SWNOVELS Chapter 14: Stampeding
The gate screeches open lifting up loudly, as the clicking of the wheel's click loudly. Suddenly shot after shot, round after round sounds in the air as the Overwatch guard's on the wall fire at the forsaken beginning to near the gate. Just when the gate is high enough for us to ride through Enyo takes off like a bullet, his horse bolting out the gate. Horse after horse takes off right after one another. After Enyo is Orion, Harrison, then it's Clare's turn. She tightens her reins causing her horse to rear up. The second the horses hooves touch the ground the horse shooting through the dust storm. I take off right after her, digging my heels in to my horses side's taking off. All I hear is the heavy thumping of my horses feet the ear bending screeching of the forsaken being the only sound over the stampeding horses I follow.Finally I push through the gate, and for the first time in my life I see the outside world.
This morning light shines bright as my ear's are encapsed with the contorted agonized scream's of the forsaken. Outside the wall, hundreds of forsaken surround us running from far distances to attack. Large groups on both sides of us pile onto one another, those on top being shot down only for more to topple onto it. They would be all over us if the men on the wall weren't piling down on them. Our surrounding is a large field right on the edge of a large harsh forest. Our horse's hooves thunder down as we race as far away from the city.When I look forward Enyo is further ahead leading the group as our horses rampage closer to the forest. My eyes scan around us as we ride the further we get to the forest the farther the noise get's from us. When I look behind me I see most of the forsaken are more interested in the wall and what it holds then us.
With in ten minutes we pass through the small out branch of the forest and are welcomed by the sprawling green and yellow empty fields in front of us. Once an hour pass all that's in our view is fields upon field's, not a sign of the forsaken or any sign of the world's devastation other then the old broken down building's. Some fields hold remnant's of what once held a town. They mostly consist of roof's crumpled to the ground and piles of wood and cement. The biggest resemblance of the old lands houses is in one small field a little ramshackle barn colorless and brittle.
It's almost like a blissful amount as we ride our mount's. The wind in my hair and the only noise is the wind and the thundering of hooves. I’ve never experienced such a feeling of freedom. No wall's to block me in or to block out the sun. And no matter how much I want to close my eyes and enjoy the blissful quiet I can't help but continue to be on edge. I’ll be on edge every second we are outside the wall. Enyo throws up his hand catching all our attention, a flat palm, signaling for us to slow.
We finally slow as the horses climb over a large hill, and the view is amazing. My whole life I have never seen such open spaces, anywhere you go in the wall’s all you see is them towering over you. Sitting at the top of the hill, I look over the large expanse. Hill’s roll on and on, small patches of tree’s spotted here and there. It’s hard to think of how open and free it is out here and know that thousand’s of our people live squished together on the brink of starvation. A small thought hit me then, if I succeed, I won't just be saving my life or my uncle’s but my people too. Enyo’s voice from last night echoes’ into my head, he said he joined the military because he wanted to help his people. The first reason I chose to go along with this mission was selfish, but staring at this spacious area I can't help but feel an even more overwhelming pressure.
We follow Enyo down the hill our horses neighing as we go, their heavy breathing filling the air from the long hours of running. We fall into our formation Enyo and Orion in front. Talon and Harrison beside me on either side of me. And Clare who ride’s slightly behind me. Foxglove rides in the back ready with her crossbow. As we quietly ride my eyes continue to scan around us, feeling completely jumpy. Suddenly Talon speaks up quiet enough to not draw too much attention, just in case a forsaken is hiding in the weed’s.
“Okay! I have to ask, Aspen.” He speaks up and I try my best not jump with the sudden noise.
“What?” I ask him, urgeing to continue. My hands holding a little tighter on the leather reins. I can't help but be thankful for my weapon hanging on my back.
“The general, Is he like scary... like when he’s not on duty?” He fumbles out. I know that the others are listening intently. My eyes move up to Enyo’s back as he sits rigid on his horse.
“Actually it’s the complete opposite. He’s always been a big teddy bear to me my whole life.” I say smiling. I like talking about my uncle, the only parent I ever had.
“Sooo.. Your close with him?” Foxglove asks behind me. I can't help but laugh a little.
"Yeah, very.” I simple says. I cant exactly tell them he is practically my dad, or that my father barely cared if I was alive.
"I have a question Aspen.” Orion speaks up in front of me. I’m actually pretty surprised by his interest in the conversation.
“Go ahead Orion.” I urge him on. He’s quiet for a moment and for a second I think he decided not to ask.
“If your President Stone’s daughter.....” He begins and I could feel myself physically grow even more uncomfortable than I was before... even in the situation I’m in now.
“Ya.” I mumble.
“Why is it that I have never seen any photo or interview, not even a word that he has a daughter?” At that moment I felt like I was hit in the gut. I guess I’m not surprised he would be the one to ask me that but I hated it. There's so many answers to that question, and yet I didn’t want to say any. I breath in heavily.
“My father's very protective and care's more for his privacy then anything else.” I lie. The fact is that my father was threatened by a woman but never acted on it. Before when my father thought I could be in danger he sent me to my aunt’s house. Their I was attacked by the infected, my aunt was caught in the crosshairs and died by a claw mark to her arm. After that I spent everyday being watched for signs of the change, my dad though it would be bad for the name or in his words, ‘More restful to live with your uncle.’ Since then I was raised by my uncle.
“Hm, Not surprising for a man of his stature.” Orion says. I give him a sweet smile choosing to focus on the area around us for danger instead of the blatant lie I just told them.
For the next hour we switch from galloping to simply trotting with our horses, most of the time quiet as everyone focuses on their surrounding areas. The whole time we travel through hills of weed’s and slight dessert. Every once in a while someone will say something about the scenery or the hour before we reach the grove.