Darkness Girl: Trickster God

Chapter Forty-One: Fortress of Flesh

Forester looked away from Regan in disgust. The room was splattered with blood and worse. The bodies of Dieter and the two enforcers looked like piles of garbage discarded amongst the debris and destruction. More than half of the metal benches were overturned or in pieces and there were chunks of broken tiles scattered across the floor. 

He watched Gareth carefully. He looked like a man about to make his last stand. Forester saw him cautiously slip a hand into his pocket. When he pulled it out, he was clutching a set of brass knuckles. Forester knew he needed to act before Gareth was able to use them. 

He started to run before he even knew what he was doing. He ignored Gareth and sprinted towards Eva, still sitting on the floor completely oblivious to the horror around her. Gareth must have had the same idea. Forester reached her as Gareth turned around. A look of anger flashed across his face. 

'Nice try kid.' 

Forester scooped Eva up and jumped back as Gareth's fist whipped past his face. He stumbled as he adjusted to carrying her weight, and Gareth reached out to try and grab her foot. Forester wasn't even thinking anymore; he moved with instinct alone, pulling Eva away from Gareth's grasp and falling against the door of the freezer. Gareth was tenacious though. He advanced on Forester with murder in his eyes. 

Forester was about to lash out with a foot, when suddenly Regan was there. She landed between them in a crouch and turned on Gareth. Gareth jumped back to escape her knife, and Forester lost his balance as he tried to pull back from his kick. He stumbled and bumped into Regan. When he looked up, she was staring back with a demonic expression. 

'Get out of the way.' 

Regan put her hand on his face and pushed him back with a vicious shove. He twisted to shield Eva with his body, and his shoulder hit the door of the freezer. Eva struggled like a kitten in his arms. She stretched out and twisted around to watch what was going on without any fear that he might drop her. When she saw Regan, she giggled and bounced in Forester's arms. 

'It's the blue haired lady!' 

'I know.' 

'She beat you up.' 

'I know.' 

Gareth started to circle around Regan to block off Forester's avenue of escape, but she followed him with relaxed, deliberate steps. 

Forester watched the two of them gauge one another. It was like a slow, elaborate dance. Regan blocked Gareth again and sighed. 

'Could you be any more useless?' 

It took a second for Forester to realise that she was speaking to him. 

'I've got Eva.' 

'The door isn't just there for decoration.' 

Forester looked from Regan to Gareth and realised that she was deliberately giving him a free run at the exit. He held Eva tighter and ran towards Sarafina. He reached her with his heart thundering in his ears and thrust Eva into her arms. Sarafina held her sister with one arm and hugged him fiercely. 

'You stupid fool,' she whispered. 

Forester looked back at Regan. Somehow, she was still holding Gareth at bay. He took a deep gulp of air and coughed.

'I thought he was going to go after us the instant I turned my back.'

'He can't with her blocking him like that,' said Sarafina. 'Every move she makes is like a threat.' 

Forester watched Regan's movements, and tried to look at them like a fighter. Every time Gareth moved, she positioned herself so she could easily intercept him. Gareth was being careful with his distance. He'd seen what Regan could do, and he was trying not to be caught off guard. Regan was using that to her advantage. It was like she had an invisible forcefield around her that let her manipulate his movements. She stepped around a table and forced Gareth to retreat. He glanced over her shoulder at Sarafina and shrugged in disgust.