Switched

Chapter 28

This chapter really tested my writing skills. You'll see why as you read, but it deals with something that I've never written before and it was quite challenging. It is also the longest chapter I have ever written in any of my stories, falling at about 9235 words. So sit back and relax, it's a long one. Please enjoy :)

The gunshot rang through the room.

My body seized up, fear coursing through my brain as the sound registered in my head. I screamed but the noise was drowned out as the room erupted into chaos, gunfire and shouts ensuing all at once. Horrid shouts of pain mixed with chairs scraping against the floor and loud gunshots, both from the enemy and the guards. It all happened so fast that I don't even remember kicking the leg of Maxon's chair out or ducking behind my own. He tumbled over and I pulled him towards me, breathing heavily.

"Mom?" I called, turning towards her and father but they were already gone.

"Maxon! America!"

I looked up and was relieved to see Aspen's face, familiar amongst the chaos. He knelt down beside us, his gun raised in preparation.

"We gotta get you two to the royal safe room," He muttered, looking around. I was too afraid to look at what was happening too closely. "We need to stay low and get out of this room."

"The death count is going to be..." My voice shook. "All these people...they need to get to safety."

"The guards are on it. But more importantly, we need to get you to safety. Now isn't the time to freak out," He said. He gripped my arm in one hand and his gun in the other. I instinctively grabbed Maxon's hand.  "Let's go."

He stood up, crouching down and I mimicked his actions. I tried to focus on Maxon's hand in my own and not on the horrific sounds that were echoing around. Aspen paused and let go of my arm so he could strategically drop to his knee and aim his gun into the crowd of guards, rebels, and citizens. My mind was racing, wondering if he, and every other guard, were hitting who they were meant to or if innocent people were being lost. I was in awe though of how sure Aspen looked that he was hitting who we was supposed to. My eyes flicked to the hoard of people and I saw death more times in a handful of seconds then ought to be possible. Aspen stopped shooting and roughly pulled Maxon and I along.

Out of the corner or my eye I saw a flicker of red and then a man was standing in front of us, looking like a guard in every way except for the red band around his head and the evil smirk dancing on his face. He raised his gun and pointed it directly at me and then, as if he thought it would hurt me more, he moved it slightly to the left and aimed it at Maxon.

Aspen immediately tackled him, not a scrap of fear or self-preservation in him. The gunshot fired but it flew right past all of us, not even heard amongst all the noise. Aspen raised his gun up and slammed it into the rebels skull, knocking him out.

"You just tackled the man with the gun," I whispered.

He looked up at me in acknowledgment. "We're not supposed to aim to kill. King's order."

"But he is trying to kill us. That's a stupid rule," I mumbled.

"I agree," He said, grabbing my wrist and pulling me with him. "Maybe you can change it."

I reached for Maxon, grabbing his hand but then it slipped out of my grasp. My footsteps stumbled as Aspen pulled me into the hall and I dug my feet in as best as possible.