Chapter 215
‧₊˚ ☁️⋅♡𓂃 ࣪ ִֶָ☾.
I obediently followed him, stepping carefully over the rough ground where roots and rocks protruded. Yet deep down, I didn’t quite believe there were mines.
“Ugh…”
When we stumbled upon a mine crater, I nearly screamed in shock.
Near the blast hole lay a decaying corpse. Two wild dogs feeding on it sensed us and turned, baring sharp teeth.
Growl.
Thinking we were trying to steal their prey, they threatened fiercely and advanced. Killian, shocked by the horrific sight, pushed me away and turned me in the direction we were traveling.
“Don’t look at that. Keep going. I’ll handle it.”
Wild dogs chase those who show their backs. I knew that, but I hurried forward, only looking ahead as Killian tossed stones behind us. The sound of stones hitting the dogs faded until it stopped.
“They’re gone?”
“They’re not following.”
“Haa…”
Now I didn’t want to even look toward that path, let alone step there.
‘I want to get away from here fast.’
But the rugged ground and snow-laden trees overhead forced us to turn repeatedly, slowing our climb. When the sun began to rest on the ridge behind us, we’d only crossed half the mountain.
“Dana, it’s okay. Better to go slow and safe than rush and get hurt.”
Killian held my hand as I struggled on the steep slope, soothing my anxiety wanting to hurry.
“No need to rush. Things are going much better than I thought.”
It wasn’t a complete lie. Halfway over the mountain, we hadn’t encountered anyone or had any accidents or injuries.
“A good start means a good finish. Step here, not there. Good. Careful…”
“Hey! Who are you?”
Just as we said how lucky we were to avoid anyone, a stranger suddenly appeared from the slope, pointing a rifle at us.
“Ah!”
Killian quickly pushed me behind a nearby tree and drew his pistol, aiming at the stranger. I expected him to kill without hesitation, but instead, he spoke first.
“If shots are fired, the army will come rushing here.”
Only then did I understand why he hadn’t shot the man. The stranger seemed just as reluctant to shoot us.
“Deserter?”
I had the same thought. The scruffy, bearded man wasn’t wearing a uniform but looked of conscription age and like a fugitive from his ragged appearance.
“If you don’t want to be a bullet sponge for the army, put that gun away.”
“Then why don’t you shoot me? You don’t want to be caught by the army either. Sneaking over the mountain—sounds suspicious.”
“We only sneak over because it’s troublesome to get caught.”
“Tell me why you’re heading into enemy territory.”
The man glared at Killian over the rifle’s sight and barked at him.
“My home is in the Highlands, taken by the Falklands.”
The man lowered his gun only after hearing that Killian’s child and elder mother lived in the Falklands-occupied homeland. But Killian didn’t lower his weapon.
“Hey, you put that gun away too.”
“You better clear out first. Now. Far away.”
“Come on, let’s not fight among our own. And if you think we’re deserters, we’re prisoners. We escaped from a prisoner camp run by the devils of the Falklands. So put down that damn gun. What if you shoot and the ones rushing over aren’t allies but enemies? We don’t want to be dragged back to that cursed camp.”
I looked around, but no one else was there except the man. Where were his companions?
“I said clear out.”
“What will you do with your wife if I leave?”
The man didn’t back down, as if he had business with us.
“The sun will set soon. You won’t cross the mountain tonight. Where do you plan to spend the night?”
“Guess you know the area.”
“There’s an abandoned cabin a little down the road. We’re staying there. It’s cramped but we can let two people stay the night.”
The man offered us a place to stay before we even asked, turning from rifle-toting stranger to host. Killian eyed him suspiciously and asked,
“What’s the price?”
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