Apocalyptic Princess

Chapter 11

     Holding his head, Rick ran at an angle, toward the street. His brain was still a little off, but he knew he had to keep moving. The rest of the gang would be responding soon, and Rick didn't want to stick around to meet them. Just as he was about to reach the pavement, he remembered his backpack that he left by the hedges. He circled back around to retrieve his bag, and Vid greeted him once again.

      "Great job," the voice crackled through the speaker. "I knew you could do it."

      "Not now," Rick responded.

      "I've got eyes on men coming this way. I wouldn't return to the street."

      "I have to cross the street." Rick wiped his hands across his face. "I have to!"

      "You can still get there. Just stay in the backyards, and run in the direction that they came from. They're all coming this way. I'm leading you to where they aren't. Get it."

      "Yeah," Rick said as he threw his bag on his back. Staying away from the street, Rick ran behind the houses, and away from the fire that was beginning to spread. While the gang was distracted with the explosion, Rick made it to the street that ran parallel to the river. It was the first street he crossed when this journey began. Vid flew up ahead of Rick, who was running as fast as he could, back to the beginning. In familiar territory, he cut through the houses, away from the river, and toward the tree line.

      He had never been happier to run through this patch of trees. When he approached the fence, he threw his bag over, and then himself. Picking himself off of the ground, Rick ran through the tall grass toward his apartment building. A sense of satisfaction washed over him; he had made it, finally. Everything that this night required, used up all of his energy. Outside his building, Rick fell to his knees, and took a minute to catch his breath.

      Worry was beginning to set in. He wondered how Amanda was going to react. Thinking of how to explain himself, he stared up at the third level. She made him nervous. For the moment, she was still his. Once he confronted her, all that he had, could be lost. It was a struggle for him to find the courage to proceed. He was afraid of seeing the disappointment in her eyes. Fear of her anger, kept him on his knees. She was his delicate flower, and he took away her sunshine.

      Knowing that she was owed her freedom, Rick picked himself up out of the dirt. Hanging his head low, he walked with shame, to the bushes beside the apartment building. Before making his way back up to the third floor, he uncovered his repel gear, and stuffed it in his bag. Next to the missing staircase, on the corner, was a vine that ran up the building. The vine was tied off, and hid a rope underneath. When Rick pulled the rope, a large, heavy bag, fell from a ledge, and pulled the vine. Rick held on tight to the vine, attached to the heavy bag, and as it fell, it pulled him up to the third floor. At the top, he had to swing a little bit to catch a hold of the railing, and pull himself onto the top level. Now that he was finally home, his heart was racing.

      Pulling the keys from his pocket, he shuffled his feet to the door that Amanda was stuck behind. Staring at the locks, he paused from embarrassment. It was now time to face what he had done, and this took the most courage he needed all night. He counted to three to give him a timeline to stop procrastinating. On three, he started unlocking the door.

      "Rick," Amanda yelled from the other side of the door. "Rick! Is that you?"

      "Yes, It's me," he answered.

      When the last lock was opened, he pulled the latches away and didn't move. Amanda yanked the door open, and exited the apartment, throwing punches. Her brunette curls rocked back and forth as her small fists beat against his torso in no particular direction. She closed her eyes and let her anger guide her movement. Rick took every punch, and did his best to stay upright from being shoved in between her strikes. Tears rolled down his cheeks, not from the pain of being attack, but from knowing the pain that he caused her. She eventually tired out, and backed away from him. Bending over, with her hands on her knees, she gave him a look that he had never seen from her before. Complete anger resided behind her eyes, and it pierced deep into Rick.