Dagger

Chapter 10

    "She says she seen a suspicious figure. She seemed pretty shaken..." Melody said as she and Jack joined them at the sidewalk.

    Jack looked over at her, questioningly. "What should we do then?"

    "Split up and see if we can find anything." Melody had a determined look on her face.

   Just as they were about to split up, there was a shrill scream that echoed through the quiet street. As they ran towards the scream, they all pulled out their weapons. They kept running until they reached the end of the street. They found themselves in front of another worn down home. The door was open as if it were hauntingly coaxing them to enter. The small front yard had an old mattress lying in the dead brown grass.

    "I'm heading in," Melody eyed the creepy house. "Two of you scour the yard."

    She walked towards the house. Forest made a look at the brothers, begging them to let him go with her. They nodded in understanding and he ran after her.

    "Melody." He caught up to her and now walked beside her, matching her pace.

    She inhaled. "Of course you would want to come." Her voice had an edge to it, she sounded frustrated at him even though he didn't do anything.

    Forest put his hand on her shoulder and faced her. Worry and confusion written on his face. She turned to face him. "You're so confusing. One moment you slap me, the next you laugh at my jokes, what is with you?"

        She inhaled once more. "I honestly don't know, Forest. I'm confused myself. I want to be friends with you and I want to trust you, but I have to be real with myself. Your motives are hidden and I don't know you."

    Forest slightly shook his head. "I told you my intentions."

    "Yeah, well people can be deceiving," She rolled her head in exasperation. "Look, can we just get on with the mission?"

    Forest determinedly nodded his head, but couldn't hide the sadness in his eyes as they continued to walk towards the house.

    The wooden floorboards creaked as they stepped over the threshold of the door. Melody adjusted her hands on her axe, then they slowly made their way through the kitchen. The kitchen was definitely old and the home smelled like cigarettes.

    "Clear," Melody said, as they carefully made their way to the open living room next to the kitchen.

    The only light in the room came from a single lamp next to a lone recliner chair. The window had its blinds closed and the television flickered through the news.

    "Clear," Forest said as he relaxed out of his combat stance.

    Melody gestured to the ceiling. "Should we head upstairs?"

    Forest nodded and they went back into the kitchen to the old wooden stairs. The upstairs lights were on and Forest could've sworn he seen a shadow move from over Melody's shoulder.

    As they neared the top of the stairs, Forest heard shuffling. It sounded almost like struggling, and then a grunt. He ran into Melody's outstretched hand and he stopped at the top of the stairs.   In the middle of the hallway there was an empty wooden dining chair, and standing in front of it was a young man with a machete. He held a plump old man, who was sweating.

    "Don't move or he gets it!" The young man snarled. Forest could tell he was definitely angry about something. He had a detailed rose tattoo on the back of the hand that held the machete up to the man.

    "We're not looking for trouble." Melody held her hands in surrender and she took half a step back.

    The young man's black hair was messy as if his hands had been wrung through it multiple times. There were eye bags underneath his monolid shaped eyes. He suddenly moved, causing both Melody and Forest to take half a step back, but all the man did was kick the door that was beside him. The door opened and another man entered the hallway. In one swift movement the man threw a small throwing knife. Forest threw himself in front of Melody and the small knife lodged itself in his arm.