“You know I’m really excited to go on this trip with Jaxson and his brothers. We’ll have a lot of fun being in a cabin and it’s next to a nice river and lake,” Catalina looked over to her husband, Theo, driving their car down the highway trees and mountains passing them by. “I think I might swim in the river or maybe if the lake is clear enough we can have a little bit of night time fun?” She ran a hand up Theo’s leg, a coy smile on her lips. 

Theo chuckled and pushed her hand down glancing briefly at her with his brown eyes that were alight with laughter. “I know you say that now but you and I both know that won’t happen. You have a thing against things not being clean enough and worry about all the little things that could go wrong that never really do, so I’m not holding my breath on the skinny dipping you have in mind.” He placed a hand on Catlina’s stomach, “I am hoping that this trip will help in giving us a family.” They both smiled at the other and gave each other a quick kiss on the lips. 

They had been driving for almost eight hours and couldn’t wait until they got to their destination. They were planning on meeting up with Theo’s best friend Jaxson and his brothers for a getaway. It was going to last a month with little to no cell service and being so far from anyone that would even be considered a neighbor. Jaxson and his brothers had already made it there three weeks ago, leaving right after their last final for the semester. They planned to stay up there until it was time for them to go back to school. 

It was nearing the ninth hour of driving and both Theo and Catlina were getting hungry. Looking at a map Catlina pointed out a town a little off course but would easily get them back on track driving through the town. “Falls End looks like a place big enough for some kind of food. Even if it is bar food hell, even a gas station with snacks is better than nothing right?”

“Yeah and I could use getting a little gas in the car. I know we have enough to get there with it being another three hours away but better safe than sorry.” Theo said, taking the next exit keeping an eye out for other signs leading the way. “Hope County. That’s a cool name better than our county name honestly. Gives you a sense of hope doesn’t it.” 

Catlina rolled her eyes trying to hold back her smile. “You’re lucky I love-“

POP!

 The car started to slide and became hard to control. Theo tried to pull it off to the side of the road but couldn’t stop a car without tires before it flew through the guardrail over to a ditch on the side of the road. Catlina couldn’t do anything but hold onto whatever she could find she looked to Theo as she felt the car flip in the air. It didn’t make a full turn as it hit a tree and landed half on a rock half on solid ground. Both of them had passed out with the impact unaware of the groups of people watching from the tree line. 

One group came out from the passenger side of the vehicle in clothes all marked with a red cross symbol. They made to work getting the doors open and checking those inside making sure they were safe to move. Catlina started to come into consciousness and was trying to piece together what was happening. She heard the voices talking about her and Theo. 

“You think he’s worth taking. I don’t think he’ll even make it.” “Well he wants us to bring anyone we find. I say we get him and if he dies on the way we leave him behind. The girl will make it.” “You’re right.” She felt them tugging on her pulling her to the ground. She feebly tried to protest but in her state all she felt was pain. Then she heard a bang. “Look out! The sinners are here!” She heard scrambling and more what she guessed were gunshots. She weakly called for help but felt them pulling her up over their shoulders. “Leave him! We gotta go!” No they couldn’t leave Theo behind she thought. She had to make sure he could find her. She felt herself being jostled more as her carrier started to pick up speed. She reached for her ring hoping none of them were paying attention. It fell to the ground sparkling ever so slightly in the last fading of the sunset. Find me, she thought, hoping there was someway Theo would know. 

There was a whizzing right by her and her carrier. Another bullet went past them from the opposite direction. There was someone trying to get her from whoever her captors were running from. She lifted her head a little and saw a man with blonde hair and pale skin... Jaxson, with a rifle in his hands. What was he doing here?, she questioned as she felt herself succumb to the blackness of sleep again. 

Jaxson dropped his gun from firing position angrily. They were getting too far for him to shoot or even run after them without more risk to him. He would get Cat back he had to, just not today. He walked back to his brothers and other resistance members looking down when he saw the glimmer of Cat’s ring. He picked it up knowing Theo would want it once he woke up. The people he was with were already getting Theo out of the car and getting a makeshift stretcher ready for him. He didn’t look good and even Jaxson wondered if he would even make it. Standing over Theo Jaxson took the back position of the stretcher telling him determined, “Don’t worry man we got you now. We’ll take care of you I promise you. Then we’ll all get out of this mess.” Hopefully Catlina can remain herself long enough for us to get her back home.

There were bright lights, voices, shapes that looked like people, her throat and mouth were dry, and so much noise in her ears. Then the pain in her body, god the pain, was unbearable. 

“She’s waking up you have to put her under again” “No he wants to see her first” “Does she have to be in pain? He’s not going to get anything out of her anyway!” “Shush! He’s here move out of the way”

Catlina looked around trying to find whoever these people were talking about. Finally her eyes rested on a mans face. He had brown hair that looked like it was pulled back, yellow aviators, a beard, and...no shirt? There were markings on his body she couldn’t focus enough to know what they were though. Did he want to see and talk to her?

“Pain…” Was that her voice? It sounded so scratchy, “Or water...please?” Her breathing was labored and another wave of pain hit her. The man looked at her still. Was her voice to quiet? 

“She looks like someone I can use for our cause.” He placed a hand on her face wiping away something on her cheek. “Yes she’s going to be perfect. Where’s the man she was with? I’m sure he can also be of use to us.”

“We couldn’t get him. The sinners intervened and took him. Wasn’t much of a loss though I don’t think he was going to make it.” They had to be talking about Theo. What do they mean he wasn’t going to make it? Was he hurt that badly? And who took him? We’re the sinners the good guys or the bad guys?

“Father can we put her back to sleep? She’s in a lot of pain.” Please say yes. Maybe they’ll give me too much. I won’t ever have to wake up. Her body felt like it was burning and cold all at once, how much was physical and how much was psychological seemed to over lap too much.