Innocence Lost Read Online Free Page A

light on the ground, and she followed them up to the windows covered in ivy. That was their way out.
    Quietly, she grabbed a nearby chair and pushed it up against the wall. Standing on top of the chair she was able to reach the window, but as she attempted to push it out, it didn’t budge. She pushed again and felt a slight give, but it remained closed. Ally checked and confirmed it wasn’t locked.
    The footsteps sounded like they were right outside the door.
    She looked closer and noticed the green ivy growing along the side, so thick it was preventing her from opening the window. Ally threw all of her weight into the window and it creaked open a few inches.
    Suddenly, Tiger began to bark, causing Ally to jump. She turned to yell at him when she noticed one of the bad soldiers staring at her from the other side of the door.
    Ally threw her weight into the window again and heard a loud snap as a large vine broke off allowing the window to slide open. She heard a shout from the door and heard the soldier attempt to open the door. Without thinking twice she jumped down from the chair and picked up Tiger who was now barking hysterically at the man attempting to break it. The dog squirmed in her arms, nearly causing her to drop him.
    She climbed the ladder just as she heard a gunshot from the direction of the door and the unmistakable sound of the door swinging open. Ally pushed Tiger out the window and jumped off the chair after him just as the sound of footsteps came from directly behind her. Ally fell to the ground, tumbled and shot right back onto her feet. Without looking back she ran with Tiger at her side back into the safety of the woods.

             
    Ben
     
                  They traveled down empty roads for miles upon miles. Ben watched as empty fields gave way to seemingly abandoned towns. From time to time they would spy another vehicle in the distance or a group of people standing about. They kept their distance from the other vehicles and the people made a point to keep a distance from them.
                  It felt like they lived in the vehicle, but things were better. Mason, while he was still irritated at what Ben had done, was at least talking to him. From time to time they would joke about something they saw or something that happened during the previous winter. It seemed like things were almost back to normal between them. If Ben blocked everything else out, it almost seemed like he was on an extended field trip, until he looked at the window and was reminded of what the world had become.
                  They approached the outskirts of what appeared to be a small town and Mason pulled the vehicle to the side of the road. The man checked the rear view mirror and the returned his attention to the town.
                  “Ben,” he pulled his sidearm from the holster and held it out to Ben. “We’re going in here and we need to watch each other’s backs.”
                  Ben just stared at the handgun, unsure if this was some kind of test.
                  “Take it.”
                  He did. The gun was heavier than he expected and was warm from being pressed up against Mason.
                  “This is the safety,” Mason told him, pointing to it. “This means it’s on, this means it’s off. Unless you’re about to use it keep the safety on. Understand?”
                  “Y….yes.”
                  Mason stared at him and seemed to be grappling with something. “Until we get somewhere safe you’re going to have to take care of yourself. I have your back but things can turn to shit pretty easy out here. Understand?”
                  “I can take care of myself.” Ben muttered.
                  “From what?”
                  Ben didn’t understand what he was asking.
                  “Can you take care of