Saving Amelia

If I’d had any water left in my body, the heat would have left me a hot, sticky mess. But it felt like a lifetime since I’d emptied my canteen, so long since I’d quenched my thirst that there was no water left in my body. I thought about taking a sip from Amelia’s bottle; I’d been sure to fill hers to the top. I resisted though. I couldn’t risk anything else happening to her.

We were half an hour from the safe zone, but our bodies were dangerously close to the point of no return from radiation exposure. Peering through the lenses of my gas mask, I stroked the photo in my hand, carefully encased in a heart-shaped locket. My last gift from my love.

Failing was not an option.

A weak cough over my shoulder tore my gaze from the hazel eyes I’d dreamt of for so many nights, and I tucked the locket back into my t-shirt. I reached round to lift Amelia’s legs higher so they were more secure around my waist. A few weeks ago, I wouldn’t have been able to carry her. Now I was terrified to put her down.

We had to move faster.

As we clambered through the rubble, a horrific, shrieking howl reached my ears. I froze, although I knew the sound wasn’t dangerous to us. The deadliest mutations were silent. Nevertheless, when I found my feet again, my pace quickened.

“Casey?”

The fragility of Amelia’s whisper sent a wave of dread through me. We were running out of time.

“What’s up, Mills?”

“Will Mama be in the safe zone?”

My stomach twisted, Amelia’s words tearing through me. I didn’t want to lie to her; she deserved my honesty. But how do you tell a five-year-old that the odds of her mother being alive are slim to none? Especially when she’s so close to death herself?

“I bet she’ll be at the gates waiting to give you a big hug,” I said, forcing my voice to stay even and gently squeezing her leg. Amelia rested her head on my back and sighed.

“What is the safe zone like?”

She’d heard the stories about the safe zone a hundred times before, but I’d tell them a hundred times again if it meant she would live long enough to see it.

“The air is so clean, you don’t have to wear a mask. The grass is actually green, the way it’s supposed to be, and there’s even a small lake. The trees aren’t dying, they’re full of life and covered in leaves.”

“What’s a leave?”

I chuckled sadly at the question; she didn’t remember the before time. I told her all about leaves, about autumn, and flowers, and rivers teeming with fish. Amelia asked a lot of questions, but I didn’t mind. If she could talk, she still had some strength left. That was all the hope I needed to keep me going.

Eventually, we reached the bridge. It was like something out of a cartoon; rotting wooden planks held up by fraying ropes, the thinnest of which were laced haphazardly as handrails no higher than my waist. Even a slight breeze made the bridge sway ominously. I couldn’t see how deep the pit went, just the sharp rocks that jutted out, making death a certainty for anyone before they reached the bottom.

Pulling the note out of my pocket, I read the loving words that had accompanied the locket. My eyes filled as I skimmed the page until I reached the final paragraph.

When you arrive at the bridge, look for the red cross on the right. There is a narrow path that will lead you round the edge of the drop. It’s a much longer route, but it’s too risky to take the bridge. Follow the path and keep yourself safe.

I’m sorry I couldn’t come on this journey, but I am with you always.

I love you, Casey. Remember me.

Alex x

Blinking my tears away, I located the cross and peered at the smooth path cut into the cliff face. I hesitated. Alex had said the route was longer and safer than the bridge, but how much time did Amelia have left?

Her frail grip round my neck decided it. I stepped towards the bridge.

We moved slowly, my hands tight on the ropes. Several of the planks wobbled, but they seemed secure enough, so we carried on, my whispered words keeping Amelia focused on the promise of the safe zone instead of the peril beneath us.

We got three quarters of the way over when the wind came. A strong gust that whipped around us and made the bridge swing. The rope slipped from my left hand and I lost my balance, falling back a couple of steps. Amelia’s grip disappeared from round my neck, too weak to keep hold. Her hands reached out to grab something, anything to stop her toppling to her death, and her fingers closed around the chain of my locket. My last gift from Alex.

The locket choked me for a fraction of a second before it snapped.

“AMELIA!”

I turned and lunged towards her, grabbing the front of her t-shirt before she could plummet into the darkness. For a moment, I was grateful that she was so light; it was the only reason we were still on the bridge. Then I pulled her close to me and hugged her tight, stroking her hair as she trembled in my arms, telling her over and over that everything was okay.

Straightening up, I glanced over the edge of the bridge into the darkness and was consumed by sadness. The locket was gone. It was the only photo of Alex I had.

We never even heard it hit the ground.

Amelia’s shallow breaths pulled me out of my grief. We might barely make it to the safe zone, but we had to try. I kept moving, slightly faster than before, keeping my eyes on the gate ahead.

Finally, we made it to the other side. As soon as my feet touched solid ground, I broke into a run, terrified of the heat radiating from Amelia’s tiny body. Her arms had fallen to her sides; she was unconscious. I whispered a prayer, begged her to stay with me as we neared the safe zone.

Ten feet away, the gates began to open.