The Last Few Dollars

Chapter 5

"What did you promise him? What did you do?" He practically yells, his hands on my shoulders as he roughly shakes me. I very carefully do not react to his movements, locking my limbs in place by my sides as every instinct screams for me to incapacitate him and run.

I breathe deeply and, moving swiftly, twisting my body so that his hands fall from my shoulders and I'm closer to the door, I answer him.

"I promised to help him with his... man problems, and the deal was already done. It's over, behind me. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to decide what I want to do with he information - do what you want, and try not to give me any more incentive to keep it to myself." I say with an anger I don't feel, before turning on my heel and storming out of the warehouse again.

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I turn the paper over in my hands, over and over again. My vision is still red with anger at Harper for what he said earlier, and anger at myself for going to the lengths I did to try and calm down - something that's only complicated this whole thing infinitely more than it needs to be. I exhale heavily, closing my eyes.

The temperature drops as the sun begins to set. I can feel the cold beginning to seep through my jacket, and wrap it tighter around me. Instinctively, my eyes move around, scanning the area for somewhere relatively hidden away for me to sleep. I don't want to go back in the warehouse, not now that everyone will know what I've done, and that I'm not sharing the information that could save their lives, but it's cold, almost too cold for me to sleep out here alone.

Almost.

Giving in to my habits, I stand and pick my way through piles of broken glass and stone that's been chipped off buildings, some of it stained a dark red, and find a dark corner to curl up in, resting my head on my bag as a pillow. This feels more normal, I note - cold, hard concrete beneath me and nothing but my jacket for warmth. Though the window across from me, I can see the sun just starting to cross the horizon, and I watch it until it disappears completely.

Well, I would, if someone didn't stand in my way of the view.

"Chlo!" A familiar voice calls, and I immediately identify who it is that's stopping me from watching the sun. "Chloe, come back, I'm sorry! I didn't mean what I said."

"Sure you didn't," I mutter under my breath, not moving, not giving any sign that I can hear him, that I'm so close to him and he doesn't even know I'm here.

"I know you can hear me, Chlo." Harper says, and I stiffen, my entire body tensing, ready to move and make a speedy getaway. I don't want to be near him right now, I'll only end up hurting him. "I know you can see me, too, which means you've gotta be close. And that means that I can see you, curled up over in that dark corner over there." I still don't move, trying desperately not to do anything to confirm his statement.

I'm a rock, I'm a stone, I'm a pile of rubble, I'm not here- I think. Don't move, stay perfectly still-

I shut my eyes, and a torchlight suddenly waves over me, and I know that I've been revealed, that he can see me, that he's found me. Without thinking, I grab my bag and swing it up onto my back, standing up and running in the same movement. The wall behind me, thankfully, had a hole in it, and now I squeeze through it and take off, throwing everything I have into my escape. My heart races in my chest and the only sounds I can hear are my ragged breathing and two sets of feet running - mine, and his.

My eyes dart around everywhere, looking for somewhere to go, somewhere to hide. I'll double back and then hide somewhere else, maybe even back where I was before - he won't check there again.