We sit in the same position for a long time, probably close to an hour. It didn't take long before the guns stopped firing but it was the guards walking up and down the fence line multiple times with the dogs that stopped us from moving. There was also talk between the guards about the Lawless that had managed to escape over the fence.
It relived me greatly knowing that they hadn't seen my face and recognised me as a resident of Class.
The guards packed up and left after clearing the area, only one guard stayed back to watch the fence. He walked the fence line for one hundred metres right and one hundred metres left, the crunch of leaves alerted us when he walked close behind us.
The hand previously on top of my head suddenly moved around to the front of my neck before pulling my head up to rest back on his shoulder.
"What the fuck have you done" he tightly hissed between his teeth, his mouth pressed to my right ear. He's obviously not happy with what I'd done.
The crunch of leaves gets louder as the guard gets closer before he walks away again. A calloused hand grabs my forearm and pushes me up into a standing position. I dust off my butt as Sage stands up. We're still well hidden, especially in the dark.
I turn to look towards Lawless and see nothing but dark bushes. A sudden shouldering causes me to almost fall over. I stagger out from behind the tree as Sage walks towards Lawless without another word.
I silently jog to catch up to him, as I take one last look at Class.
"No" he growls. He spins around so quick I run into his chest before bouncing off, the hardness of his chest hurting my own. "Go home" the intense look in his eyes sends a shiver down my spine.
I stand there like a stunned fish with my mouth open, unable to form words.
Sage's eyes drop to my mouth, than they harden before a hand reaches for my chin and closes my mouth. He turns around and continues in the direction of Lawless.
"B-but I dont know how to get back over!" I whisper yell. He gives no reaction and keeps moving forward.
I huff out a breath and glance towards the fence. The guard is nowhere in sight but I knew there was no way I could get back over without either the alarm being triggered or the guard seeing me. I didn't know what the consequences of going over the fence as a Class citizen was but I didn't want to find out.
I look back to see Sage is no longer visible.
The crunch of leaves from the guard was getting closer again and I make the split decision to move forward. I was already over the fence what was the point in going back now?
I have no idea where I'm going. I stumble through the mud and bush before coming across a path; there are foot prints in them walking towards Lawless and away from Class. I could only hope they were Sage's.
The trees hung overhead like something out of a horror film, the night sky shining through them. I trip while looking at the sky and land on my hands and knees in a puddle, water spraying up and covering most of my front.
I wipe the hair out of my face and continue on, taking notice of the cut on my knee. The dull ache in both sides of my ribs reminding me of the injuries I had received.
The thirty minute walk is a tough trek before I come across lights in the distance. The whole time I had been following the foot prints in the mud so I must be headed towards Lawless.
I eventually reach the out skirts of a town, the foot prints no longer visible.
Bright lights fill the sky, as loud music spills out of shops and bars. Girls dressed in very little clothing line the streets, talking within groups while drunken men stumble out of clubs.
I had never seen anything like it.
The familiar sound of gunshots ring out, drawing my attention to a man further down the street shooting up into the air, his happy hollowing loud and cheerful.
"Who are you?" the voice shocks me out of people watching. To my left is a girl around my age, her hair and makeup dark in colour and she's dressed in minimal clothing; she looks freezing. "I haven't seen you before"she says.
I know better than to mention I'm from Class, I have a feeling we aren't well liked here. So I come up with the next best thing.
"I, uh, I'm looking for Sage" her eyebrows raise as she looks me up and down.
"You're looking for Rage?" she asks. Rage?
"No. Sage" I repeat.
"Same difference, you're looking for Rage Creed" the girl rolls her eyes. She butts out a cigarette I hadn't noticed before walking away.
I look back towards the street, it's packed and people are everywhere.
"Well, are you coming?" She continues on while talking over her shoulder at me.
I decide to go for it, I've got nothing to lose, lets just hope it's not obvious I'm not from here.
I catch up to her as we reach the side walk.
"So what's your name?" she asks. Her black boots drag along the ground roughly.
"Dove" I answer. Her eyebrows pull together in thought.
"Nope, never heard of you; I'm Ivy" she puffs out before pulling another cigarette out of her pocket. She cups her hand and lights it. The tinge of pink on her nose and cheeks giving away how cold she is.
I look up and notice the stares. Everybody we pass stops what they are doing and stares. Even the belligerent drunks are staring.
"Why are they staring?" I ask Ivy. My voice quiet so no passers-by overhear.
"You don't fit in here" Ivy says in a normal volume. "I mean, who wears collars" she chuckles before flicking her cigarette. My cheeks redden as a group of scantily dressed girls hear Ivy and laugh with her. I pull at my collar in discomfort.
Occasional yells and cat calls from men across the street are heard; even some of the girls join in.
"Just ignore them, they'll get bored eventually" Ivy tells me. No one ever does that back home, I guess no one ever had to grab another persons attention like that; most adults already had their marriages arranged by the time they are 21.
The lights of the town start to fade as we continue walking into dark neighbourhoods. Desolate and run down houses line both sides of the street. It's the complete opposite to Class. The grass is grown out, the footpath and street have cracks in the pavement causing weeds to grow through. There are stray animals wondering around and litter lines the gutters.
Although, it seems those houses are the more sort after homes because the further from town, the worse it gets. It is pitch black, no street lights line the street and the only light we have is from the moon.
I begin to question my decision to put my trust in Ivy. Is she taking me somewhere other than to Sage? Did she know I am from Class?
"Here" Ivy says, her tone bored. She stops in front of a small one story house that looks like it's about to fall apart, the roof has caved in in certain areas, while the once white gate that lined the property is now rusted and broken in places.
Walking up the steps of the porch is difficult as two of the three steps are broken in half.
The windows show a dull, orange glow illuminating in the house, the flicker of it indicating it is most likely a fire.
Ivy doesn't bother to knock and loudly pushes open the creaking door. I stay back in the doorway contemplating whether to run or not.
"Rage!" Ivy drags out his name through the house, almost in a teasing tone, the smirk in her voice evident. "I've got a present for you" she sings while walking down the hallway before turning left into a room where the fire light comes from.
I hear deep murmurs, along with multiple other voices, all of which are male.
I take a deep breath and close the door behind me, the floor creaks beneath my feet as I walk down the hallway towards the room on the left.
Turning the corner I see five guys, beers in hand, including Sage. All of them have the same look to them, raggedy and dirty. They're sitting around a fire that's contained in a barrel in the middle of the room, sitting on camp chairs. The rest of the room, along with the connecting kitchen is empty.
Ivy stands behind one guy, blonde in appearance. She leans on the back of his chair, gazing at me.
"Ta da!" Ivy's voice rings out, her hands stretching out towards me in the doorway almost as if she's presenting me.
I feel the heat of his stare right away, burning into my soul and igniting something within me. The sudden sound of a glass beer bottle breaking as it's thrown to the floor makes me jump. My immediate reaction is to step back and bring my hands to my ears.
"What the fuck".