A/n: EARLY UPDATE!
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I will be aiming to update once every three days, but that will depend on how quickly I can write the chapters. I hope you are all loving this story and actually like it. I try my best and can't wait until it is finished to see the final result!
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Enjoy! TaylorLeFay

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Chapter Eighty:

I really preferred walking through the meadow than through the chaparral and desert. Maybe even the woods as well.

The ground was both hard but had the cushioning of the grass that gave some relief to me feet which were still blistered and bleeding from numerous cuts after being on them for non-stop for days.

The walk was peaceful as we continued for hours. The mood had lighten up and we conversed more instead of staying in the sullen silence like we did for the past few days. The only complaints now was those of a pestered Jaylen complaining about the long grass tickling his ankles causing them to grow itchy as he walked.

Eventually, we found a cobbled faint road and left the meadow with wariness as we began walking down it. We paused just before we took its path and debated the practicableness of it.

"So . . . what were we thinking?" I asked hesitantly as we stood on the edge of the meadow, facing the path that seemed to continuously extend both ways to my left and right. Just after a metre or two of it across, the grassland continued.

"I was rather liking the grass," commented Lucas as he crossed his arms and debated it.

"We are low on supplies," Jaylen reminded us.

I nodded as I tried to come to a solution, making a mental pro's and con's list.

"The grasslands just keep going and seem to go nowhere. . . and the road would lead to something."

Jaylen shook his head as he looked towards me, "but they lead to something. Not and."

I glared at him and rolled my eyes and Lucas chuckled behind me and I turned to face him for a moment before quickly looking away because of his eyes burning down into mine made me feel warm inside and I felt a blush about to creep onto my cheeks.

"Well, that something might get us some food. We have barely none of that."

Jaylen rolled his eyes and spread his arms wide in front of us in an arc.

"We have unlimited food with all these bugs!"

Immediately, I turned towards Lucas and we made eye contact, his bright blue eyes held fear and I smiled softly as we shook our heads in unison. His dark hair bounced on his head as he closed his eyes and took a step onto the path, turning left before walking straight.

"The path it is."

I laughed as Jaylen frowned and scoffed at us as Lucas and I began walking ahead rather than continuing through the grasslands.

"I-- come on guys!"

He stood there by himself as the distance between us grew and he let out a loud groan from behind us before the sound of pounding footsteps grew as he began running to catch up.

"You could at least wait!"

. . .

The sun rays grew orange as the sky transformed from its beautiful yellow glow to an entrancing orange one as the clouds cleared leaving bright blue sky. I closed my eyes relishing the earthy smell of the area around me and the only noise was from the wind caressing the land and the three of us, and the soft padding of our feat against the cobbled dusty ground left noises of shuffling to be taken amongst the wind.

Noon had long passed and it was maybe around four that the afternoon had come into full swing. After spending all day walking and sipping small bits of precious water that was almost fully gone, we were exhausted. And something, that left both a shrilling feeling of excitement and joy, and the dull ache of pain and fear through me.

The sun settled preparing to go below the horizon and shone down on the single farmhouse that laid about a hundred metres away. It was a double storey, old white planked house that had turned old overtime. The white wooden planks had spotting of brown and some planks were missing higher up on the house.

It was rather big as it covered up a fair bit of space. However, it looked like it had not been used for years and has been forgotten. You could faintly see a previously set white picket fence that use to exist, but now was mostly a pile of rubble as only one or two planks of wood still stood, the rest now long gone.

It looked rather odd just sitting there. There was nothing around and did not seem to have a backyard. Although, to be fair with the abundance of empty land around, it did not really require to have an outlined fencing of a backyard.

We stopped at a safe distance away as we stared at the house in wariness.

"There better be food," I whispered as I knew that for us to go to the house and to even enter it was dangerous.

"Finding food in there right now is the least of our worries," Jaylen rolled his eyes at me after giving me a pointed look.

I turned to Lucas as he nodded agreeing with Jaylen.

"We need to be careful, in and out. We have no idea who is in there, and what is in there." He gestured to the house and the sun as it had suddenly become a ticking clock that was timing us. "I don't plan on sticking around to find out."

Nodding, we began walking towards the house as my mind began to torture me and replayed what Lucas had said and how he said it. When my insides warmed up and I felt a shiver on my spine I shook my head vigorously and reached to my side and pulled out my machete.

Distracting myself, I spun it in a fast circle, a little intimidating trick I had managed to master after spending the past few days walking with nothing to do.

I felt a thrill go through my body as I heard the noise of wind being sliced through the air and my black machete blurred into a grey swinging mass, flying through the air. I felt power within my body as I continued swinging it and saw from the corner of my eye Lucas staring.

I would be lying if I said that I did not let it go to my head as I knew that my skills with the machete was rather impressive. The three of us began to disperse and Lucas charged forwards to be in front of us as we neared the house.

Suddenly, I felt a nudge on me left arm and turned my head to see Jaylen pointedly staring at me. He flicked his eyes between me and Lucas before winking and whispering, "Show off."

Glaring at him, I stopped swinging my sword as Lucas paused in front of us and I stood still and made sure to make no noise. He turned around to face us as we stood just outside the house and began whispering. "Before we do anything, we are checking the house, make sure no one is in here."

And with that he walked to the front door. The only noise was the sound of his soft, barely noticeable footsteps as he stepped up the patio of the house. In his right hand, he held a long blade, opting it over his scimitar sword and held it out in front of him, angling his elbow outwards so his hand was aligned with his neck and face, ready to both attack and defend himself.

With his left hand, he raised it to the door knob, and just before he made contact with it he turned back one last time and immediately made eye contact with me. It looked like he had something to say bit all he did was nod. In response, I nodded back and watched him as he turned back around and placed his hand on the knob and opened the unlocked door.

I did not know if it was concerning or not that it was unlocked. But I did feel better observing the door and realising that at least no one had broken in as the outlining of it has remained in place, untouched or undamaged. However, that did not stop people from entering the house from other access points around it.

Silently, Lucas stepped inside the house and Jaylen and I followed him upwards on the patio and into the house. I did not miss Jaylen whispering a sarcastic cute behind me as I entered straight after Lucas, my machete raised and poised, ready for trouble.

Inside the house, there was a small hallway before it led to a large living room. I stood in shock at the sight of the smashed up furniture and had to sniffle a sneeze from the dust floating through the air. It truly seemed like the house had not been touched in years.

Silently, Lucas gestured for me to go to the left, and Jaylen to go through the right. Nodding, we split off as I headed for the left and Lucas followed closely behind me. We stood fairly close as I walked out the living room and entered a hallway full of numerous closed doors.

I jumped suddenly when I felt something touch the small of my back, but felt relieved as I quickly realised it was Lucas. But when I realised it was Lucas, I tensed as my body filled with a different kind of butterflies which, this time, was not fear from the unexpected that was inside here. He leaned over me and reached my head with his. I froze as I felt him behind me and his lips reached my ear, his body enveloping me.

His warm breath tickled my ear that I suppressed a shiver that threatened to consume me and a quiet but loud breath of air left my lips as my heartbeat raised like crazy. I could faintly feel his lips curve into a smile and he let out a breath of air that awfully felt like a chuckle.

"I'm going to check upstairs."

And with the he pulled away and I turned back to see him gone as he walked up the staircase besides us.

The fear that had taken over me had completely faded and a feeling of shame and embarrassment took over me due to the way I reacted with him so close to me. With my left hand, I hit my head, hard and swore.

"You fucking idiot," I whispered to myself.

Shaking my head, I raised my right hand holding the machete and approached the first door on the right. I placed my hand on the knob and let out a long terrified breath as my nerves now jittered through me, and before losing my nerve, I swung the door open.

Stepping into the once bedroom, I explored it checking under the bed, along with the closets and when I found no one and nothing lurking in there, I left the room and continue to check the next three bedrooms in the same manner.

As I approached the final bedroom, I opened the door and almost dropped my machete as I jumped and let out a loud shrill. Faintly I heard some yelling in the house and heard the pounding of footsteps above me. From the other side of the house, I heard Jaylen yell out to me.

"Bryce? You okay!"

Breathing heavily from the momentary fear that had over taken me, I placed a hand on my chest as I backed into the wall behind me and continued to breath.

"I'm fine," I called back and laughed softly. "It was just a rat."

The footsteps stopped above me and I jumped in shock when suddenly Jaylen rounded the corner without me realising he was there. He laughed at me for a moment before he began laughing harder suddenly and began wiping tears from his face.

"You screamed because of a rat?"

I gaped offended and shook my head as I stepped into the room and quickly searched it, trying to avoid and not freak out over the now missing rat.

"I did not scream," I told him as I was on my nears and looking under the bed.

I turned back when I stood and saw him leaning against the door with his arms crossed. He had a look on his face as he scratched his beard and hummed as I glanced into the closet.

"Sure you didn't."

I jumped in the closet and winced as pain exploded behind my head after I made contact with it. Hissing through my teeth, I rubbed the back of my sensitive head as I had hit it where the rocks from a few days ago had made contact with it and created numerous cuts.

"Did not."

I saw him open his mouth but he suddenly tensed and stood straight, glancing behind him. I watched as his body relaxed and Lucas approached behind him and stood staring into the room I was in.

He shook his head, "Searched the house, it seems all clear, we should start looting it, I saw upstairs there was a large medicine cabinet which will be useful."

Jaylen nodded, "Yeah, in the kitchen cabinets there was also heaps of canned food."

"There is also spare clothes in these rooms."

Jaylen glanced at me with a smile on his face. "Aw, that's adorable, you want a wardrobe change?"

I grabbed a hair comb on the table beside me and chucked it at his head. Lucky for him, he ducked and missed it as he let out a yelp and Lucas chuckled at him.

"Maybe, if you used your brain you would realise that they would be useful for bandages." I walked out the room and paused as I past him and leaned down and sniffed at where he stood. "Although, you really could do with a change of clothes, maybe then you wont stink so much for once."

Lucas laughed at that and Jaylen complained from behind me as he followed us into the living room.

"That cut deep Bryce."

I laughed at him and shook my head, "Good."

We paused in the living room and I turned as we stood in a small knit circle. Considering the weight in my bag which was rather light, I knew that we would all be able to pack generously and be okay.

Jaylen rolled his eyes as he took a few steps back. "Considering how unwelcoming you are making me feel Bryce, I'll loot upstairs."

I rolled my eyes as I watched him walk upstairs and he paused for a moment as he shook his head and looked back at us. "Looting?" He laughed and continued upstairs.

I shook my head and laughed at him. He was such an interesting character.

From beside me, I glanced at Lucas to see he was already staring at me. He had a small smirk on his face and I realised that with that look on his face, I could not handle being around him at the moment.

"I-," I stammered and cursed myself big time for it.

The smirk on his face grew even wider as his electric blue eyes twinkled in the minimal light. A window by the far window allowed some orange rays of sunlight to pool into the room and they landed on his backside, giving him an even larger glow and standing out within the dull room.

"I'll loot the kitchen," I spun on my heel and walked away from him trying to clear my thoughts as I did.

As I walked away and stepped into the kitchen, I opened the cabinet and began stuffing my bag with canned goods as I heard Lucas slowly step into the kitchen behind me. He came and stepped up beside me as he too began loading his bag.

"I'll help you."

I gritted my teeth as I knew the game he was playing, and when his hand brushed mine I jumped back and accidentally knocked into the table behind me. I winced as my side made contact with it and my suspected broken rib poked into me causing an even larger pain.

The table moved out of place and I barely managed to catch myself before I fell to the ground.

Lucas had a patronising smile on his face as he cocked his head. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Just as I was about to start cussing at him, my eyes drifted from him and landed on the floor where the able just was. I could faintly see a wooden door and I approached it as I fell to me knees before it.

"Did not see that before," muttered Lucas quietly.

Glancing at him, he nodded at me and we forgot what just happened as I pulled on the door and opened it.

Inside I could see stairs that led to the basement which surprisingly was full of sunlight. It must have been an extension to the house that we did not see.

From beside me, Lucas went to take a step inside but I raised my hand and pushed him back. Glancing up at him, it was my turn to smirk as I took out my machete from my side and surprising myself, I winked at him.

"My turn pretty boy."

Without letting him reply, I stepped inside myself and heard him mutter behind me, "Yes ma'am."

I felt my fear spike up but ignored it as I entered the basement. It was rather empty and there was no where to hide. After a quick glance around it was easy to determine no one was in here, but there was a cluster of things sprawled around the room on shelving and on the floor.

Putting my machete away, I took a few more steps before suddenly I heard the sound of wind all over and screamed as suddenly big dark creatures flew downwards. I jumped backwards as bats flew over my head and almost ran into Lucas's if he did not duck in the last second.

I saw him breathing heavily as he glanced to me quickly and glared at me, "Thanks for the warning."

My fear quickly changed as a smile was drawn on my face and I laughed at his face. He too did not last long before he let out a laugh and we both went to explore the room.

Approaching the shelf on the far war, I flicked through boxes and random items finding some of the weirdest stuff. Consisting of weird looking gnomes, to history books, all the way to a box full of weird items consisting of chains and other interesting restraining items.

I grabbed the chain pulling it out of the box scrunching my brows in confusion before I realised just exactly what it was used for and did not hesitate to dropping them as I cringe and cursed under my breath.

"Ew, ew, ew." I muttered under my breath continuously as I gagged.

"What?" Asked Lucas as he came from behind me where he was exploring.

I turned and watched his eyes trail down to the chains that I dropped before me. I saw the confusion on his face before it morphed into realisation and he let out a loud laugh. I shook my head still cringing.

"No, ew, ew, ew, I touched that!"

He laughed harder at that. I glared at him but then felt my blood run cold as I heard the familiar flap of wings. Turning, I saw another bat swooping down at me. Letting out a small scream, I stepped back frantically, but my foot got caught in the chains behind me and I felt myself lose balance as my heart raced as I began to freefall whilst still stumbling.

I let out a squeal when I finally began to fall, but luckily, that did not happen as I felt Lucas grip my right arm and tug on it so I did not fall. However, the momentum propelled me into him as I fell into his chest head first.

He let out a breath of air as I winced from the pain in my head making contact with his hard chest. He then lost his own footing and spun me around as he gripped onto me, and I winced again as my head made contact with the hard shelf behind me.

Lucas managed to catch himself and avoided crushing me as he placed his hands on either side on my head, caging me in as his body stood much too close to mine, his head clanged with mine as his forehead made contact with my head and he cursed under his breath from the pain and I let out a sound of pain.

"Fuck," he muttered and leaned back slightly.

When he leaned back, his head was only centimetres from my own and his eyes made eye contact with mine. I felt my breath hitch as I gulped and looked down nervously before looking back at his eyes.

His gaze was so intense and my throat suddenly dried as I felt butterflies well in my chest. I could see the outline of his strong arms as they caged me in, and through his black long sleeve shirt I could clearly see his hard chest.

At the sight I gulped and quickly looked back to his face when I caught myself checking him out, yet again. He had a smirk on his face and his eyes had closed slightly, turning so intense that I felt my heartbeat momentarily stop.

I don't think I could breathe.