Atlas (A Selection/Hat Films Fanfiction)

~ Nineteen ~

I checked the map again, thankful that Simon and Lewis had brought one. I assumed I would know the way, but everything looked completely foreign to me. I had vague memories of the streets and even some dream-like recollections of neighbors, but nothing important stirred in my mind as we slunk along privacy fences. It was a residential suburb, so there weren't many places to hide if something came up. I didn't realize how long it had been since I was in this type of area; Allsport was all brick and concrete with plenty of alleys and bridges for hiding, but the four of us had to use the sidewalks and could only cut through yards.

On the train, I had brought up the possibility that there would be neighborhood watch or local police patrolling the area, but Lewis had assured me that he could handle any officers who might bother us. I didn't ask how, but we didn't run into anyone as we rounded the corner and found a car parked on the street to hide behind.

It was definitely my house. I didn't know what to expect, but I felt my chest squeeze as I saw the change in color, a completely new porch, and, most importantly, a car in the driveway. I swallowed down my disappointment; of course someone was living there. In rich neighborhoods like this, they didn't just abandon things to rot - Not houses, anyway.

"Um, Atlas. . ." Alexandre said after a moment, but I shushed him.

"There's a storm door to the basement in the back," I explained, having already thought this through, "As long as I'm right and there really is something down there, then we just have to be quiet and not wake anyone."

"How can you be sure no one is down there?" asked Simon, suddenly looking nervous. I had broken into houses before, but I surprised myself as I calmly worked through my plan B.

"I want you three to stay here," I whispered, hearing the silt crunch under my boots as I twisted to look at them. Lewis and Simon both nodded their heads, trusting me that I knew what I was doing. Alexandre, however, spoke up.

"I'll go with you," he offered, shifting his weight onto his other knee.

I was about to tell him all the reasons why I thought that was a terrible idea, but then thought better of it. He could at least be my lookout, and by now I knew he was too stubborn to take no for an answer. We didn't have all night.

I grabbed the collar of his sweatshirt with one hand. "You do exactly what I say," I hissed, "I don't want you jeopardizing all the work we've done so far."

"I will Atlas," he said, surprisingly passive.

I took a deep breath. "Alright, if we're not out in 10 minutes, come get us," I told the two guards as I peaked over the hood of the car. They would be fine if they huddled low between this car and a newspaper stand that stood next to it.

Without another word I took off, running as quickly and as carefully as I could across the street, looking left and right to make sure no one was outside. Alex wasn't as graceful and I could hear the scrape of his shoes against the pavement, but I decided it wouldn't be enough to alarm anyone.

"I'll boost you," the prince said as we rounded the side of the house and reached the tall wood gate to the backyard. I furrowed my eyebrows at him, shaking my head and giving him a silent, incredulous look. I wasn't about to trust that he somehow knew how to boost someone over a fence or that he could even support my full weight like that.

This hadn't been here when I was little, but I've climbed enough fences that I wasn't intimidated. Alexandre could probably just pull himself up there, but instead I took two long steps back and went for a running jump for the small section of fence where it connected to the house. Using my foot to push myself off the siding, I gave myself plenty of air to throw my arms over the top of the fence and hang there for a moment. The detailed cut on the top made my armpits slide in between the slats painfully, and my foot scrapped off the side too loudly as I tried to free myself.