In The Shadows

Chapter Eleven

My boots thudded softly against the pavement as I jumped down from the last ladder. I untucked the gun from the waistband of my pants and tiptoed around the side of the building. Shouts from farther away echoed off the buildings and my heart bounced in my throat, urging me to pick up the pace. I needed to hurry up if I was going to take down that dumb banner before anybody else did.

I danced around food wrappers and old newspapers, and sprinted the length of a building until the main road was visible. There, I would take refuge by the metal trash cans. I crouched and listen, for anything, for a squeak of a door hinge, the crackle of a wrapper, the echo of a shout, anything that would be an indication as to where everyone else was. So far I was in luck and had repeated this process about four times now. Sprint. Crouch. Listen.

My method came to a screeching halt when I heard a soft rubbing noise from up ahead. I pulled my gun in closer to my chest and slunk close towards the wall, creeping behind the trash cans. Through the gaps of the metal cans, I could see couple of red-faced bodies inflated from their vests rolling around on the concrete where the main street opened up to the alley. The rubbing noise originated from the material of the vest against the rocks in the concrete. Other than that, there was oddly no other sounds from this part of the alley. The shouts from deeper in the city had grown increasingly louder, but they weren't loud enough for me to be on alert yet.

One of the shot down soldiers was a girl, with black hair and chubby cheeks, and the other was a boy with blonde hair and skinny arms. My heart reached out to hold their sweaty hands, but my mind ordered my feet to remain planted to my spot behind the large trash cans. I felt cold and detached from my body, watching their writhing bodies. Was this how I would react out on the field? When given a choice of saving myself or comforting those in pain, what would I choose?

All I could think about was the pained and panicky expression that dominated Lauren's facial features as the blank bounced off her best, the gasping rattle that clawed its way out of her throat for every strangled breath she took and the quick, hot tears that escaped her fearful eyes so fast I couldn't even blink.

I nodded, the decision was decided. Carefully, I slipped the metal lid off of the top of the trash can. It made a little clink sound, and I froze, waiting for the pops of the guns. But they never came. Instead I adjusted the lid so that it shielded my vest from the street, just in case someone saw me.

"Hey," I whispered loudly, but it came out more like a hiss. Their bodies stopped moving and I inched forward.

The boy let out a whimper and I hurried over, "No, no, it's okay. I'm not going to hurt you. I just wanted to tell you that it's going to be okay, and-"

"Look Ginger girl," the girl snapped. "I don't see you rolling around like a gigantic grape, so why don't you just shut it and be on your way before I have to do something I'm going to regret."

I physically flinched, taken aback by her harsh words. True, there wasn't much I could do for them in their current condition, but if I was where they were right now, I'd want someone to just be kind to me.

"I-I know I'm not but-" I stuttered but was loudly interrupted.

"OVER HERE! THERE'S ONE OVER HERE!" The girl bellowed so loud I was afraid her voice box would burst.

"What? I-" My voice was a bird flying into the wind, shaky and unsteady.

Figures appeared behind the ledge on the roof of the building right in front of me, guns trained down towards me. I backed up towards the wall, my only shield a measly trash can lid. Any movement made by me could be catastrophic.

"I'm sorry," the boy with the inflated vest cried. "They threatened us if we didn't." But his cries faded to background noise compared to the panic buzzing in my ears. I couldn't bring out my gun because that would require moving my arms around, therefore exposing my vest.

It was a trap. I had just walked right into a trap and now I was metaphorically dead.

Pops erupted and blanks rained down from above. I quickly shrunk underneath the lid, praying for safety. My pulse quivered and shook, my adrenaline racing in the impatient wait for my vest to blow up. A blank whizzed right past my arm and I held my breath, waiting, squeezing my eyes shut for the sudden explosion of my vest. But when I opened my eyes and exhaled slowly, I found that the attack had stopped.

It was faint, but I heard one of them cry out, "Ava!"

I snuck a glance upwards to see a vest inflating, and a few from the group rushing to someone's side. A couple figures walked back to the edge of the building and aimed up the guns, but didn't fire until somebody, judging by their long hair, it looked like a girl, rushed over to them. Her hands flew all over, gesturing to their fallen member, Ava, and then towards me.

I didn't pause to figure out what had just happened. As the figures on the rooftop were still arguing, flustered over one less group member, I took the moment to, with the trash can lid raised in defense, sprint the length of building and out of range of their harmful shots. Angry shouts bit at my heels, fueling my adrenaline and urging me to spring harder. I ditched the lid and just ran, unwilling to be caught a sitting duck again.

I ran towards the banner, knowing I was getting closer because of the number of people rolling around on the main and side streets, and the few guns and signs of struggle that littered the alleyways. Voices also grew louder, some rising higher with the panicky tremor of shock and some falling lower with shouts of communication. I raced past one side street with my gun up and ready, but I slowed my pace when I spied two familiar faces. One was sculpted and the color of dark coffee. The other was chubby and the color of milk.

"Sam?" My heart skipped a beat and I couldn't stop the smile from spreading on my face. "James?" They both wriggled around on their inflated vests to face me.

"Where ya been?" Sam joked. "We've been here for ages. Hey, do me a favor and scratch my nose for me?" I laughed as I walked over and itched his nose for him. They were the only two in this alley carpeted in trash and filth so I allowed my guard to lower, not too much though, just a smidge.

"What happened?" I asked.

"We got ambushed." James's face flushed into the color of ripe strawberries. "We were heading for that little door in there, just a few minutes ago actually, so you better be careful in case anyone else is still nearby." He tried to point a pudgy finger towards the side door that lead into the building next to us.

"Irine made it, but we got caught in the crossfire. She's probably still in there if you want to catch her." Sam jerked his head towards the door.

I nodded. "Thanks, I'll go see."

"Good luck." James half-smirked before I opened the door with the screeching hinges and slipped inside. 

*****

Thanks to everyone who's reading this and stuck with me even after I've been so inactive for so long!! Please don't forget to vote and comment to let me know what you think!

What do you predict happened there at the end? Did you like this chapter?

Till sometime soon!

-Scarlett