Delicate Resiliency

The grassland scenery never failed to surprise her despite getting a good look at it earlier. The grassy fields went on forever. Hills upon hills. There were no trees, and the land was a nice pale green color.

She didn't know what she was expecting, but maybe it just made more sense to her that the building would have been located in the city somewhere.

However, it was in the middle of nowhere leaving them completely stranded and easy pickings for Obrien if he were still on their trail and looking from above.

Then again, if they were in a facility that was in the city, it probably would have been even harder to escape. She should just be happy with their circumstances as they were.

There was cawing overhead of the large birds, and Felicity's eyes wandered around knowing that wild animals would be lurking nearby that could be potentially dangerous to them as well. It was a lose-lose situation for them, and she didn't see it looking up anytime soon.

She pushed the pessimistic thoughts away and brought a hand up to fan her overheating face from the scorching hot sun and stuffy bulletproof jacket they were still wearing.

Felicity knew that she had gotten it easy with her not having any large burns, but Melissa, she has a huge burn that was turning into a rash on her neck that her bobbed hair was swaying against.

She threw her arm under Melissa's to keep on her steady on her feet since Melissa couldn't keep her steps straight anymore. Her eyes were still adjusting from the dim lighting of the building, and it wasn't long before the square building with no windows disappeared as their distance increased from one another.

They were running hard when they had gotten up at the base of the hill until one by one, they all started to slow down. With their slow pace, Obrien was surely going to gain up on them. Her head was feeling clearer now, but her lungs were still seizing up from all the hard walking.

"Leo!" Felicity called. "Slow down."

Leo looked over his shoulder. "You're fine."

"I'm not."

"You're not dying."

Felicity held in her sharp tone to spite him and gasped out. "Just pause for a moment."

She needed to buy some time for Melissa who needed rest more than she did, her head slack into Felicity's shoulder and lost in thought. Felicity patted Melissa's shoulder consistently to make sure that she didn't pass out on her.

"Leo!"

Leo turned back again, frustrated. "What is it?"

Felicity was starting to get irritated since all of their tensions were high. "You need to help Melissa too. Give her a piggyback ride."

Leo didn't say another word and got down on his knees. Felicity brought Melissa's face to her and lightly patted her cheek. Melissa looked up at her, her eyes glassy, and Felicity frowned. Her condition was worsening. "Mel. Can you hear me? Are you doing okay?"

Melissa blew out a slow breath. "Yes. I'm... okay. I feel dizzy."

"Leo, is there anything you could give her?"

Leo swung his backpack around and opened it up to rummage inside it. He pulled out some pills in a slim white bottle that looked suspicious.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I'm guessing some kind of painkiller."

Felicity tilted her head and stared at him incredulously. It was like he was on a solo mission or something. "We need to help each other out in times like these. What do you mean 'I'm guessing?' We don't even know what it is."

Leo flipped open the cover of the cover and popped one into his mouth dry swallowing it. She put a hand out in case, and he grabbed it. "I'm fine. It's better to give to Melissa than not."

Felicity sighed and knew that he was right. "Do it."

Melissa opened up her mouth since she was listening to them speak, and Leo dropped a pill inside her mouth. Felicity guided Melissa gently into swallowing it and switched hands in propping her up. Leo instead swung Melissa over his shoulder like a backpack, and she smacked his arm. "Be more careful for goodness sake."

Leo tossed his backpack at her in answer with Felicity shaking her head. She wore the backpack in the front, and they continued their hike up and down the terrain with Melissa passing out giving Felicity a fright.

Her legs were dragging, and she knew it but didn't want to complain considering that Leo was already eyeing her pace. She was in shape but wasn't in the right condition to be running through the grasslands for hours at a time with the evening lighting.

The sound of waves was near, but she couldn't pinpoint where it was coming from. They had to be next to some body of water whether that be a small pond or river to the ocean. They didn't have anything in the backpack to set a signal that they needed help.

The reception was non-existent with her phone already long gone. Died. The rectangle box that would be the lifeline to so many young individuals completely useless.

Leo was doing all of the hard work, carrying Melissa while still leading the way. He bumped Melissa up higher, but she still was out and didn't stir.

It was worrying to see that Melissa was in such deep sleep, but a part of her was glad that she didn't have to deal with the hard part of their limbs getting over exhausted and their minds that wouldn't shut off.

"How's your leg doing?" Felicity threw out with a bated breath.

Leo bit the bait. He hiked Melissa up higher while sending her a glare. Felicity caught up to him, her calves burning and screaming at her, but still ended up lifting an eyebrow at him.

"I fractured my left leg, but it's all healed now."

Felicity nodded slowly. "I'm glad. I woke up in a hospital with bright lights when the tests were all over."

"That's nice to hear. I woke up in pain and darkness."

"Hm, that's nice. Broody even."

"You got it easy, Felicity. Without me, you would have never gotten off that island."

Felicity bit back a sarcastic laugh. "It didn't even make a difference that we were the first ones back with the rune anyways. I'm starting to think that since we did so well, Obrien's now onto us."

She didn't want to admit that after killing that raure during the mission, she was left scarred. Felicity didn't want to be seen as weak considering all that they had went through. She needed to stand strong. Yet, the sparkling powder amongst the shining ocean was an image in her mind that she would have forever in her life.