Bounty Of Ash And Mercy

FERN

"To those who yearns for change."

_____________________________________

Thick hot liquid runs down my arm, the taste of metal lingering on my tongue. I wipe my mouth, red painting my fingers, running down like concentrated watercolor.

Blood

I pant, body swaying slightly as I mildly struggled to stay upright. My arm leaning on a wall for support. My other arm, injured, slowly bleeding out.

Hunters are so annoying.

I jerk my head to the side, narrowly avoiding the gunshot to my head. I took a breath, pulling my hood up more securely and took off running.

"He's there, get him!"

And ruthless.

I rolled my eyes at the familiar words. Really, can't they be more creative when they spot someone? No doubt they were grouping up to chase me now.

My boots cladded loudly on the gravel floor, running through the busy streets without rest, passing through the crowds of people who were way too busy dealing with their own shit to care about what innocent young me is up to.

Hah, can't shoot me in the middle of so many people now, can you?

The loud clink of metal hitting the gravel underneath my feet said otherwise, as well as a rain of lazers following right after.

Me and my big brain. How can I possibly forget their newest invention, the blind gun! Or, well, a lazered gun that isn't technically lethal but it can stun and sting you. Like a bee, but imagine a higher dosage of their poison and then add paralyzing shit.

Or you can. Yeah. Sorry not sorry for underestimating you.

Looks like I was unlucky enough to be chased down by the ruthless hunters.

I heavily underestimated the amount of greed they have for my bounty. My bounty isn't that high.. is it?

...

Better check that out with my team later.

I kept running, the crowd of people now beginning to part, not wanting to be part of this 'drama' less they want to have unnecessary damages that will pile up in the governments delayed payments.

My eyes dart around, trying to find any exit that could help me. Any grounds or space that the guards won't follow me through.

Finally, my eyes landed on a Cafe. Which was right next to an alleyway narrow enough that the hunters won't follow me through. Then, my eyes landed on the cafe table outside, and an elderly woman sitting on one of the tables, petting her cat. There wasn't any other way to get to that narrow way, unless I risk stopping at my current speed and be caught by the hunters.

...

Now, if the things I plan on doing after were done by anyone else, I would've called them a lunatic. A crazy, risky, son of a minesweeper.

Right now, though, I couldn't care less.

Whispering an apology to the elderly woman, praying she doesn't have a heart attack, I slid and ducked underneath the cafe table, hearing the woman's scream and the cat's hiss, avoiding the cat's razor sharp claws as I quickly slipped into the alleyway.