing the gap between us. Eric was so close to me that I could feel his arm brush mine every other step. We were all eager to leave this place, but I didn't like the distance between us right now.
My heart rate was just starting to come down, my anxiousness starting to ebb away, when the first shot went off. I watched Tori arch backward before forward, falling to the ground. Freezing, I waited for her to get up. But she didn't.
"Split up!" Four yelled over the cries from those around us. "Run!"
Everyone was panicking, running to get away, and yet…I couldn't move. Only then my arm was grabbed and I'm running. Only instead of running away, I ran to Tori. Falling onto my knees, I turned her onto her back. Tris appeared at my side, gripping Tori's fallen flashlight.
She's worried about the flashlight?
"Tori." I said as I took her head in my hands.
Looking at her, a bullet hit her in the stomach, another in her chest. Screaming now, I gripped her, knowing there was no saving her from this. Her eyes were moving rapidly behind the lids of her eyes. Then she finally opened them and met mine.
"I love you, Tori. Thank you for everything you've ever done for me." I told her quickly, knowing that we didn't have long. She didn't say anything, she simply furrowed her brows. Nodding, tears streamed down my face. "Okay." Taking her hand, she squeezed it as tightly as she could and I felt like I was breaking her fingers with the force I gripped hers.
Hearing someone approaching, Tris brought the flashlight up and the beam illuminated a woman wearing a factionless armband. She's holding a gun, pointing it at Tris's head. Only then Tris is firing, hitting the woman in the stomach, causing her to scream and fire blindly into the night. I crouched over Tori protectively; only when I look down…she was gone. Sobbing, Tris tugged on my arm as she sprinted away. Darkness encompassed me and I could hear more steps approaching. I needed to run. I needed to get out of here.
Looking around me, I can make out the shapes of three people, seeing their guns as they came closer. I knew that I was about to die. This wasn't how I had planned it. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. Keeping Tori's hand clutched in mine, I waited. Then a beam of light appeared and I heard my name. Raising my head, panic started to flow through me. He shouldn't have to see this. He needed to run.
Only before he could reach me and before they could shoot me, other shots were heard and I was knocked out of the semi-circle they had me in. In the next moment, an arm was around my waist, and I was being dragged backward. Eric's voice was in my ear, but the only thing I can see is Henry being illuminated by the flashlights beam. He's on his knees next to Tori, his hand covering hers. From behind him, at least a half dozen people are appearing from the darkness. Half of them training their guns on him while the others are still pointing toward us.
"Run." Henry called. "RUN!"
I hear the shots but don't see what happened. "No!" I screamed, being turned away from him. My breathing became prominent in my ears, Eric gripping my hand as we ran. I didn't know how I was running. All I can think about is Tori lying dead and Henry…Henry…
Seeing a light ahead, Eric is running so fast that I stumbled, needing him to support me to keep me moving forward. Thinking we were just reaching the others, I realize that it's headlights. Then the sound of the engine reached us and Eric drove us forward as fast as humanly possible. Ignoring the ache in my legs and the imploding feeling of my lungs, I managed to keep hold of his hand.
The others are already getting into the truck. I honestly wasn't aware of much, but I heard Tris telling them that Tori was dead. I turned my head toward her as Eric scooped me up and put me in the back of the truck. I hear Johanna's voice but I'm not listening to anything their saying. Eric said something to them, anger in his voice, and then he's with me as the truck lurched forward. Wrapping his arm around me, he pulled me against his chest. My eyes are dry, telling me that I need to blink, but no matter how hard I try I can't seem to do it.
"It's okay." He whispered in my ear.
Gripping him tightly, I just stared out the back of the truck, only then I felt warmth run down my arm. Furrowing my brows, I finally blinked, looking to see red making a line down my arm.
Blood.
Sitting up, I turned to Eric, "Are you hurt?" He frowned looking at his arm. "Baby." He met my eyes but didn't say anything. "Sit forward." I told him. "Eric, baby, sit forward." He did and I quickly ripped his shirt open where there was blood on his shoulder. Shaking set in as I took in the hole on the back of his shoulder. "There's no exit wound." I said feeling like I was about to lose everything. "…Eric."
"I'm okay." He finally told me. Putting my hand over my mouth, a silent sob escaped me as I gripped the back of his neck. "Baby, I'm okay." Shaking my head, I put my hand against the side of his face, pulling him to me, resting my forehead against his temple. "Pen." He said softly, his fingers sliding into my hair. "Baby."
The truck started to slow before stopping. I hear the doors to the truck open and voices. Lifting my head, tears are hot against my cheeks as I see Tris with her arms around Four's neck. His arm is slick with blood but he's okay. Everyone else is there as well. We only lost two this time. One who should have never been there. It was my fault.
"Is he hurt?" Christina asked. Without replying, I showed her the blood on my hands. "Cara!" She yelled and then was in the back of the truck.
As soon as Cara was there, she was asking Eric questions, pushing me back so she could tend to him. Practically falling from the back of the truck, I dropped to my knees, staring out over the fields. My eyes kept looking at everything but I couldn't hear anything. Not even my breathing or the sound of my heart beating. Only a slight ringing while my mind kept showing me what I already knew but couldn't come to terms with.
Tori was dead.
Henry…
…Henry.
He was more than likely dead as well. We had said all that was needed to be said. He saved my life at the cost of his. But…maybe…maybe they didn't shoot him. Maybe they took him back to Evelyn where he could rot in a cell. Maybe Claude and Terra would get him out and make a run for it. Maybe they were going to join us after all. Maybe he was okay. Maybe it wasn't as bad as it looked. Maybe…
All at once sound returned to my ears, the pain of my loss crashing down on me like a tidal wave. The force of it so much worse than anything I'd ever felt before. Throwing my head back I started to scream. Screaming as I bent over, pressing my forehead against the ground. There were voices and urgent words, but I didn't pay any attention to them. I was pulled backward, my arms being gripped and a hand moved over my mouth. It did little to quiet me. In the next moment, my voice was cut off, darkness following.