Wings of the Walker - CoraLee June Page 0,200

him.

Once at the prison, I stayed outside while Kemper checked to see who the guard was. When he disappeared into the building to scout out the place, a familiar voice called out to me.

"Hey, Walker," Jules said with a grin while stepping closer. Her hair was a tangled mess and sand coated her legs and sandals.

"Where do you keep running off to?" I asked while observing her pink face. She'd been spending a lot of time away from the lab lately, against Cyler's wishes, and her sun-kissed tan made her glow.

"I've been at the beach. Keeping an eye out for incoming transports. Beats being stuck in that lab with you lot. I could suffocate on the sexual tension—it’s disgusting, really," she said with a grimace.

"But now that I see you're here,” she continued, “I can go there for a bit and rest. I'm going to try and come back tonight. I've noticed random transports coming and going." Jules looked around us, then back at me before whispering, "I think I might be able to steal one."

My eyebrows shot up and I fought a smile. Cyler might have wanted to keep her away from the troubles of the empire, but she was just like him. Resourceful and fearless. It made me wonder what their parents were like. Did they inherit these qualities from them? Or was it just their instinctual reaction to stress?

Kemper emerged from the prison with a guard I didn't recognize following close behind.

"Thirty minutes," the guard grunted before promptly walking towards the tree line. With a shake of his leg, he began urinating on a tree nearby, and I averted my gaze while wrinkling my nose.

"Disgusting," Jules remarked loudly, which made him look over his shoulder at us with a scowl. "On that note, I'm off. Actually, Kemper, would you mind coming with me tonight? There is something I think you should see."

"I've got to work on the fetters—

"It's about the fetters. I have an idea," Jules interrupted with a determined smile.

"Fine, but I don't want to be gone long, and this better not be a trick."

"I'm wearing one too, you know. I don't want this shit any more than the rest of you. See you at midnight," she cooed while walking away.

"She seems different," I observed to no one in particular.

"She's something," Kemper replied.

It wasn’t until we were inside the prison, that I allowed myself to process why we were here. Josiah seemed to be in better shape. It was as if someone put him in a healing pod to mend his bones. The cuts and scrapes were healed, but blue-black bruises still covered his face.

His voice was gravelly when he spoke. "Ash, you came back," he said in disbelief. Although he tried to sound enthusiastic, it was still a low and pitiful tone. I looked towards Kemper who took a seat on a nearby wooden chair.

"Cavil's coming back, Jo," I whispered. When we were children, Josiah and I would sit on the floor in my closet bedroom. We would lean against the wall, our arms touching casually as we talked about our days, our dreams, our hopes.

I wondered if he remembered those little moments as I sat beside him now. Once again, our arms brushed as I leaned against the concrete wall of the prison but there wasn't the buzz of electricity zapping between us like there once was; even so, I hoped to offer him some comfort as I announced the dim news.

"Dominique, his Walker, said he's planning an execution," I whispered into the dark while looking over at Kemper. I'd need his quiet strength to survive this meeting.

Josiah laughed. The sound was low, dark, and full of self-loathing. "Well, I guess this was to be expected. I gave him the wrong information. I knew he’d come back, but at least I bought you some time. Did you figure out an escape? Have you heard from my mother?" he asked hopefully, and my stomach sank when I realized that we still were no closer to finding a way off this island. In the end, although admirable, Josiah's death was for nothing.

"No," I replied. "But we still have time," I quickly added. Once again, I looked at Kemper who slumped in defeat. I wished I could help him, and prayed that whatever Jules came up with would at least help.

"So, what, are you here to tell me goodbye? Let me know how much you love me and will miss me?" he asked before coughing.

"No," I replied