No Body No Crime

Who's Afraid Of Little Old Me

I make it to the cabins before sunrise. The golden rays from the rising sun warm the sides of my face and I breathe in the fresh air. I'm going to get a lot of it might as well enjoy it. I slide through the same window as before and notice the lack of supplies that were previously here. I furrow my eyebrows. I shift onto the balls of my feet and slide the knife attached to my calf into my hand.
I scan the surroundings and search any hiding places. This feels weird. I cast my gaze to the window I'm standing infront of that faces the other cabin when I notice a man pointing his gun at me. I duck quickly and cover my head as the glass shatters. I lean my back on the wall as bullets rain in the place I was standing.
"Shit!" I whisper and move just before a bullet tears straight through my spot. I dock an arrow into the crossbow and quickly shoot one straight at the man. It rips through his hand and he lets out a loud shout. I lean against the other wall and breathe out. My crossbow rests on my shoulder and another arrow is placed in its holder. I hold it against my ear and listen. It's too quiet, he can't have passed out yet. I look out of the window slightly and notice his gun laying on the window sill. I clench my jaw and clip the crossbow onto the side of my bag. I cast my eyes around the room. I let my guard down as I check my bag has everything in it.
I hear a creak of a floorboard and I'm up, standing and advancing. The man standing infront of me looks young. Maybe around my age, I'm not sure. I slip the knife back into my hand when I notice his pistol. I know I can disarm him without wasting ammo. He eyes my knife and smirks as if he thinks he can beat me. I return the smirk and he raises his gun and fires. I turn as the bullet whizzes passed my face. He looks shocked and I smirk again. Twisting the knife in my hand he begins to panic. He shoots again and I anticipate this and pounce. My knife hits his gun and moves it out of my path. The bullet hits the roof and plaster from the ceiling dances into his eyes. He stumbles back and his gun drops, I kick it away and push him onto his back. He struggles for a bit before I bring the handle of the knife down onto the side of his head. He stills but I know that the trickle of blood isn't serious. I clean my hands of the dust and lug the bag back onto my back. I tuck the gun into my throwing knife belt and slide my knife back into its holster. I sigh before picking the man up and dragging him into the other cabin.
Just like I expected the other man has passed out after all the fighting with his acquaintance and I toss him onto the ground beside him. I close the door behind me and plan my next move. I notice two chairs sitting opposite each other. I find the rope from inside my bag and pull them onto the chairs. I tie the rope around them and pull the chairs apart but leave them facing eachother. I search their supplies and find some medical supplies. I debate whether or not to take them but some morals sneak up on me and I pull another chair near the bleeding man. I yank the arrow out of his hand and wince as blood oozes out of his wound. I toss the arrow to the side and grab the alcohol wipes.
I clean around it and try to stop the bleeding. The bleeding slows and I thread the needle. I stich the wound acceptably and cover it in some gauze. I lean back on my chair and cross my arms. They should wake up soon. I give it a couple of minutes and the wounded one starts to stir. I use this to my advantage and pull my chair infront of him. I grab the arrow with the blood on it and twirl it in my hand. He notices me and starts to try to escape.
"Stop! No please don't hurt me!" He squirms and I smirk. I pull the chair close to him and he panics.
"Where is she?" I growl embracing my inner Simon Riley. He shakes his head but I don't take his bullshit.
"Where is Lisa?" I shout kicking his seat over. I stand and lean over him. He starts to cry and shout more.
"I-I don't know a Lisa, please don't kill me. I don't know her!" I feel the fire in my eyes intensify and I growl again.
"You're lying, tell me the truth." I pull his chair back into position, kick my chair away and tug the neck of his friend back. My arrow makes it's way to his neck.
"Or our friend here, gets a new smile." He starts to shake and plead.
"Please, he's my brother. I don't know Lisa. I don't know any Lisas." I toss my head back and he notices my reluctance to hurt his friend.
"You're not a bad person." He looks down at his hand and twists his hand as a gesture.
"You didn't kill us and you cleaned my wound. That means something, you don't want to hurt him. But we can't help you." I listen to him and his words get into my head.
"What's your name?" He stutters and I sit down again.
"Leo, my name's Leo Smith." I nod and gesture to his brother.
"Ryan." I nod again.
"Well Leo, tell me why you have her stuff then?" He stammers as I gesture to her sleeping bag and guitar. He laughs, this fucker laughs.
"So that's her name!" He practically shouts and his brother jumps awake and begins moving. I grab him and stop his movement.
"Ry, stop! She wants to know about Mrs P." He stalls and spits at me.
"We won't tell you shit about her." I bring the arrow to his neck again.
"I wouldn't fuck with me kid." I turn to Leo.
"Mrs P?" My eyes shimmer and he notices this.
"She wouldn't tell us her name, only that she wanted to be called Mrs P." Before I answer he continues.
"You're Aurora." He realises and Ryan apologises.
"Oh shit Aurora, I'm sorry I didn't know." I let go of his hair and his head flies forward. I walk to Leo slowly and let go of the arrow. He doesn't flinch as it drops to the floor.
"How do you know my name?" I point at him and he smiles.
"She wouldn't stop talking about you." My eyes widen and it's my turn to stutter. I pull the map out of my back pocket and shove it into his eyesight.
"What does this mean?" He glances before answering.
"It's her route. She left a couple weeks back with her own map and left one behind with some of her stuff. The first X is us and the last X is where she's going." I nod and look at it again.
"The last X, what is there?" He shrugs and the hope dies in my chest.
"She only told us that if someone came asking it's probably Aurora, she said if she asks that she's going to the man on the radio. I don't know what it means before you ask." I nod rapidly.
"Okay, radio man. So she was talking to someone and they told her to go to the X." He nods and his brother answers.
"I mean it makes sense." I rub my hand down my face.
"Can I trust you?" He tilts his head.
"Can I trust you?" He retaliates. I smirk and don't answer. I move towards him and he doesn't freak out like before and I untie the rope. I pick it up and stuff it into my bag. He rubs his hands where the rope cut into them but he doesn't attack me.
"Hello what about me?" I shake my head and untie Ryan. He stands up and tries to intimidate me. I shake my head again, laugh and push him back down into the chair.
"Ryan stop trying she could easily kill us." I nod and turn to Ryan.
"I wasn't going to hurt her just try to get some control back." I scoff and throw my head back.
"You couldn't hurt me even if you tried and I don't think you could control anything little boy." I smirk and look him up and down. He blushes and I smirk again.
"Wanna bet?" I laugh again and shake my head.
"No thanks I'm gay and very much in love with my best friend." He sighs and clicks his fingers.
"Damn, sorry you're really pretty. I just had to shoot my shot." I snicker and nod.
"I don't blame you, pretty isn't a word I'd describe myself as though." Leo claps his hands and we both look to him.
"We're wasting Aurora's daylight here." I clear my throat.
"I don't suppose yous would come and look with me." He grimaces and I start to nod.
"I mean Mrs P is a close friend but we've been on the road for so long and it's not exactly something I wanna go back to." I purse my lips together and go for my bag.
"Yeah I get it. How long you been here then?" They tilted their heads counting the months, Ryan answers first.
"I'd say about three months, Mrs P was here before us and let us stay." I smile gently and I debate whether or not to give them the location of Hillside.
"Go to the river and turn right, follow the path and you'll come to a gate. When you get in say Aurora Jackson sent you and they'll let you in." Leo narrows his eyes.
"Why are you helping us?" I pick my bag up again and tighten the straps.
"Mrs P trusted you and if she trusted you then I guess I do too." They throw their arms out and embrace eachother in a hug. They turn to me.
"And their is other people there?" I smile and nod my head.
"I don't know the exact figures but we've got a community. This place is called Hillside and if I hear you do anything to it then I'll snap your necks, you hear me?" They gulp and nod but happy tears start leaking from their eyes.
"We've found a home Ry, we've found a home." I watch fondly at the happiness and I clear my throat.
"Do me a favour and keep the guitar?" They nod, smiling and I leave the cabin. I start following the map, looks like I'm in for a long walk.