Chapter 17: Opened Gates
ELENA
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The shout echoed through the training center before I even had time to process it.
"Open the gate!" Another voice followed.
"Someone's outside!" The conversation in the room died instantly. My head snapped toward the entrance as adrenaline rushed through my body. What happened? The expressions around me changed in an instant. Ian was already moving before i could react. The urgency in his face told me everything I needed to know.
Something was wrong. Very wrong.
Without thinking, I ran after him. The training room erupted into motion as we rushed toward the shelter's main gate. Boots pounded against the concrete floor. Voices overlapped. Questions filled the air, but we didn't have answers to . Then, my foot caught on the edge of a loose training mat. I lost my balance. "Oh—" Before I could recover, my body crashed sideways.
A sharp burst of pain exploded through my leg as it slammed directly into a ten kilogram dumbbell lying beside the training equipment. The impact knocked the breath out of me. A strangled gasp escaped my lips. "Ah—!" The pain shot from my shin all the way up to my thigh, hot and immediate, forcing me onto the floor. For a second, everything blurred. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to breathe through it. Damn it...
Not now. I tried moving my leg. The moment I did, another wave of stinging pain ripped through it. I hissed between my teeth. Before I could even think about standing, someone caught me by the shoulders. "Hey." Ian. His voice was calm but edged with concern. I looked up.
He had stopped running. Instead of following everyone else, he had turned back for me. His eyes quickly scanned over my body, checking for injuries before settling on my leg. "Hey," he asked again, kneeling beside me. "Are you okay?" His concern caught me off guard. I forced a small smile despite the pain. "I'm fine."
I tested my leg again. The sting was still there. It burned every time I tried to put weight on it. Great. That definitely isn't fine.
Still... I knew this kind of pain. A hard impact. Nothing broken. Just enough to make walking impossible for a few minutes.
It would settle. Eventually. I exhaled slowly before looking back at Ian. "You should go."
He frowned. "I'll be alright," I assured him.
"I'm just going to sit here until the pain eases." I shifted slightly, stretching my injured leg as carefully as I could. "I'm sure they need you." For a brief moment, he didn't move. He looked like he wanted to argue. Like every instinct inside him was telling him not to leave me alone. Then duty won. He gave a reluctant nod.
"Alright." He stood. "If anything feels worse"
He says "I know." I replied.. He gave me one last look before turning and sprinting toward the shelter's entrance. Within seconds, he disappeared into the growing crowd. Silence settled around me. Well...
Not really silence. The shouting outside had only grown louder. I leaned back against the wall, slowly straightening my injured leg. The pain pulsed beneath my skin. It would pass. I just needed a few minutes. As I sat there, the voices drifting from outside became impossible to ignore.
The distance wasn't far enough to muffle them. Every word carried through the cold air. One of the guards shouted urgently,
"She's banging on the gate!" Another voice answered, "She says a horde is coming toward her!" My stomach dropped. Infected..? The word alone sent a chill racing down my spine. I instinctively held my breath, straining to hear more. The voices continued. Boots scraped across the ground. Metal clanged against metal.
Then another voice rose above the rest.
Firm. Experienced. Caine. "Open the door."
No hesitation. "Let her in." The massive shelter gate groaned as its heavy locks disengaged. Steel scraped against steel.
The sound echoed throughout the compound. I imagined the enormous doors slowly pulling apart. Whoever she was...
She was inside now. A moment later, Caine's voice reached me again as he was supposedly talking to this lady or girl whoever she is .. "Hey." His tone had softened. "Easy." "Slow down." A brief pause. Then he asked, "Who are you?"
Holding my aching leg, I stared toward the direction of the gate, my heart beating faster with every passing second. Who is she...? 23Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ3gIRdsm3Yx
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