Chapter 10

Kevin's POV:

I was throwing clothes into a bag when I heard Pop open my door. I zipped my bag, feeling my anxiety build up inside me. "Are you sure I'm ready for this?"

"Which part? Seeing Helen again, or being with Sarah for the entirety of the weekend?" Pop walked around me and picked up my bag off my bed.

"Both, I guess," I followed him into the living room.

"It has been six months since the war and I am sure she escaped and is looking for refuge," he placed the bag by the front door and went to the bathroom to grab my bag of bathroom necessities. "She needs help and you have grown up with her and so she trusts us."

"And what about being with Sarah?"

He walked back out into the living room and put my small bag on top of my big bag with a big smile on his face. "You have been in love with her ever since you were five. Since the day you were able to dream about her and were able to tap into her thoughts. And you know she loves you. She is just waiting for you."

"But she's different. She's human. Normal. If I talk to her telepathically, it'll freak her out. She'll want nothing to do with me even though my love for her is the only reason why I am able to enter her mind."

"Protect her with your life and never let her go. Then she will realize what you feel for her."

I heard a car honk outside and I moved to grab my bags. Pop stopped me and wrapped his arms around me. "Protect her with your life. She's the key to this planet's survival."

I stepped back from him after receiving the hug and nodded as I positioned my backpack on my shoulder. "I will, Pop. You know that." I opened the front door and began to step out.

"She's the key to my survival, too," I called out to him over my shoulder.

I walked out the door to Shawn's car; well, it wasn't his car. I guess it was their mom's minivan. The side door slid open as I approached it and Sarah was sitting in the chair smiling at me. Her red hair was flowing around her shoulder as the wind caught onto it. Carlee was in the bucket seat beside her and when I took a closer look at Sarah's seat I noticed she was sitting on Maika. I laughed and pulled her out of the van. "You can't sit on him."

She wrapped her arms around my waist and hugged me tightly. "I was waiting on you," she lifted her head off my chest to look up at me.

"Will you two please get in the car? It's freezing!" Shawn yelled front the driver's seat.

Sarah made a face at him and pulled me into the back of the minivan. We sat in the long backseat, Carlee and Maika sat in the two bucket seats in front of us, and Emma sat in the passenger seat next to Shawn. Emma turned around and smiled at me as the side door closed. "Seat belts fastened? All right. Welcome to Shawn's drivelines. We will be arriving to our destination in about an hour to an hour and a half so please stay seated and no rough housing. Thank you." Shawn put the car into drive and with that we left my house.

I watched as we passed trees and pastures with cows. I wondered about Helen. Why she was coming and why now? Does this have something to do with Sarah and the others?

But a sudden thud on my arm made all my worries vanish. I turned to see Sarah's head resting against my arm. She lifted her head and smiled at me. Her smile lit up my world and when I looked into her eyes it was if the entire universe around us disappeared.

"I'm glad you came," Sarah whispered to me.

I smiled back at her. "I am too," I kissed the tip of her nose and she nuzzled into me.

I laid my head against the window and closed my eyes. I began to get an eerie feeling about going to this camp. Something made dread sweep over and kept me from falling asleep. Was it because it was just a new place? I looked up at Shawn and Emma. They were holding hands, whispering to each other, and laughing. I looked back down at Sarah and noticed she was fast asleep. I tried not to move too much because I didn't to wake her but I figured she felt how unsettled I was and woke up.

She stretched and looked at me. "What's wrong?"

I shrugged. "I'm just getting a weird feeling about going here."

Sarah nodded in response. "I am, too," she laced our fingers together. "No matter what we'll be okay."

----------------------------------------------

I woke up to Sarah calling my name. I quickly sat up thinking something was wrong. I looked down and we were still holding hands. I kissed her hand, letting the breath I was holding escape from my between my lips, as I lifted my arms to stretch. "Where are we?"

"We're at the camp," she let go of my hand and climbed out of the van.

I looked out the window to see the scenery around me. The van was sitting on a dirt road which lead to a two-story house. I could faintly see a lake of some kind in behind the house. The house and lake were surrounded by forest that consisted of huge trees and green grass.

The place was beautiful. Why would Sarah and I get an eerie feeling about this place?

I climbed out of the van and stretched again in the dim sunlight. Sarah peeked around the back of the van and put her hand on her hip. "Are you coming?"

I let out a laugh and walked towards her. She already had our bags out of the van and was closing the trunk. There was no sign of anyone else. Just us. I grabbed onto my luggage and started pulling it toward the house. "Where is everyone?"

"They're already inside," she answered as she locked the van. She put the keys into her hoodie pocket and started walking toward the house.

I walked beside her and put my hand in hers.

"Kevin," that wasn't Sarah's voice. I looked on the side of me into the woods and noticed that bushes were moving.

Something's out there. I stopped in my tracks and pulled Sarah closer to me. She abandoned her suitcase and put one arm around my back and a hand on my chest as she leaned into my grasp.

"What is it?" I could tell she was referring to the movement in the woods by the distress in her voice.

I shook my head keeping my focus on the woods. "Let's just hurry up and get inside."

Kevin.

Helen? Get away from here. Please. If this involves Sarah you know I'll do anything to protect her. If you hurt her I will kill you.

Our connection was broken. Sarah pulled me into the house and closed the door behind us. I studied her face to see if she had heard the conversation that went on in my head but she didn't say anything about it.

I fell against the door and breathed heavily. Sarah gently leaned against my chest and was about to say something but Carlee interrupted her. "Sarah, can you come help me unpack?"

Sarah sighed and smiled at me sweetly. I wrapped an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. "I'll always protect you no matter what," I whispered into her ear before I let her go. I watched her run upstairs as I took another breather.

Helen's out there. She's here to hurt Sarah. If I tell Sarah she'll freak out and she already has enough to worry about. Maybe if I talk to Helen she'll leave peacefully. I at least have to try. For Sarah.