Stage One: Hope in Darkness

Gun Point (Annabelle)

Stay here. Signing to Hannibal as I step out of the truck. Shutting the door softly so as not to draw any unwanted attention to our location. Shadow gracefully jumps out of the back, his movements are smooth. One clean motion.

"Ah the fresh smell of walkers, brings such joy to my heart," Nut job. We all move towards the station, even Shadow had the good sense to stay quiet. Hopefully they would have some gas, and maybe even supplies Lara still needed some gear, she was using mine and I could tell that it bothered her.

I write out that I will check inside and she should check out here. A division of labor to get us quickly back on the road. Shadow of course decides to follow me. Great now I have a growth. Do I just attract weirdos? Is there some sort of smell that I give off? A pheromone that just makes them all nuts about me and makes them want to be all crazy next to me?

Trying, and failing, to shoo him away. He just takes my outstretched hand and laces his fingers with mine. I quickly yank my hand back. Weirdo. We move into the station slowly with the sounds of Shadows chuckles behind me.

Shadow separates from me when Lara calls for the key, good riddance. I'm in the store room, where they keep all the goodies before they go on the shelves. Gaining bags I start to fill them, with the truck we can afford to carry more with us. If Lara can get it gassed up.

There is a bag in there, a bow strapped to it. It must have belonged to another survivor. A quick perusal of its contents produces a handgun, there was even ammo. And it was the right kind. You couldn't count the number of times people just shoved ammo in their packs without caring if it was the right kind. Ammo was ammo right. Wrong. Ammo was like cinderella's slipper, if it didn't fit just right then it was all wrong. No one would be marrying the ugly step sisters.

Lara could use this. A handgun was more her speed than my SVD with custom barrel and scope. I loved gun enthusiasts. That gun had been a seriously lucky find. The house I broke into had an extensive collection. What I could carry I had stashed, burying it in a water proof bag and making sure to keep an eye on the location to make sure no one found it. Maybe we can stop by, it would be a good place to arm ourselves for the fight ahead.

Shadow comes back into the room, breaking me out of my reverie.

"Miss me?" Yeah like a knife to the eye. I throw the bag at him, it may hit him in the face. And yes it makes me smile, and no I am not going to regret it.

Take this to Lara.

Holding up the paper so he can see it. "So bossy," He winks at me, then leaves again. A small shopping art makes for the perfect transport for all the bags I have stuffed with supplies. I push the art out of the back room, Shadow is crouched down by the front door. He glances back, a finger on his lips. Quiet.

Moving over to him without hesitation I crouch down right beside him. Listening.

"Up in flames," A man's voice sounds from outside. The tone is thick, his accent making it harder to understand his words. The south. He must be one of his. And Lara is out there with them all alone. I need to get out there. Out the window above me I can see as several men approach Lara, weapons raised. We need to get Lara and get the hell out of here.

Lara catches my eyes briefly. She signs one thing, one word that seems to remember from our lesson in the woods. Run.

No. I feel that word throughout my entire being. Not again, never again. Shadow however seems to have different plans. He grips my wrist firmly pulling me behind him through the store, heading for the back door. No. I fight him, struggling to get my arm free. The force of his grip is unwavering, it will leave marks. A perfect bruised imprint of his fingers. Of that I am sure. And I don't care.

Only fighting harder the further we get from Lara. At the door is when I lose all control. I throw hits his way with my other arm. Even kicking out at him. Shadow takes all of this in his stride. Wrapping me up in a bear hug from behind, trapping both arms in the process. Fuck we are going to leave her! Please we can't leave her. I kick back in a desperate attempt to get him to let me go, I hear grunts and whispered curses. He throws me over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes and finally manages to get me through the back door.

Only one option left to me. I scream, or at least I try to. My voice lets out a scraping wheeze. Put me down you crazy person! Please...please don't do this. I mouth the words, still not making a sound. Tears start to fall as Shadow carries me into the trees, further and further from Lara. I band my useless fists against his solid back. The hits are going to leave bruises.

A startling realization hits me as the gas station disappears from view. Shadow had lied to me back in the woods when he had said he didn't understand me. He had caught Lara's sign and knew exactly what it had meant. He knew sign language.

Now I was even more pissed. The tears cry in a heartbeat and all that is left is blinding fury. I fight back with even more force. So what if I break his bones. I want to bring this man to his knees. His sounds increase. His grunts with every strike and I hear the air leave him after a particularly aggressive knee to the chest. Shadow wastes no time, tightening his hold. His arms a vice around my legs. With every step we get further and further from Lara. I had to get back now before it is too late.

I open my mouth and bite him, hard. I feel my teeth break skin and I taste blood. Suddenly I am airborne. All the air is knocked out of me as I slam into the ground. He is on top of me in the flap of a hummingbird's wings. He has my arms pinned on either side of my head, my legs wrapped in one of his. I try to buck him off.

The tears are back, I can taste their saltiness on my tongue mixing with the metallic taste of Shadows blood. I start mouthing words again, no sound leave my lips but I need him to understand me.

Please, please let me go Shadow.

Don't do this.

I can't let her go, not again.

Please..

Please...

Please..

Shadow's face is contorted in pain as he continues to hold me down. He can definitely understand me, but he still has no intention of letting me go. That's when my pleading turns to screaming. My throat burns. The pain is immense. It could never touch the pain of leaving Lara again. I welcome the pain, I deserve this pain for leaving her.

The roar of a truck starting up hits my ears. They are taking her! With renewed energy I shove at Shadow, twisting and thrashing. His hold slips, finally, and I manage to throw him off me. I take off at a dead sprint. Ignoring the branches tearing at me.

I see the gas station, and tail lights going over the hill down the road. I am slammed into the pavement. My hands make up just in time so I don't break my face on the black road. Damn it! Damn him! I turn all my rage on Shadow. I swing at him, catching him in the jaw. His head snaps backwards. His eyes are swimming. I stand and so does he, I go for him again. He catches this one. Pinning me against him. "Let go of me!" Fuck this voice of mine. I want to scream but still no sound comes out.

Trying for all I am worth to get out of his hold, but this time he has no intention of letting me go. He is too strong, and I am not thinking rationally.

All the fight leaves me in a breath. I collapse against him. Grief replacing all my anger. Great big sobs leave me. I wrap my arms around Shadow instinctively and put my head in the crook of his shoulder. I need someone to hold me together as my world breaks, again. Shadow rocks me back and forth, accepting all of my pain and taking it in.

"I couldn't let them take us. If we got caught then who would be left to save Lara and everyone else." He whispers the words into my hair as he nuzzles in close, "I am so sorry Annabelle," I know he is making sense. Right now though I don't want sense.

I don't like it. I wanna be mad and furious and he is making that really hard to do. Wet touches my fingers. I look down, black fur and amber eyes. Hannibal. She had saved Hannibal. Now it is my turn to save you.