The Dream Catchers

4.

I watched as Rafael's face paled in shock at the sight of the man standing before me.

"It's one of them!" He suddenly hissed. "One of the Catchers!" 

The armored man in front of me chuckled coldly. "Catchers." He deliberated. "Is that what you're calling us now?" He cocked his helmet-clad head to the side, "I like it."

Rafael's face contorted in rage. "We should call you what you really are- vermin."

The Catcher's metal-clad hands flexed at his sides. This time when he spoke his voice was low and threatening, making the hair on my arms stand up, "I'm a little burnt out today. I don't feel like killing all of you." His voice sounded almost like he was bored. "I will give you one chance to walk away. You have till the count of three to get in your cars and drive the fuck away."

Rafael sneered. "You are outnumbered and in no position to negotiate."

"One." The Catcher said in the same bored tone.

"You have eight guns aimed straight at you. Stand down!" Rafael bellowed.

My breath was trapped in my chest. I was paralyzed as I watched the scene in front of me unfold.

"Two."

"Men, shoot them! Kill them!" Rafael screamed.

"Three." There was a beat of deadly silence. "Time's up." The Catcher stated. His voice sounded downright feral.

In my gut, I felt that all hell was about to break loose.

"Get down!" The Catcher pushed me roughly to the ground. "Lie on your stomach and cover your head." He growled.

I knew he was my only chance of surviving this inexplicable situation. I knew better than to question him so I silently did what he instructed. With a speed and strength that seemed almost unnatural, he lifted a metallic crate that had been dumped next to the wall and positioned it in front of me just as the bullets started raining down.

Then in an instant, he was gone. I couldn't see what was going on because of the metal crate that had been placed in front of me but I could make out the sound of bullets colliding against metal and muffled groans and screams.

My heart was in my throat as I counted down the minutes. I waited for someone to yank away the flimsy crate shielding me. I could almost picture one of the men standing over me with their guns aimed straight at me.

But that moment never came.

Finally, after the commotion had seemed to settle down I mustered up the courage to peek out the edge of the crate. My eyes widened in shock at the scene in front of me.

I watched as the catcher moved with the grace of the honed killer. He moved with an agility that seemed impossible for someone who was wearing what appeared to be heavy metal armor. He was carrying a large blade in each hand. Five men lay on the ground unmoving with their bodies at odd angles, a pool of crimson growing beneath them.

I watched as the bullets the remaining men fired bounced harmlessly off his armor. One second he was standing, the next he was a blur, his movements fast and precise. His blade pierced through the men like they were made of paper instead of flesh.

I should have been scared. I should have been horrified.

Instead, I was mesmerized.

I slowly got on my knees, still crouching behind the container as I watched the entire scene unfold.

I watched as Rafael's shoulders sagged in defeat. He seemed to realize that the fight was a lost cause. I watched the precise moment Rafael started to make a run for it, the catcher saw it too.

In one clean move, the catcher flung one blade in the fleeing man's direction. I watched in awe as the blade cut through the air and landed on the Catcher's target.

The Catcher's blade was embedded in Rafael's neck. I watched as Rafael staggered back before finally plummeting to the ground. He opened his mouth to scream but blood started to gurgle out.

I closed my eyes. I could feel my stomach turn and bile rose in my throat. I slapped a hand over my mouth to keep myself from throwing up. Tears pricked the corner of my eyes.

What I'd just witnessed had been brutal.

Inhumane.

How had I even gotten involved with these people?

Before I could even register what had happened I felt the crate being yanked away from me. My eyes flew open as I fell back in shock.

"I thought I told you to stay put!" The Catcher's angry voice growled.

I scurried away from him, crawling backward using my hands and feet.

In an instant, his armor-covered hand curled around my arm and yanked me to my feet.

I gasped. His helmet was almost identical to an auto racing helmet, other than it was metal and was fused to the armor he was wearing at the neck. There was a reflective black visor in the front where his eyes and nose were supposed to be and even though I could only see my reflection in that visor I had a creeping sense that he could see me perfectly.

His hand clamped over my arm tighter.

"Let go of me!" I ordered. My voice came out shaky.

Then, something strange happened. The visor positioned at the front of his helmet suddenly slipped away exposing the middle half of his face.

A shocked gasp escaped my lips.

"You," I whispered in disbelief as my eyes locked with his familiar grey ones.

How is this possible?

Was I hallucinating?

Was I losing my mind?

In front of me stood the raven-haired stranger from my dreams.

Before he could respond I heard a thud and muffled groan from behind us.

My head whipped around just in time to see the man who I'd escaped by jumping over the wall standing behind us.

He aimed his gun at me and fired.

The sound of the gunshot echoed just as my body was shoved down.

My head collided with the ground.

Everything faded into darkness.