"Gerard! Let me down, please, they're right behind us!"
So here I am, struggling against Gerard, the threatening sirens having stopped.
They stopped because, well... the Identity Takers are directly behind us.
"Lynx? What are you talking about? Nobody is-" Gerard still looks and sounds frantic, and doesn't seem to notice.
"Let me down, and look for yourself! We have to go!" I point behind Gerard's shoulder.
As soon as he turns to look, he sets me down immediately and starts to run. I, of course, take off after him.
"I told you!" I shout to Gerard whilst running. When I look over my shoulder, I can see the blue and green lights. They're chasing us now.
"Now is not the time, Lynx," He mutters, then adds a remark. "And don't you think I knew that?"
"Knew what?" I ask. "You knew that they were tailing us?"
"Of course I did! I just..." He pauses to take a breath. "I just pretended I didn't."
I scoff. "Yeah, suuure you did."
"I-I'm serious." Gerard presses.
"Yeah, sure, I totally believe-"
Gerard shoves me to the right and I go stumbling, almost falling to the ground.
"What the heck was that for!?" I gasp, searching for breath and my footing.
"I had to find a way to get you to shut up and go the way I wanted you to go," Gerard shrugs. "Now follow me." He leads me around a corner and into another dark alleyway. I think I can hear yelling behind us.
"You hear that? You think they're onto us?" I shout, barely keeping up with how fast Gerard is twisting and turning around the corners.
"Uh... hard to say," He looks behind him briefly. "Best not to think about it."
"But what if they-"
"Just follow me and keep your mouth shut." Gerard snaps.
He ducks down to the ground. I'm not sure at first, when I stop and crouch beside him- then I know exactly what he's doing right away.
"The sewer! We're actually going down into the sewer." I take in a deep breath. Maybe I'll get to get back to my area and collect my supplies... or maybe we can even stay down there.
"Yeah," Gerard slowly pushes the heavy lid away. "But don't get any stupid ideas. We're just staying down here until the cops pass."
My heart drops. "Oh... okay."
Gerard climbs down into the sewer and I follow him. The light plunges into an almost completely pitch-black darkness. I can hear the heavy sound of the hatch being closed. The smell, is all too familiar. That same gross, dusty smell that stays heavy in your lungs. A small clicking sound erupts, and then there's a sudden brightness.
"This should be good enough." Gerard says, holding his lighter (the thing he most obviously created the light with) up to the ceiling.
I sigh and lean up against a nearby wall. "So, we're just gonna stay in here?"
He leans against the wall beside me, making sure the lighter still obtains the light. "Yes, like I just said- until the cops pass."
"So, until it's pretty much quiet?" I can still hear the faint sounds of the yelling and sirens.
Under the dim, yellow light, I can see Gerard rolling his eyes. "Yes. Do you not have your own thinking process?"
"Hey, no need to be like that. I just like to confirm things so I feel more secure." I hold up my arms in defense.
"It's stupid and annoying." I can hear how irritated he is in his voice.
Jeez. Sometimes he can be such a jerk. "Wow, haven't heard that one before."
"Just shut up."
"Listen, Gerard, I know you don't like me or something, but it would be a lot easier to get through this if you could be a little nicer to me." I say, hoping he won't stab me for saying this.
Gerard shakes his head and looks at his feet. "It's not that I don't like you, exactly, it's just..." He trails off.
"I know, you don't want to talk about it." I sigh.
There's a brief silence. A siren blares lightly in the background, a couple shouts accompanying it. Gerard's face flickers with uncertainty in the light.
"What were you doing in the convenience store?" He says after the short silence. I can't tell if he's just looking to pass the time and make it less awkward, or if he's actually interested.
I look towards Gerard, a little surprised. "I was, uh, stealing food and stuff, and then the fire started."
"Oh." He nods slowly.
"What were you doing in the convenience store?"
Gerard swallows. "I was, uh... I was also stealing."
I tilt my head, curious now. "Stealing what? You were in the employee room, so, I don't see how there's much to steal in there."
"Money." Gerard sighs.
"Money? Really?" I raise an eyebrow. "And you really thought you would need it?"
"I was thinking, 'oh, you never know, you may need it'", He shakes his head and almost seems to laugh at himself. "I dunno, it's stupid. Everything I do always ends up getting messed up."
"Hey, don't be like that," I say, trying to show him I care. "You've lasted this long without getting caught, right? That worked out."
Gerard looks at me and nods hesitantly. "Yeah... I guess so."
More silence.
More sirens.
More shouting.
"Hey, can I, uh... can I ask you something?" Gerard almost looks embarrassed. It's hard to tell under the dim yellowness, though.
"... Sure."
"Why didn't you just leave?"
"What do you mean?"
He sighs again. "Why didn't you just escape once you realized I wasn't there?"
"Oh, well-" I blink. I'm not sure if I know, myself. I mean, I can't tell him the real reason, can I? It might weird him out or something. "I didn't want to, uh..."
"Jeez, spit it out." Gerard snaps.
"Ididn'twanttoleaveyou." I say it quickly. Now I'm the one who's embarrassed.
"Really? I couldn't understand a word you just said." He raises an irritated eyebrow at me.
I take a deep breath. "I didn't want to leave you."
Gerard squints. He's got that look on his face again- the one where he looks like he's trying really hard to figure something out. "That doesn't make sense." He just shakes his head, completely confused for some reason.
"How? Tell me how, Gerard- how it doesn't make sense." I cross my arms.
"Because, Lynx," There he goes again. Saying my name like it's a bad thing. "I carved my freaking name into your arm. You shouldn't want to be around me."
"I'm aware of what you did," I nod. "But I don't care. I don't hold grudges. I'm not like that."
"But this is different!" His voice raises like he's mad, but I can tell he isn't. "You can't just be 'friends' with someone who does that to you."
"Why are you so offended? Do you want me to be mad at you or something? Do you want me to be afraid?" I ask, wanting to yell. I don't want to risk being found.
Gerard runs a hand nervously through his hair. "No, I don't want you to be scared or anything... it's just, I don't know. This doesn't seem right. I just don't get it."
He doesn't get it, but I think I do. "You haven't had a friend in a while, huh, Gerard?"
Gerard stops. "Well, no..."
"But you did, right?"
He looks down at his feet and nods. "Yeah."
"And they didn't treat you very well."
"Yeah, that's right."
"So you're just not used to someone being 'nice' to you, I guess." I shrug. I could be right. Maybe not.
"I don't really know. Or care."
"What happened?" I ask, finally feeling like I've somehow- just slightly- got to him. "With your family and friends, I mean."
He swallows, his eyes shimmering. "My parents are dead." Gerard shrugs. He's trying hard not to breakdown, I can see it.
"How do you know?"
"I saw them die," He turns his head towards me, this time, and stares me right in the eyes. "They were killed by the cops."
I gawp. "Why? What did they do?"
Gerard shakes his head. "Nothing. They were... completely supportive. I told them I didn't want to face the stupid new law. I guess I didn't realize how bad it really was. Anyways, they accepted that and tried to hide me from the world."
I nod, slowly, understanding. "But they couldn't."
"Yeah," That old distant look is back in his eyes. "Cops found out. You can guess what happened next."
"And you ran way?"
"Of course. I wasn't gonna let them take me. Not for such a ridiculous reason, like being different," Gerard scoffs. "I mean, seriously, who's screwed up mind thought of this?"
I smirk. "I dunno. Someone who really hates originality, I suppose."
"Yeah, well, I'm gonna find out one day."
The silence is back again.
But this silence is different. The silence is actually... silent. No sirens. No voices. Just quiet.
"Hey, you hear that?" I ask, pointing to the ceiling.
Gerard frowns. "Uh, no."
"Exactly!" I smile. "They're all gone."
Gerard walks away from the wall and listens. "You're right. We should probably head back to my place now."
I nod. "Okay."
Gerard slowly pushes the sewer lid up, looks around to make sure nobody is coming, and hoists himself up. "It's all clear."
I approach the light, reaching up and trying to lift myself up like Gerard did.
I'm not exactly the strongest person in the world.
"Here," Gerard rolls his eyes and reaches for me. "I'll help you."
I nod and grasp onto his hands. My heart leaps. It's strange... his grasp is a lot gentler than I thought it would be.
I climb up and, once standing, brush myself off. "Thanks."
"Don't get used to it." Gerard says firmly and starts walking back the way we came.
"Yeah, yeah, whatever." I raise an eyebrow at Gerard. It's too late for that- I'm already getting warmed up to him.
As we're walking back, I'm surprised to actually hear another question come from Gerard's mouth.
"What about your family?"
I shrug. "I don't know. I just woke up one day and they were gone. I'm not sure where they went."
Gerard scowls. "They just... left you there? For yourself?"
"Yeah," Honestly, I'm a bit shocked by how mad he seems over that. "But whatever."
"No, not 'whatever.' They're your parents, Lynx. They could still be alive." Gerard's voice is strangely determined.
"So? What advantage would I be giving them if we reunited? They'd get arrested or killed, just for knowing me," I then lower my voice. "You know what I'm talking about, Gerard. You experienced it."
He nods, solemnly. "I know, but I lost my parents, and I think if you could still have yours..." He stops himself, and squints.
"What? What is it?"
"Nothing. Just forget what I was talking about." He growls.
"Woah, what happened with you?" I frown at him. It seems like he caught himself caring, and it's like he doesn't want to.
"Nothing," Gerard repeats, then points as his small house appears. "We're here. Let's go inside before anyone notices."
"Okay." My voice drops. Maybe I've still got work to do yet.
Gerard locks the door behind us as we walk up the stairs. I'm kind of hoping I don't have to stay locked in my room anymore, y'know, considering we kinda just bonded. Right? That should be a good enough reason not to be treated like a prisoner.
But that doesn't happen.
When I hesitate by the door, Gerard gives me this unimpressed look, and I sadly turn away into my room.
The door locks behind me.
Now what? I can't tell whether he still barely tolerates me or not.
As I'm sitting down on my bed, I hear Gerard's muffled voice from outside of my room. "Don't fall asleep too late."
I get up and walk over to the door, placing my ear on it. "Why?"
"We're waking up early tomorrow, obviously."
I roll my eyes. "But why?"
"You'll see."