Remember the Crowns & Cogs [Crown The Empire]

Don't be Afraid

I listened for any lost people after, yet another, attack from the Scarecrows and The Raven himself. A faint screaming could be heard.

          Following the voice, I saw the person. She was kneeling by another girl and someone else.

          “Hello?” I asked calmly and approached her.

          The girl jumped up and stepped back. She pulled out a gun out from under her grey sweatshirt and pointed it at me. “Don’t move another inch!” She demanded.

          I held my hands up. “Hey, hey,” I whispered and stopped. “I’m just like you. I’m a Runaway.” I adjusted my bandana around my neck. “I promise I’m not here to hurt you.”

          The girl lowered the gun. I could see her pant leg was covered in blood. “Okay.” She whispered.

          Slowly, I continued to approach her. “What’s your name?” I said quietly.

          “I – It’s Hannah.”

          “That’s a pretty name.” I smiled. “My name’s Dave.”

          She nodded. “Can you help my friend?”

          Kneeling down, I checked the girl’s pulse. Sighing, I shook my head. “I’m sorry. She’s gone.” I checked the young boy. “And he’s gone, too.”

          The girl, Hannah, sighed and nodded. Her face was turning red. She suddenly started falling to the ground. I caught her before she hit the ground. Hannah hissed in pain.

          “Are you okay?” I asked, helping her up.

          “No. No, I don’t think so.”

          “Here,” I said, having her sit down. “What’s wrong?”

          “My leg,” she nodded towards it, “I think a Scarecrow got me. I don’t know exactly what happened.”

          I rolled up her pant leg and noticed it was there were red blotches from her knee down to her ankle and it pulsing badly. “Alright, I’m going to take you back to where some other Runaways are located. We’ll have you checked up there. Does that sound good?”

          Hannah nodded.

          I picked her up bridal style and carried her back to our camp.

“Ben, open the gates!” Dave called.

          A man came running out and opened the gates. The bullet wound in my shoulder was still burning. Dave carried the backpack for me. I watched the gates close immediately behind us. A woman came running out and Dave set me down. I closed my eyes in pain.

          “Can you get her checked out? I believe she has some sort infection going on.” Dave told the woman.

          “Yeah, sure,” the woman smiled.

          “Thanks, Denise.” David smiled and walked off.

          The woman and I walked in silence until we got to a medic room. “I’m going to ask you to take off your sweatshirt.”

          I nodded and took off my sweatshirt, revealing the blood soaked fabric. The woman untied the fabric and the bullet wound soaked the sleeve in blood. She demanded that I take off my shirt and I did what she said.

          This was going to be a long few hours.

After I was all patched up, Denise let me go. Dave met up with me outside of the medic room. I adjusted my sweatshirt. He handed me my backpack.