After Dawn (Book 3 of the Into the Shadows Trilogy) by Karly Kirkpatrick

We're not sure what to do. We don't want to leave anyone behind."
    Dennis ran up, his stolen lab coat flapping behind him. "We may have a solution, but I'm not sure people will like it."
    The group stared at him.
    "Cattle cars." Dennis paused as eyes widened around him. "We found semis on the other side of the camp. Ten of them. It's still not enough for everyone, but it'll put a bigger dent in the group than these twenty vehicles."
    "Gas them up." Paivi said without waiting for discussion. "If they want to come with us, we've got to take what we have. Make sure they raid all the food and water. We'll stop when we can. Anyone sick should be in the vehicles. Healthy people should be in the cattle cars or walking alongside. They can take turns and rotate."
    The group stared at her this time.
    "What? If you want to live, you'll do it." Paivi looked up at the sun. "And you better do it quick, we need to be on the road by nightfall. I have one last thing I need to do."
    Paivi turned on her heel and stormed off.
    She was determined to finish one goal, even if it didn't make up for her failure. Paivi grabbed a shovel from an abandoned worksite near the outer fence. She plunged it into the ground and began to dig at a rapid pace.
    "Need help?" Xavier appeared at the edge of the shallow hole she dug. He had a shovel in hand.
    Paivi looked up and continued her work. He jumped in and started working at the opposite end. They worked silently, digging down foot after foot. Paivi was drenched in sweat and her muscles burned. That pain was nothing to what resided in her soul. She pushed it aside and continued.
    The sun threatened to sink below the horizon before they finished.
    "I think it's ready," Xavier said, throwing his shovel to the side and wiping his sweaty face on his filthy EOS uniform.
    Paivi nodded and jumped out of the hole. Xavier followed behind, but she didn't look back.
    Peter caught her just as she approached the gate.
    "We're ready." He waved to the line of semis. The freed EOS prisoners were loading them with any and all supplies they had found. Their voices bounced around her ears, full of fear, but also excitement.
    They were finally leaving their prison.
    Molly. Paivi pushed the word into Peter's mind.
    He let out a sigh and his face fell. He nodded and followed her through the wrecked gates. Xavier stayed with them and they crossed to the piles of debris to the front of the courtyard. Some of the prisoners had taken Molly's body and wrapped it in a sheet and laid it on a table. Paivi was glad it wasn't still a part of the debris. The sheet was wrapped around her like a sleeping bag. Her head and face were exposed, her short red hair shining in the last rays of the sun. Her expression was peaceful, her mouth relaxed into a smile. She could have been sleeping.
    Paivi stopped at the table and the others followed behind her. She dropped to one knee and rested her forehead on it, her hand on the sheet that covered Molly's body. She couldn’t even muster a tear for Molly. The well had dried up, it seemed.
    She rose to her feet and turned. Hundreds of EOS prisoners had followed them into the courtyard. They were also on one knee, their heads bowed.
    Peter and Xavier, having noticed that Paivi was no longer kneeling, stood and came to stand next to her beside the table.
    One by one, other freed EOS prisoners rose and joined them. They slid their arms under Molly's body, linking hands underneath. They cradled Molly between them. Paivi nodded her approval and turned to the gate, Peter and Xavier right behind. In a silent procession, they walked through the gate for the final time.
    Paivi led them past the semis and vehicles to the hole she had dug with Xavier.
    The group carrying Molly joined her and lowered Molly's body carefully. Xavier jumped in to help lay her gently at the bottom. Paivi stood above, observing as he pulled the sheet over Molly's face.
    Peter reached down and hoisted Xavier from the hole. They stood