Elemental

Chapter 7

The next day, they set out again. They were nearing the next camp when Bane stopped in his tracks. He was walking in front of Christine and she nearly ran into his behind.

"What is it, Bane?" She asked, placing her hand on his back.

His ears were raised and he was pointing his nose to the right. She knew that meant he was warning her of an attack, whether or not it was a Raider or an animal, they were soon to find out.

"We've got company. I'll go head them off, you three go on ahead." She said, pulling herself onto Bane's back.

"You have no idea where the camp is. I'll come with you." Damien said, already pulling himself up behind her.

She knew she didn't have time to argue so she urged Bane towards the noise. He broke into a sprint. They only made it a few yards before they heard shots being fired. Bane made a hard right and hid behind a cluster of trees. They jumped off his back and pulled out their pistols. Christine peeked around the corner and saw three Raiders hidden amongst the trees. She shot one in between the eyes and Damien took down another. The third dropped his gun and ran.

Christine extended her hand toward the Raider who was trying to get away when Damien tackled her. The flames died in her hand as she used it to catch herself. Damien rolled off of her and she stumbled to her feet to glare down at him.

"What the hell was that? You let him get away!" She snarled.

Damien stood up and brushed the grass from his pants. "He was just a scout and we're miles away from the hideout. You don't have to kill every Raider you see."

"He's the enemy!"

"Is he? For all you know he was in the same boat as I was a few months ago. He wasn't threatening us, was he? He dropped his weapon and ran." Damien said, glaring down at her. "I don't think you realize this but there are a lot of people that are on the dictators' side because they're afraid. They see being on their side as their only option to survive and provide for their families." His eyes bored into hers. "Would you shoot a man who stole bread to feed his family?"

"That's not the same thing!"

"For some people it is! I'm not telling you to spare those who are trying to kill you but to spare those that aren't a threat. Not everyone is worth saving but don't you think that we've lost enough people as it is?"

She didn't say anything, just looked down at her feet. She was reminded of her own father's tragic end. His screams had haunted her for years, still did from time to time. Every time she saw a Raider, she heard her father dying in agony. It wasn't enough to shot him dead, they made it hurt. She hadn't seen what exactly happened to her father the night she ran for her life, but she could imagine based on the screams. It was those theories that kept her up some nights.

Damien was right, even if she didn't want to admit it. It wasn't fair to blame every Raider she saw for the death of her father. She understood trying to survive and might have been in the same boat if not for her powers. She had to be more willing to be empathetic of others' situations. God knows that she knows what it's like to do whatever it takes to survive.

"We can't take back power by using the same tactics that the dictators' did. We have to be better than they are." He said, softly.

He rested his hand on her arm but she didn't flinch away like she normally did every time someone tried to touch her.

"It's going to be hard since you're used to others always trying to kill you," he said. "But the sooner you trust in us and the organization, the sooner you'll get out of survival mode."

Her lips quirked. "To kill or not to kill, that is the question."

Damien laughed. "I didn't know you knew Shakespeare."

She shrugged. She used tosteal books for a chance to escape her life if only for a little while. "Weaponsand food weren't the only things I stole."