The Thorns Upon the Roses Ch. 11

"Stay down!" Jacques screamed down at her, but Kripke was fast.

Her legs spun hard into his ankles, and the slick ground brought him onto his back. Before he even landed, Kripke was moving again, jumping on top of him, wrestling his arms down, jamming her knees under his ribs.

"Fuck you, Jacques! Don't move again!"

He yelled out, and with a fierceness that couldn't be only natural, he rolled over and launched her off of his chest. Kripke landed near the rifle. Both of them noticed, and they both made a dash.

Move Jessica! Move now!

I scrambled through my pain, and I started clawing toward the tree again, barely able to fully grasp the branch.

Jacques screamed in pain as Kripke struck him with a swipe to the neck, and he pushed forward at her, toppling them both over further into the mud.

I moved up a branch, and I climbed up further.

Almost completely over the fence, if I lined it up, I could jump over easily from here! I scanned the ground ahead, and it looked like it would be a rough landing, but one I could survive with no problem.

But then I looked over, the two had stopped rolling around. Instead, Jacques was on top of Kripke, swatting her hands down with his massive meaty hands.

"I'll tell the Doc you turned on me! I was defending myself! She won't know the wiser."

His hands made their way to Avery's throat, and her eyes grew wide as one could without popping out of her skull.

We locked eyes for a moment, and I looked away, going back to my jump.

She killed Blair! She's your fucking guard! If you save her, she'll only lead you back to the Doctor, and you'll be stuck back in here!

I braced myself to jump, leaning back, ready to launch myself forward.

A whimper cried out louder than the thunder.

God dammit.

I turned. I descended to the lowest level of limbs. I launched myself at Jacques.

I slammed onto his body. Knocking him off Kripke, Jacques carried my momentum and slid off of her.

Hitting him hurt like hell, but slamming onto the ground after hurt less because of it. I slid past him, and began to slip down the slope. I caught myself and looked behind me. Only five feet sat between me and the electric fence. Being this close to it, I could hear it softly buzzing.

I tried to get up, clawing up into the mud. I managed to gain only a few steps before I slid back down. I was trapped.

Jacques stumbled, but then he got to his feet. The rain was coming down hard, so he slipped again. The hill was steep, and he came down following my exact mudslide trail.

He saw the fence, and Jacques kicked his feet into the ground. Merely inches from the fence, he stopped himself, which placed him only a couple feet from me.

"You!" Jacques swore as he looked over at me.

Jacques lunged, quick to pin me down, slopping around in the filth as we wrestled. Something hard slammed into my ribs. Adrenaline was kicking in, and I pushed with all of my might. I managed to push him off of me! He staggered a step away, but I couldn't get up. I had used up everything inside of me. I laid down with my head in the mud.

Jacques stared at me through fire in his eyes, and he began to speak, but I never heard his words.

A gunshot rang out, mixed with the thunderous night.

The flash mimicked lightning.

Jacques screamed out as he clutched his shoulder.

Atop the hill, Kripke stood, backlit by the lightning, with smoke smoldering out of the barrel of her rifle.

"Do it! Finish me you Crypt—"

The second shot fired out, and as it struck Jacques in the chest. Falling over, Jacques fell into the fence, unleashing a wild display of screaming, sparks, and seared flesh.

He stood in a puddle, amplifying the electrocution, arms reaching out for someone to break him free, but I laid on the ground panting out my broken breaths.

Eternity passed, but maybe it was only a few seconds. Jacques broke his connection with the fence and crumpled over. The rain couldn't wash away the smell.

My eyes began to close, and the last thing I could see was Kripke, slowly making her way down the hill, with her arm reaching out to me...

*** Author's Note Again ***

And here is the end of the first book...

It looks like this story approached 250 pages, so I decided to put a pin in it for now, but the story is far from over.

Hopefully in the coming week or two, (but definitely before Halloween!), I can reveal the sequel story to this that follows our characters!

Sincerely, thank you to all of the readers, those that leave comments, or those that rate (even if you don't like it!)

I love you all, and I'm already thinking about you all touching yourselves as I post this!

Kisses,

Sarah