With our bellies full, we stood and watched the chaos around us. Felling the energy slowly return to my body, I turned to Hermit. "Do you feel it?"

Even as the chaos and destruction continued in the Scalded, a power within me recharged me like static electricity, buzzing at my fingertips. The sensation was addictive, and I craved every bit of it.

Hermit still cradled his arm close to his body to prevent it from dangling and swaying as he moved. "What do you feel?" His wide eyes scanned the miles of seemingly scorched and blackened land, even beyond the distant homes and buildings.

I stood tall. The tickle of warm blood trickled down what was left of my cheek to halt at the slope of my neck. "I feel what the king in my story must've felt." My chest rose and fell with the newfound power running through me. Enthralled by the feeling, pain from my cheek and the bumps and bruises I had acquired throughout my journey weren't a bother anymore.

As sporadic fires continued to burn behind us, catching onto each tree like a ready match, it spread quickly in all directions. The heat thrust me from my daze and forced me to take notice.

"Well, there goes the Scalded." Hermit smacked his lips in disappointment. "You know, this place was beginning to grow on me. Pun intended."

I didn't laugh at his attempt at a joke. The trees were a symbol of the tall and strong, and to watch them slowly deteriorate wasn't a laughing matter. "This is our home."

"There's not much we can do with our home when flames are attached to it." Even though Hermit had a way with words, I felt the sorrow in his tone. "Looks like we have more home to consider if those trees burn to dust." He gestured to the new edge of the radius far in the distance. "Reminds me of the first time, but this time I didn't have to nurse you back to health. Your imaginings did."

My imaginings. I glanced around for the creatures who seemed to disappear along with the crowds of people. Even the helicopters appeared to have moved to another location as their chopping blades were still present but faint.

I could only imagine the chaos and conflict happening at other parts of the radius. Now with it expanded, I envisioned the rapid new growth and abundant forest that would eventually grow in the new spaces.

As madness reigned around us in the form of several pillars of black smoke billowing into the morning sky and the distant helicopters on the other side of the radius, I knew what I had to do.

"I need to find Valerie and Noel." As I said the words, my right cheek ached and I pressed my palm to the ragged wound, pulling away a sticky, blood-soaked hand.

"If we make it through this, I promise to stitch you up really good," Hermit nodded.

"You know you shouldn't make promises you can't keep," I said, stealing his own words. I gave him a look that alleged we would resolve our differences later. "Come on."

I hurried along the original radius where the barricades still stood in their various forms. Barricades were pointless now, as the newly formed outer radius stretched beyond the original barrier by another mile or two. I took in the changes I had caused. It was surreal to see what resembled scorched earth in all directions.

The outer radius was barren now, with buildings and pavement to occupy the blackened space. However, in a few short months, those empty zones would be replaced with an abundant forest of trees taller than me and thistles just as wild and free as my unruly hair.

Approaching the abandoned school where dozens of people congregated, it occurred to me that city officials would make more of the buildings inaccessible and off limits. Would they install barriers at the edge of the new radius? Would they continue to set fires in the Scalded even though it had doubled in size and encompassed more of their businesses and homes? How far were they willing to go to eradicate what they deemed a threat?

The closer we got to the school, the more people and activity were present. Several police cruisers were parked at various positions, young men and women scattered around, the black nectar stained their clothes and skin as they trudged through the drying sludge the creatures had left in their wake.

As I passed people who held signs, cowered in fear, or seemed more fascinated with the newly growing tendrils or the chaos around them, I looked for Valerie and Noel.

Without warning, a fit, middle-aged man rushed toward the unblemished towering forest and hurled a bottle of liquid. The bottle shattered upon contact with a tree and its liquid contents spattered over some of the nearby vegetation. In no time, the man struck a lighter until the flame danced at his fingertips.

"No!" I shouted to stop him, but my pleas were too late.

He tossed the lighter and the trees went up in flames, joining the others that burned relentlessly. Mesmerized by the blaze, I stumbled forward grazing the shoulder of a person carrying a poster that declared: Peace for all.

I brought my hand to my cheek to ease the pain. The young lady with the poster grabbed her shoulder and sneered at me. Her eyes softened when she recognized me. "Kyla?"

"I need Valerie and Noel," I said, instead of confirming her suspicion. "Do you know them?"

"Yes, I do." She waved her hand, urging me to follow around the growing fire and into the forest. "Hurry." She moved fast over the large roots and uneven terrain.

"Why are they in here?" I asked, keeping close. "I told them to stay away."

"They're looking for you." She tucked the sign under her arm so she could better maneuver through the thick brush and trees. "Everyone's here for you guys, you know. They wanted to demolish this place, but Valerie and Noel gathered us all together to stop them." The direction she was going seemed to align with the route to Knoques. "I just want you to know that we're not leaving until the instigators go home."

Commotion from the right startled us. "There you are!" A male voice emerged from the shadows among the trees. A tall, pale skinned man wearing a camouflage jumpsuit appeared and aimed his rifle with me as his target. We took cover behind the trees and dropped to the ground just as short, petite female officer in a police uniform pointed her handgun at the hunter.

"Put the weapon down," she ordered, but the sound of bullets leaving the chamber nearly deafening me.

Our poor young escort covered her ears, screamed, and ran back in the direction we came.

As the hunter and the officer exchanged shots, Hermit and I quickly and cautiously made our way through the trees and back to Knoques, narrowly avoiding bullets as they fired from the guns.

By the looks of it, the creatures had vanished, and outsiders were the only threats now.

Approaching the run-down hospital, the front doors were open wide and broken at the hinges. The inside of the hospital reception area no longer looked welcoming as it gave off vibes that it had been invaded.

Just as my foot stepped over the threshold of the asylum, a helicopter zoomed by from above. It was so close I thought it would crash land into the building.

Once inside the hospital, my instinct to call out for Valerie and Noel was overpowered by the need to be aware and cautious. Someone or something was still in the building, I sensed it in the air.

Even Hermit pressed his forefinger to his lips before entering the reception area. We glanced around at the damage. Did the hunters nearly dismantle the place in search of us? Were they still here?

Hermit took the lead and aimed two fingers toward the darkened hall. He pointed me to the right and indicated he would check the left. We crept toward the hall, anticipating an attack. As we slowly entered...

Nothing.

"What now?" I whispered, placing my palm over the wound on my cheek to lessen the pain and discomfort.

"The doctor's quarters." He gestured toward the double doors at the end of the hall. The doors were still smeared with black crud and wasn't evenly closed, but we made our way through the corridor and toward the room.

He pushed the doors open and they croaked on the hinges. The ransacked and broken items cluttered the small space. Hermit seemed to be especially excited about that, he rushed in and behind the reception desk to dig out a roll of sealed and sterile bandages.

He threw me a square packet containing a medium sized gauze. I immediately removed it from the covering and placed it against my cheek. I sighed and relaxed for a minute, allowing my muscles to just be.

The cackle of bullets and blazes outside made it to my ears. Hermit ignored the distant noise and collected some cleaning wipes, gauze and other supplies, tossing them on the table and clearing away the unwanted debris with a swipe of his hand.

He removed his bloodied bandage from his shoulder, working as fast as he could. As soon as he peeled the last layer of Lilac's makeshift wrap from his wound, blood continued to trickle. He winced and grabbed a bottle of antiseptic to douse it over the bullet hole. He growled, biting down on a package of rolled gauze.

"Let me help." I went to his side, dropping my bloodied gauze from my cheek.

"You ready to remove the bullet?" He looked at me with sincerity in his dark, tired eyes.

"What?" I shook my head. "I'm not a doctor. You know I don't know the first thing about—"

"No, shit," he interrupted. "But I am, and I do. I will lead you through it."

"But—" I hesitated.

"We have to hurry, Kyla." He grunted. His pain apparent through his jittery hands. "Our home is burning."

I took a deep breath. "Fine. What do I do?"

Over the next few minutes, he had endured the pain as I removed the spent bullet from his flesh and wrapped his shoulder in a clean and secure bandage.

He breathed a sigh of relief, sweat beading along the rim of his hairline. "Thank you."

Gunshots went off in areas around the Scalded and my thoughts returned to Valerie and Noel. I hope they were out of harm's way.

It wasn't until we decided to leave the room that the footsteps in the reception area became noticeable, getting closer and closer.

~~~

Only 2 more chapters to go!