Page 28 of The General’s Captive (The Rift #1)

I woke with a start now struggling in the arms around me as the last of my dream still gripped me.

“Hey, it’s me, it’s alright, your safe.” The second I heard Riley’s voice I instantly calmed, his arms holding me tighter as I felt my body relaxing in his as he held me from behind.

I then silently tried to calm my heart as well as my panicked breaths taking note of the office we were in.

The room he had brought me to yesterday and the one we had obviously spent our first night in together.

My mind went back to our conversation, as I had just finished telling him about how I had survived the werewolf. He had been shocked, his hand reaching out to my shoulder where the scars remained, but then after giving me a hug, he told me to rest up whilst he went to get me some food.

At some point I must have fallen asleep and he had obviously let me knowing that I must have needed it. So, I looked down at our entwined bodies guessing he had joined me as a blanket lay over us both. Our clothes were still on with the heat of our bodies warming each other in the cold room.

“Do you wanna talk about it?” he asked making me shake my head, telling him that I didn’t.

Because what would I say? Tell him that the General was now stalking my dreams trying to get me to tell him where I was.

It would just burden him with worry and right now he had enough on his plate.

So instead, he simply tucked the covers more firmly over us and held me as close as he could get me, telling me softly,

“Then sleep baby, I’m here and I’m not going anywhere.” I kissed his scarred arm that I was using as a pillow as his other arm lay across my waist. His rumble of approval ended with him kissing the back of my head before sleep started to take me under.

And this time,

The General let me sleep peacefully.

******************************

The next time I woke, it was to Riley gently stroking my arm but as he smiled it wasn’t one that reached his eyes.

The dark circles under them laced me with guilt knowing that he probably hadn’t slept worrying about me after my nightmare.

He passed me the bottle of water and medication that I knew would be for the pain I could still feel in my hip.

So, I sat up popped the pills before downing most of the water as I didn’t realise how parched I was.

Satisfied Riley sat himself down on the edge of the bed his hand laying on mine.

“What is it?” I asked knowing something was playing on his mind.

“We have sent scouts back to the base to see what the damage is.” This surprised me.

“Is that wise?” He shrugged his shoulders and told me,

“Everyone voted on it.”

“Everyone?” I questioned.

“No council to speak of anymore so we asked everyone to make the decision.” I nodded but then one look at his face had me pushing for more,

“And you don’t agree?” It wasn’t hard to guess.

“I think it’s too soon to go back there but I understand. This place isn’t sustainable long term as we are too exposed.”

“Well, it was only meant to be an evacuation point.” I reminded him, watching as he dragged a hand through his hair, a clear sign he was frustrated.

“But you think we should try looking for another place?” I guessed again.

“We found someone who was living here, he used to work these tracks and he thinks he can get the trains working again.” I frowned at this pointing out the most obvious fact about most places this side of the wall,

“How, there is no power?”

“He said some of these trains are diesel fuelled seeing as all of them are used for freight.” He told me before standing up and walking over to a wall that held a poster on the wall. It looked to be a map of the track routes.

“But where would we take everyone?” I asked my voice already telling him how risky I thought this was.

“As far away as we could get from here, the tracks end in Pocatello, where we first met.” He said now pointing a finger to the map making me shake my head,

“Another big town is risky.” I pointed out.

“The town we are in now is riskier as we know the General is closer to here.” He replied which was when it hit me what this was about, he didn’t just fear another attack… he feared the General coming for me.

“Riley.” I said his name which was when he placed his palms on the wall either side of the map before pushing away and facing me.

“He wants you Alex, I don’t know why or how I know I can just feel it.” I closed my eyes hating how right he was.

“Because he let me live?” I asked.

“Because he has always let you live.” He corrected.

“He also let me escape so what proof do we have that he wants me?” I asked despite knowing the lie I told and feeling like shit about it.

But I also couldn’t just let him make decisions that would affect everyone else based on how he felt about me and how he wanted to protect me.

He ignored this question with a shake of his head.

“What does everyone else think?” I asked instead.

“Some agree with me, some don’t. Either way I think we should get the train working that we use for the dorms as a precaution in case there’s another attack.” He replied.

“I don’t think it’s a bad idea and you do love a backup.” I said but he didn’t smile, instead coming over to me and dropping to one knee in front of me. Then he took my hands in his and told me,

“I also have another back up plan.”

“Which is?” I asked cautiously.

“We try and make it on our own.” He said surprising me and I even found myself jerking back a little,

“You think we should leave?” he swallowed hard and gave my hands a squeeze.

“I think it’s time we face facts.” I frowned at that.

“Which are?” I asked making him tense before his shoulders dropped and with it came the hard truth,

“If the General does want you we are putting people at risk by being here.” I gasped at that not thinking of it that way before. My hands slipping from his as the pain of it lashed at my soul, what if he was right, what if I was the cause?

“Alex.” He said my name softly but I started shaking my head.

“You really think that all of this…that it could be …my fault?” I asked, my voice breaking and quickly he had me in his arms holding me tight.

“No, I would never blame this on you… never.” He said his voice so sincere, but as I looked around I also couldn’t help but question now,

“Is that why you chose this building for us, the one that’s the furthest from the rest?” At this I felt his arms tense around me before he said my name again,

“Alex.”

“Oh my god, you knew…you have been thinking this all this time and you’re only just telling me now!” I accused.

“Look, I suspected it yes, but it was only after the fight that I started to question it more.” I couldn’t help but feel hurt by this.

“Come on Alex look at it from my point of view, you’re literally the only person who has faced the General and is still breathing. He had hold of you, he had you in his grasp and he just…what, let you go?” I jerked back this time putting more distance between us.

“You think I am lying?” I accused when he did the same,

“No, but I think there is more you’re not saying about it.” he admitted now getting to his feet. And well, just how angry could I be when he was right, there was more I wasn’t telling him.

“And I can see on your face that I am right.” He said making me swallow hard. I lowered my head in shame questioning if I was doing the right thing. But then knowing what was on the line I couldn’t chance him making decisions when they might affect others.

“That day I told you about, the day the Rift first appeared.”

“When you lost your uncle?” Riley asked after taking his seat next to me, I nodded at this and said,

“There is something I never told you.” I paused taking a deep breath as Riley didn’t push but just gave me the time I needed, my mind taking me back there, back to where this nightmare had all begun.

“The General, he was there.” I admitted after a deep breath.

“What?” Riley hissed.

“It was the first time he let me go and I think…I think it has something to do with these.” I said holding out my arms showing him my scars that everyone believed were tattoos that never quite healed properly.

The same story I had told to Riley when he first asked about them because what else could I say.

I didn’t want to admit what happened to me that day when they had appeared right before the Rift had split open a piece of the world, one that spanned across three states.

He reached out and slowly traced one with his thumb, the action reminding me of the General making me slowly pull my arm away as if they belonged to the man who haunted my dreams since.

“I don’t understand, you think he believes these tattoos mean something?” I shook my head and told him,

“They aren’t tattoos Riley…I…I lied.” I confessed, feeling the shameful tears build, the shock on his face was one that I knew was only about to get worse.

“I don’t understand…what are they?” he asked now looking down at them as if they held the answers.

“I don’t even know!” I cried out tossing my arms up before getting to my feet ignoring the pain as I limped to the wall before sliding down it so as I could hold my head in my hands. Hands that shook with emotion.

“Alex, come on talk to me.” He prompted, his voice gentle and full of understanding for my struggle.

“What is there to say? That I was there…right fucking there Riley! Right there where it first happened, one minute I am walking along like life is fucking great, my future laid out right in front of me after this last adventure before life really started.” I said feeling the bitter tears fall, his face a mixture of concern and confusion.

“And the next minute I am falling to my knees as pain tore through me! Fuck but the pain, Christ it was…it was like someone was setting my soul on fire”

“Jesus, Alex.” He whispered.

“And then the next thing I know is that I have these scars burning my skin, the inside of my thighs, my wrists, behind my ear and they burn Riley, every fucking time those creatures get near they burn. Each time just a reminder of that day, the day I felt the Earth shaking beneath my feet as I ran from the Rift opening before my eyes! It started in the exact same spot I had been standing when I got these!” I said thrusting my wrists out like it was some fucking plague I was showing him.

His eyes wide with shock. Never expecting any of this.

“And now you tell me…tell me that…that I might be the reason they came…all those that died…fuck, but I could have…” I couldn’t speak anymore as I sobbed, my words catching in my throat and just before the last piece of this mental stone dam broke, Riley was there.

Right there on the floor with me. He pulled my shuddering frame into his body holding me tight, cradling my head to his shoulder as I cried.

Cried like I had done that day, the day I felt responsible for losing my Uncle.

“Ssshh now breathe baby.” He cooed as he stroked my hair back from my face. And after a time I lifted my head up and gave him my watery, heartbroken gaze,

“I should just leave.” I told him on a broken voice that looked as if it stabbed him in the heart.

“No…don’t say that.”

“It’s true, if I stay I will only be a risk to everyone.” I said knowing now that he thought it too.

“We don’t know that for sure.” He lied and I swallowed hard before admitting,

“The General, he told me…told me that he needed to find me before the darkness does…what else could he mean if not that?”

“He said that?” I nodded, affirming it by telling him,

“In my dreams last night. I don’t know how but it seems like we are connected somehow.” At this his expression hardened, no doubt hating the idea and squeezing me tighter because of it.

“So, you see, I have to leave because I will never forgive myself if I end up putting anymore lives at risk.” I told him making him sigh.

“Then like I said, we leave together.” He stated.

“And everyone here?” I asked.

“We stick to the plan, we get the train operational in case of another attack and we hope the base is salvageable. If it is, we get everyone back to it and then we pack up and leave after we have helped in getting everyone safe.” I nodded wondering if even then it would be too late.

“And where do we go?”

“As far away from the Rift as we can get. We find some remote place to live and we make it work… together.” He said after cupping my cheeks and making me nod in acceptance.

A plan he sealed with the sweetest kiss yet.