Fears

Chapter 7 |Lakota|

| Chapter 7 |

| Lakota |

We were free! We had done it! I could see the triumph and the joy on everyone's faces. I wanted to feel the way that they felt; free from danger, ready to take on the world, but I couldn't.

Every sound I heard, every car horn, every barking dog made my heart race with fear, every person we saw made the skin on my arms prickle. I couldn't feel safe, because we weren't.

The only one who didn't seem to feel the freedom was Levi. He walked quickly ahead, map in his hands, glancing around nervously.

Riley whooped, spinning around like a mad man, yelling at the top of his lungs, "We did it! We're free!"

"Shut up Riley," Levi hissed, looking around. I looked around too, the darkness of the night seeming to press in on us despite the hazy yellow glow of the street lights and the light cast on the street from onlooking windows.

Ruby laughed, one hand grasping Kathleen's, her smile so big it was contagious. At least it would have been if I was't so on edge.

"Come on, Levi," Ruby said, grabbing Levis hand, her blue-hazel eyes dancing.

Levi's mouth stayed in it's worried line. "We shouldn't relax," Levi said quickly. "We've barely made it out of the Institute--"

"Oh, come on, Levi." Riley grinned. "Chill, everything is good, we made it, we've done it. Now we can face anything!"

No sooner had the words left his mouth when blue and red lights lit up the street, alarms filling the air, going straight through my head like a knife.

I looked around wildly, the lights blinding me. They had found us. I could see police getting out of their cars, guns in their hands.

My heart sunk in the ocean of fear inside of me, There was no way we could get away, they had us surrounded

"Run!" Levi yelled and he took off, Ruby, Kathleen, and Riley right behind him.

I gaped in shock. What were they doing?! They were going to get themselves killed!

"Come on!" Shouted Darren, grabbing me and pulling me forward, so fast that I had no choice but to run.

Harsh voices shouted after us, followed by the squealing of tires on asphalt.

I looked back, just in time to see a sharp flash of light shoot through the dark and a bang exploded threw my ears. Kathleen screamed, my heart pounded in my ears, and fear, cold fear went down my body. I knew that sound, the sound of gunfire. "Kathleen!" I heard Levi shout, his voice tight with fear. My stomach turned numb. What had happened? In the darkness I saw Levi leaping over a yard fence, Kathleen in his arms.

"Oh, God," Darren gasped. I felt numb. What had happened? Oh, God, what had happened?

"Hands up!" A voice shouted from behind and there was another bang, as the gun went off. I held the scream rising in my throat down, and leapt over the metal fence the others had gone over, Darren's... irm, hand still in mine.

Blinded by fear and worry, I ran, Darren by my side, as we followed the others up ahead of us, through deserted yards and empty streets, the sounds of sirens filling the once still quiet of night.

"Oh God, oh God," Darren kept whispering, his hold tightening on her hand with every street and dark yard they turned into, until it hurt.

"Wait," Levi gasped suddenly, his voice slicing through the siren filled night.

From up ahead I could see him lowering Kathleen to the ground, panting heavily.

"Kathleen," I gasped, letting go of Darren's hand and rushing to the still form of the pink haired girl. Ruby beat me to it, kneeling at her side.

"Oh no," Ruby said, a sob escaping her. Fear sliced through my heart as I kneeled by Kathleen. Her eyes were closed, her skin so pale it shone in the dim light.

"What happened?" I asked, my voice cracking. Kathleen couldn't be injured, she was so young. "Did she. . . did she get shot?" Relief swept over me as Levi shook his head, still panting.

"When we were running she scraped her knee." Levi assured me, his voice coming out in agonized gasps. "She took one look at the blood and passed out."

I let out a long breath, half of the fear bottled inside me leaving.

"Thank God," Ruby breathed, hugging Kathleen's unconscious form tightly.

"Uh, guys," Riley said. "I hate to be annoying--well actually I love to be annoying--but that's beside that point--"

"He means we can't stay here." Darren cut in, his voice urgent, "The police will be here soon. We have no time to wait around. We need to run."

"Wait." Levi said, his breath still ragged, "I don't know if I can run any further with Kathleen, I'm worn out."

"Dont worry, Levsies." Riley said, stepping forward. "I've got her." And with that, he scooped up Kathleen's still form with a grunt.

"Gosh, she's heavy for a pink princess." Riley grinned

"Okay, let's go" Darren said. Casting a sideways look at me. I looked away, my cheeks reddening slightly at the memory of his firm hand in hers.

"Wait just a minute." Ruby said, "We can't just run around like mice from a cat! They're sure to catch us!"

"She's right," I said, the very thought of getting caught filling me with dread. "We need some place to go. Some way to get away."

"Never fear" Riley grunted, still holding Kathleen, his face twisted with the effort. "You . . . need a plan and . . .I've got one."

"Riley, just put her down," Levi said. "You look like you're dying."

"Thank goodness!" Riley said, letting Kathleen back on the ground with a thud that made me wince "That girl weighs more than an elephant!"

"Well thats rude," I heard Ruby whisper before Darren piped up.

"Get on with it Riley."

"Okay okay!" Riley said, "The first thing we will need for my ingenious plan is a beautifully unlocked car."

~*~

"I really don't think this is a good idea," Ruby hissed.

I couldn't agree more, I thought.

We stood crouched behind a large dumpster in the parking lot near a grungy hotel and McDonald's, the smell of rotten food and other foul things making my nose wrinkle, while in the distance we watched Riley shift from car to car, Darren trailing behind him. The yellow light of the parking lot shined down on them.

"Dont worry," Levi reassured Ruby. "I've known these guys for a while. They were born to do this." His words did nothing to reassure me.

Riley's plan had been this; They would find a car, preferably unlocked, and filled with gas. Then with Riley's masterful car hot-wiring skills they would drive far away from here.

But with the sirens still blaring through the night our plan just made me even more nervous.

Trying to sooth my jagged nerves, I pushed a strand of Kathleens hair out of her face. My heart beated to the throb of the sirens.

"They've found one." Ruby hissed. I looked up to see Riley disappear into a gray convertible-looking thing, followed quickly by Darren. My heart tightened.

If this didn't work out what would we do? I couldn't go back to the Institute now. Not now, not after I had tasted freedom.

The siren filled night was pierced with a different sound, the rumble of a car engine.

"They did it!" Ruby gasped,

"Go!" Levi cried, and we ran, all the fear making my legs move at lightning speed. I was the first to reach the car, and I flung the convertible door open. I held open the door, my limbs tight with tension as Levi barreled into the car, Kathleen still in his arms, Ruby following behind. I jumped in, slamming the door shut.

"Go!" I cried and with that, the car gave a scream of rubber on pavement and we shot forward.

Relief swept over me. We had done it, we had really done it.