The Unthinkable
Follow the Leader

Leon's POV

'You see if you stir it gently the sauce is smoother. '

She smiles and then hands me the spoon. I take it from her and repeat the action, carefully stirring the red sauce.

'Now let's add some basil, onion and hmmmm-'

'Peppers'

She turns her head to me, her jaw dropping.

'You spoke'

I take the basil leaves from her hand and rip them up. I sprinkle them in the sauce.

She nods and smiles at me brightly. 'I'll chop up the onion you can chop the pepper.'

I nod and follow her instructions.

'How do you know about peppers?'

'My sister used to read to me alot. I remember it from a plant book'

She sprinkles in the onion and the pepper.

'Well, that's how you make my family pasta sauce!'

'Thanks El'

And she blushes

'Leon!' I snap my head up to Xander who walks beside me. Josh and Cole are in front and Jak, Maddyson and Celena are behind.

'You zoned out there buddy' I nod leaping over a fallen tree.

Josh has apparently found a trail from the small hideout in the trees. I just hope we are nearly there.

'Do you remember when we found that supply bag out junking?'

I smile. Yeah. That was the day we got some paper and dad taught us how to make aeroplanes with them. We also found freshwater and a box of chocolate-coated biscuits which we saved for mum's birthday.

'Do you remember when we found that dented metal bowl and you put it on my head? You said I looked like a soldier from one of Anna's old books' I ask him.

He smiles as well.

'Yeah. I called you sergeant every time you wore that as well.'

We laugh but we are silenced by Josh. He stands completely still listening to the woodland birds but there is something behind that noise.

He signals for us to crouch and then leads us behind a tree each. Then I hear them, Venatores, and they seem to be bickering.

'Boss was right! He is gone! He must have taken her'

'I told you!'

'What?! I told you!'

'Oh shut up let's just go. Honestly, why do they always partner me up with idiots who...'

They stumble away kicking some random pots as they go. What I don't expect however is for Josh to slowly follow them. We all know the Venatores are bad news and this guy just wants to go marching into their land. Great. We all follow him like the lost idiots we are and we reach the stream where the two Venatores jump in their boats and sail away.

'Josh how do we get a boat to rid in? There is no way we can just build one now.'

Xander has a point but he is also missing an easy solution. The river leads to the heart of the lake which has no cover what so ever. So, we dont want to go down there. However, the speed of the boats in the river is around the same speed as a fast jog. We are fit enough to match the pace.

'We don't need a boat. We can jog at the same pace.'

Everyone looks over at me and I wait for someone to say something but nobody does. So I jog after the boats. I go to look back to see if I'm alone but I don't bother in the end because my brother confirmed it.

'We're all here Sargent'

We make it to the camp and it seems a meeting is taking place. We all duck behind some bushes and listen in.

'-if you even know of anyone who could have done this, say it now!'

'Carrot head! She went in the cells twice today!'

Some boys start laughing hysterically at the nickname but Tanya shuts them up with a whack around the head.

'What is the name?'

She glares down at the boy who spoke and he chokes out a very wobbly. 'I-I ddont know her name'

'Worthless!'

She shoves him to the ground.

'Boss! It's him! Ryo is gone! He took the prisoner!'

The two figures jump off of their boats and stand before Tanya with proud smirks. She lets out an enraged roar and the children flinch backwards.

'I want two search teams! Both must either find me Lilie, Ryo or Anna! You leave in 10minutes!'

'Psst! Guys!' Jak whispers to us and I look up startled to find him looking at a nearby tree.

I walk over to it and there dripping from the bark is a handprint of red blood.

'Anna would go to Bess. Its the only place she knows well enough' Xand says.

I nod in agreement but Josh seems less convinced. 'Why would this guy help Anna? It makes no sense' He paces scratching his head.

'Josh its the only evidence we have' Jak says hopefully.

'Yeah, but it could lead us nowhere. It's risky and stupid' Celena says folding her arms. Jak glares at her.

'I'm with Celena and Josh' Cole says.

'Well I'm with Xander and Leon' Jak says.

Great now we are stuck because there is in an equal amount of votes and nobody el...Maddyson!

'Uhh where is Maddyson?'Celena says and everyone panics.

She is nowhere to be seen. Then we hear it talking. We all rush over to it not caring about being quiet and thank goodness she is there. But she isn't alone. A boy sits below her with scruffy brown hair and dark bloodshot eyes. A piece of fabric is clutched in his hand and he looks in despair. Maddyson stands a foot away from him holding out her hand but he whispers something everytime she comes too close.

'Charly?' Xand and Josh say instantly. They rush over to him and we all try to keep up.

'Charly I didn't know you were in here' Josh says walking closer.

Maddyson goes to stop him but its too late. Charly screams out.

'Stay Away! I dont want to hurt you!'

Josh flinches back.

The boy curls up and sobs hitting his fist, that grips the fabric, against the muddy ground.

'What happened to you Charly?'

I am surprised the boy answered. He slowly slumped back up against the tree and looked up at Xand with wide eyes.

'The reaper shots' he screams in pain 'They put' he pulls at his hair 'one in me' he hits his head against the tree 'forever'

The boy rolls around on the floor in thrashing movements as if trying to put out a fire. Josh and Xander look at each other with cold pale faces as they sympathise what I'm guessing is their friend.

'I hurt her! I hurt her! She left! With that boy! They want me to hurt her!...' he mumbles it over and over again whilst rocking back and forward cradling his head.

'Who did you hurt?'Maddyson asks gently and its as if she flipped a switch. Charly looks up at her with crazy eyes, dropping the fabric in her open hand and whispering.

'Someone I love'

Xander and Josh examine the fabric with Maddyson and confirm its Lilie's. One of the people Tanya is after.

'Charly I'm not leaving you here' Xander says.

'Your coming Charly' Josh says

'No! Don't! Leave me here!' He shuffles away from them but Jak jumps down on him unexpectedly, knocking him out with a branch.

We all look at him shocked but he shrugs and grabs his legs. I take his torso and we walk slowly to the mountains, forgetting about the argument we had earlier as we are all very disturbed by what had happened to Charly. All I know is I don't want to end up crossing paths with a reaper shot. Ever.

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