The Shadow

Chapter 1

The single bullet shot rings through the house. Getting up I see the mangled body of my father crumpled on the ground. Blood covers his side and seeps into the floor. I try to run forward but some invisible force holds me back.
"Dad!" I scream, my voice coming out barely a whisper. "Dad!" I cry. "Daddy..." Suddenly a man appears behind my father holding a gun, his face is hidden but his tattoo is clear. A tiger tattoo. The tattoo grows bigger and bigger encompassing me. "Dad..." I whisper one last time before the tattoo wraps around me, sucking the air out of my lungs.
I jolt awake in bed, clawing at the sheets and my pillow. Tears run down my cheeks and my breaths are uneven. Wrapping my arms around my body I focus on calming myself down. When I finally am able to breath evenly again, I grab the small flashlight beneath my bed and climb out of my bed. Making my way to the bathroom, I light the candle and place it on the counter. Glancing into the mirror I see my jet black hair framing my tear stricken cheeks and green eyes. I look okay, but inside I am hurt. The death of my father left me broken, and still after 8 months, the memory of that night haunts me. The tiger tattoo has haunted my dreams continuously, and even though they say he died in the fire that destroyed my house, I know what I saw and I saw him. The man with the tiger tattoo, holding the gun that killed my father.
Sighing I blow out the candle and grab the flashlight, lighting it again I carefully make my way downstairs. Opening the front door I slip out and run around the corner to the next gated community. Grabbing the top bar of the gate I push myself over. I take off running and immediately turn to the right, taking the way through the woods to avoid being caught by the nighttime guards. Once I see the red tie around a tree, I turn again and climb through the bushes. After checking to make sure there are no guards, I run across the street to the last house. Going to the side I pick up a couple rocks and throw them at the window. After 3 hits the window opens and a familiar blond head sticks out.
"Liam," I whisper, "can we... um...talk?"
He grins a little and whispers back, "Of course."
He disappears back into his bedroom and I settle down hidden in the shadows of the bushes. Liam and I have been best friends since we were little. Since kindergarten we have become inseparable along with Vanessa and Jeremy. I think back to everything we have done together, remembering when President Cloutier was still in power. After he was assassinated, Robert Nixon took over and changed everything. I grit my teeth just thinking about him. Everything we worked for he destroyed. Destroyed our world and built his own. A world where his way was the only way and those brave or stupid enough to argue were executed immediately. What he does is immoral and inhuman. From daily beatings to strict rules, he makes sure we live in terror.
Liam slips out of the main door and comes to sit next to me.
"Hey" he says pulling out a bottle of water for me.
"Thanks," I answer, drinking the whole bottle, the cool water calming my burning insides. "I had another nightmare." I whisper to him. Since my dad died, I've had terrible nightmares. Liam has been at my side the whole time, and some nights I run to his house for comfort.
"Leah, these nightmares, you need to tell someone. 8 months? That's a lot... Are you ok?"
"Fine Liam. Just peachy." I snap back. Immediately I regret it, and run a hand through my tangled hair. "Sorry, I'm... I don't know really, I'm scared. I want this to end. I want to forget that night. But I can't. No matter how hard I try, I can't. And I can't take to my mom 'cuz she just won't talk to me about him, or that night." I let all the emotions flow out, something I almost never do. Liam senses my discomfort and pulls me to look at him.
"Leah, that's why I'm here. Talk to me, tell me what I can do to help. I can help you Leah. Trust me." He answers.
"I do trust you, Liam." I whisper, taking in all of his features as if it's the last time. Blonde semi curly hair, striking grey eyes, and a soft smile that can make me laugh everytime. A crack in the woods behind us brings me back to reality. Liam slowly stands up, I carefully following. We can see a dim beam of light somewhere further in the woods and Liam says, "Go. Run." I turn and sprint toward the gate when I realize Liam is next to me.
"What are you doing?!" I shout.
"Go through the woods. Left!" He yells next to me.
I skid to the left narrowly dodging a branch as we keep running. I hear angry yells and the heavy slap of boots as the guards chase after us. Liam grabs my arm and drags me to the right. I twist and scrape my angle on some rocks and twigs, almost falling, his arm is the only thing that keeps me up, practically dragging me there. I ignore the shooting pain in my ankle as we dive into a small opening in the rocks as he pushes me back against the wall, his strong body covering mine, his forehead against mine. We stay like that, silently praying for the best as the guard's yells and lights come nearer and nearer.

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Hey! This is my first story so criticism would be great! Thanks for reading!