Crashing Down - A Post-Apocalyptic Novel (The Ravaged Land Series Book 3) Read Free

had been knocked down got up and noticed Penn working to get himself free. He laughed, and kicked his foot forward into the back of Penn’s leg just behind his knee. Penn’s knee jerked forward causing him to lose balance and fall to the ground.
    “Let’s go,” I whispered as I reached back to pull Sienna along with me. But my hand just grabbed air. I unwillingly turned my head away from Dean and Penn to see Sienna standing behind me with a bag over her head. Her arms were flailing around as if she was trying to reach out for me.
    “Ro—” she said, but her voice was cut off abruptly by a guy pressing his hand down on the thick, tightly-woven bag where her mouth was. He pulled her further away from me. I reached out for her just as a bag was roughly placed over my head.

2
    two.
    I swung my elbow back and hit him in the stomach. At least that’s where I thought I’d hit him based on the grunting noise he released when I made contact. He yanked me backwards roughly, and I tried to swing again but this time he had been expecting it.
    “Knock it off,” he growled.
    “Let. Me. Go!” I shouted hoping that Sienna would hear me, and maybe Dean and Penn would too. But I didn’t think I’d actually be able to persuade the guy to let me go by shouting at him.
    “Shut up,” he said and pulled me along as my feet dragged across the ground.
    It was hard to take steps without being able to see where I was going. I kept feeling like I was going to trip and fall at any second, even though the creep pulling me along was doing most of the work.
    “Sienna?” I shouted again.
    “Yes! I’m here,” she cried out, and I heard the faint grumbling complaints from a voice I didn’t recognize. I thought maybe it was whoever was leading her and he was telling her to be quiet.
    We walked for what felt like a long time, but for all I knew it only felt that way because I hadn’t been able to see where I was going. Then we stopped. Before I could do or say anything I felt more hands on me. I was being lifted off of the ground.
    “Put me down!” I said as I tried swinging my arms out around me. But someone grabbed my arm and pulled it behind my back. I tried to keep the other one free, but they got a hold on that one too. They tied my hands together behind my back and I felt absolutely helpless. “Errgh!” I yelled, trying to get out my frustrations.
    Someone laughed as another person forced me to sit down on what felt like cold, hard metal. There was a small amount of give, and if I had to guess, I would have thought I was in the bed of a pickup truck. I wanted to ask for Dean and Penn but I was too afraid to use their names. But would it matter? I had already called out to Sienna using her name.
    If HOME had captured us, would they recognize her name? More likely, they already knew it was us. I hadn’t heard any gunshots which likely meant Dean and Penn were still alive too. At least for now.
    The engine started and the truck gently bounced before it even started moving. I fought the urge to call out to Penn and Dean. All I could really do was hope they were on the same truck. Or at the very least heading to the same destination. I was almost one hundred percent sure Sienna was sitting right next to me.
    Since I had already used her name, I didn’t think there would be any harm in using it again. “Sienna?” I said keeping my voice as calm and quiet as I could.
    “Yes! I’m here,” she said and moved her leg against mine. Confirmation. I moved mine back so she would know it was me too, but perhaps she had already known.
    “Would you two just shut up?” a man’s voice from my other side said. But I didn’t want to be quiet. I wanted answers.
    “Where are you taking us?” I said turning my head to the side even though I couldn’t see the person next to me. I tried to sound as nonchalant as I could, hoping he’d decide to just tell me. Maybe if I was casual and friendly, he’d be less aggressive. If I was lucky