𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐎𝐒 | liam stewart [1]

11. president

Tears streamed down Pandora's face, mixing with her father's blood which had splattered all over her face. She sobbed, her vision blurred as she ran into the cornfield. She stopped, collapsing to the floor as her body shook in broken sobs. Her frame wracked with crying, the pain she felt ripping through her. She tried to stop herself, trying to get herself to breath but her lungs were hyperventilating. She stood shakily, trying to get herself further from the house. She would never go back. She could never look at him again. 

A presence suddenly came into her peripheral vision. She span quickly, her scarred knuckles clenched together. They loosened as she looked at Liam. His eyes were wide, his eyes taking in her appearance. She was crying like nothing he'd ever seen before. Her face was splattered with blood. Her eyes were crying but behind the tears were the furious gleam of pain. They stared at each other, her breaths slowing as they stayed in silence. After a few moments, she tried to stop the tears but her body was going into overdrive. "Come here," Liam whispered, the girl running to him. Her knees buckled as soon as his arms wrapped around her. He lowered her to the ground, their bodies interlocking as she sobbed. "I'm so sorry," She repeated over and over again. "Sorry about what? What are you sorry for?" He asked, stroking her hair softly. He'd never seen her, or for the matter of fact anyone, act like this. "I can't," She shook her head. He forced her to face her, using the bottom of his shirt to wipe the blood and tears from her face. "Pandora, listen to me. I need you to calm down," He said clearly and orderly. Pandora stared at him, breathing in sync with him as she tried to calm herself. "Now, tell me," He kept his eyes trained on hers. "Whose blood was that?" He held her face in his hands, not breaking eye contact. "M-my dad's," She stuttered out. His eyes softened in realisation. "Okay tell me now, and don't worry about the consequences, did you kill your father?" He asked, his voice completely neutral. His heart lightened when she shook her head. "Okay, okay, that's good," He nodded, still holding her face. "I just broke his nose and.. made him say some things. I might have threatened his unborn children," She shrugged nonchalantly although tears streamed down her face. Liam broke out into laughter. Of course it was Pandora that could still make jokes after the most traumatising experience of her life. He pulled her into a hug, his muscly arms trapping her in his grasp. 

Pandora tried to wiggle out but he held on tight, his smile widening as he heard a gently giggle leave her lips. "You'll never escape," He laughed, the pair rolling around in the cornfield. He finally let her go and she rolled out. They both lay there, staring up at the sun-lit sky, watching as the clouds passed. "Come back to the car, Dory," He sighed, reaching for her hand. She just kept staring at the sky. "I'm proud of you. For not killing him. But I would've understood if you did," He told her. She looked over to him, her eyes glassy but cleared. "Thank you," Was all she said. But it was enough. 

...

The two walked down the stairs on the road, back to the van. Pandora led, a small smile placed on her blood-free face. Although it wasn't there visually, Dora didn't think she'd ever forget the feel of it on her face. The feeling of watching her father cry. She'd done that. They held hands as Liam and her walked to the van, the place eerily quiet. As Pandora walked closer, Lady Jane stepped out from a nook in the wall and slammed a gun on her face. Pandora fell to the ground, spitting out the metallic blood which filled her mouth. "Hey Liam," Lady Jane cocked her head, pressing the trigger on the gun which sent out white noise. Liam closed his hands over his ears, Ruby who had just come back from her house silently crying also dropping to the floor. Pandora ground her teeth, trying to push herself up even under the strain of her noise. It echoed around in her mind but it felt harmless compared to whar she had just endured. She dragged herself away, ignoring how her nails chipped and the concrete road bit into her skin. She pulled herself to Zu and Chubs who were ducktaped and bound. "I'll be back," Pandora told them, pulling herself behind the truck. 

"I love that kids can hear frequencies that adults can't," Lady Jane mocked Liam before kneeling on him and putting his hands in handcuffs. "Took you long enough Lady Jane, they gonna smack you for slacking on the job," Liam groaned as she pushed her knee further into his back. "You alone fetch $150,000, baby, you should be proud. Gone up in price since the last time I snagged you," She grinned maliciously. She rolled him over, his hands bound behind his back. "What did you do this time? Start another revolution?" She spat, pointing her gun underneath his chin. "Just leave them alone and you can have me, I promise I won't give you any trouble," He offered. His eyes darted around the place, noticing Ruby who was unconcious from the white nosie but stirring, and Chubs and Zu who were bound. But where was Pandora? "That's a very generous offer Liam but because I'm the one with the gun, I think I'm gonna pass," She winked, getting up and walking over to a semi-conscious Ruby. "Get away from me," She slurred, trying but failing to scramble away. Pandora needed to give her time. 

Dora ignored the bleeding on her head which ran down her shirt as she let her eyes glow purple and her body shifted. "Lady Jane," President Gray's voice came from behind the van. Lady Jane dropped Ruby who was still dazed, turning in shock to see the President. "President Gray?" She asked, stepping closer to him. "Please put the gun down and give me the keys to their bounds. I will get you your warranty plus a 25% addition if you hand them over now. These children have been... trouble for me and my Generals. I would like to use them for my own personal experiments," Gray smiled, walking towards Lady Jane. Lady Jane smiled, telling the President that it would be her honour. She handed him the keys without question, making some joke about the pesky kids. Liam watched as she gave him her gun, suddenly on the floor as the President smacked her in the face with the butt of it. She groaned on the floor, blood spilling out from the slice in her cheekbone. 

This interaction had given Ruby enough time to come fully round, letting her get quickly on the scene. She grabbed Lady Jane's wrist, the woman kneeling in front of her. Ruby's eyes sparked orange as she started to give her instructions. "Say you're sorry to Zu," She whispered angrily to Lady Jane. Liam didn't know who to stare at, the President who had just hit Lady Jane to the ground, or Ruby who was actually an orange. "I'm sorry Zu," Lady Jane said with a robotic sounding voice. "You are going to walk into that forest, and you are going to keep walking. No matter how tired or hungry you get, you are going to keep walking. Don't stop. Ever," She ordered. "Ever," Lady Jane nodded, getting up as Ruby let go of her. All 5 kids watched as Lady Jane disappeared, slowly walking into the woods. 

Ruby stared at her, breating deeply, before gasping and collapsing. Liam looked at her and then to the President who just stared at him. "I am sorry Liam," He said in his deep, influencial voice. "What-" Liam's breath was knocked out of him as the President's eyes glowed purple. He watched as the body of the President shrunk and shifted until Pandora stood in front of him. "I kind of like the look of you in handcuffs," She smiled before dropping to the floor unconscious.