Free Planet Urth: The Savage Lands (Book 2) by Jennifer Martucci, Christopher Martucci Page A

kindly tone that contradicts his grasp.  “Looks like you lost your way.”
    I squirm and feel his grip loosen slightly.  “W-why are you doing this?  Why are these women used like this?”
    “We are growing our flock,” he answers without apology.  “We are rebuilding humanity.”
    His answer catches me off guard.  I expected to hear that the women were there for the men’s enjoyment, for pleasure.  I’m sure they are, but they’re also breeders.  And the man before me thinks he is doing something noble.  Hot tears blaze behind my eyelids as the direness of the circumstances hits me fully. 
    “Why do you have to keep them chained up like that?” I ask and feel tears spill down my cheeks. 
    “They are chained because they wouldn’t stay if we let them roam free,” he admits.  “We found them wandering the woods just like you were wandering the woods.  Only you came to us, like a gift dropped on our doorstep.” He lowers one hand and cups my chin in his hand tenderly.  My skin crawls at his touch.  “So lovely,” he murmurs before a rumble echoes from deep in his chest.  I suppress the urge to vomit. 
    “You found the girls wandering through the forest alone?” I manage to ask without gagging. 
    “No, not all at once, at different times,” he answers and strokes my cheek with his thumb.  “They each had their own groups with boys and men.  But we have no use for more men.  We did away with them.  But don’t you worry about a thing,” he says then lowers his voice and adds, “You’re going to make a fine addition to our group of women.  And so will the two little ones.  They’re not old enough for birthin’ but Ross likes ‘em that age regardless.”  The man licks his lips and whispers in my ear, his mouth so close his rancid breath wafts across my face.  “He likes his girls real young, and pure, but I like ‘em a little older, like you.”
    A surge of anger explodes inside of me unlike any I have ever experienced.  Rage bubbles and brims and sends a memory rushing to my brain.  I hear my father’s voice instructing me where to kick a male Urthmen, or any man for that matter, if ever I am threatened and unarmed.  The man’s crotch is close.  I raise my knee and launch it squarely between his legs as hard as I can. 
    The man’s eyes widen then he doubles over clutching his pelvis.  He lets go of me , and I start to run.  But he regroups fast and catches me by the collar of my shirt and flings me backward, slapping me when I am in arm’s reach.  The blow stings like thousands of bee bites and sends me stumbling off balance.  I slam into the far wall and hit the back of my head before falling to the ground. 
    My head is throbbing and I see a scattering of black dots in my field of vision, but I fight the compelling urge to close my eyes and submit to the darkness.  I force them open and see a rock about the size of my fist.  I grab it and jump to my feet, surprising him.  I swing the rock as I lunge and release it.  It zips through the air and hits him directly in his forehead.  He staggers backward then falls to the ground. 
    Nature takes over.  I am commanded by a killer instinct rooted deep inside of me.  I see red.  I want nothing more than to hurt the man who promised to hurt my sister and Riley, the man who hurt so many women, the man who intended to hurt me.  I do not waste a moment.  I attack.  I scoop up the rock that collided with his head and straddle his chest in a single, swift motion. I hoist the rock high overhead and crash it against his skull over and over again until I am panting and covered in a fine layer of sweat.  I look down at his face.  His eyes are unfocused, unmoving, as is the rest of him.   I search his pockets and find his keys. 
    I take a quick look at the women I will leave behind.  I see smiles touch their features that reveal youth.  Their expressions set my feet into motion.  I run off in the direction of