Mid way city is in ruins. Never before have I seen the place so deserted, it's honestly eerie. Nothing ever seems to unnerve me but casing my eyes over destroyed cars, engulfed in flames, definitely made a shiver creep down my spine. Rick is leading the contingent of soldiers, Adrienne never strayed far enough and away from the squad. She had her own gun readied to be unloaded if there is to be unexpected enemies. 'Evacuation in effect' was broadcasting on electronic boards. 'They are like oversized tvs.'
I stop, lifting both of my eyes staring towards a high rise building. Flames reach for the floor above wanting to consume, create more inflicting damage. " Suga' you okay? What's the matter?" Mom came over, resting her pale hand on my jacket. " It's.. I've never seen a city abandoned before. Not like to this extent. Mom do you think dad will come get us? I miss home. And I mean our home."
She tightens her hold, tussling inside of her red and blue linen rib-coat pocket revealing a purple phone. 'Be ready. I'm on my way.' It's dad's number. 'He's coming to get us. That means we can go home.' I think. I should be happy but something is tugging at my heart strings.
" Your daddy is comin for us, sweetie pie'. We'll be back as a family again. But shh. Don't alert no one, okay." That is the quietest I have heard my mom speak, as she cases out the solider's out of ear range. I slowly motion my head in a nod, understanding.
" I am gonna talk to Rickie. Mommy. Don't worry I won't say anything." I hear her light giggle, sensing her hand pat my bottom in a playful demeanour.
" My little girl is growing up." She pouts, before giving an over-elaborate grin. With a prance in my strides, mimicking a doe dancing around during the season of spring, my smile never fades going past Adrienne. Her eyes question what I am doing, my actions, but I ignore her. Rick grunts noticing me fall in step to his walking.
" So, Ricky. Do you want to tell what is happening on this mission. I mean really. I can keep a secret." Abandoned military vehicles are dispersed, in wrecks, hollowed out and left behind to be forgotten. Rick pulls his lips tight together. " That's classified. I'm sorry. I can't disclose information especially to a criminal." I fake hurt, making my lips appear to wobble. 'I was always the good actress.'
He notes my lip tremble. Tightening the grip on his rifle, Rick sighs. " my apologies, Frannie. It wasn't the intention to upset you. I just can.. you were kidding with me. Weren't you?" I convulse in a fit of soft laughter, mentally giving myself a gold star sticker for my performance. His face Morphs in an expression of amusement. Even a half-hearted smirk.
" You got me good, Quinn. I give you a round of applaud." I clung to him, cuddling his masculine arm i could feel through the rain-coat. " Frannie. Don't do this. There are certain boundaries and rules you can't break. Please." I don't think I was doing any thing at all wrong that I shouldn't be.
" Like what. Rick? I just want to hold ya. Is that a problem? No?" A compliance sigh left him, craning his body to stare around to the filed soldiers. All busy searching for enemies.
" Fine. But remain here.. WATCH OUT." Before I could question anything Boomer sucker punches an unsuspecting man behind him, triggering katana to dodge his oncoming weaponised boomerang he threw, flipping expertly in the air like a bad ass. My mouth hangs open at the commotion not expecting it. Slipknot activates the grapple gun device on his waist, managing to connect a rope to a run down building. I notice Rick tapping Slipknot's photo on his controller connected to this wrist.
A miniature explosive sound comes above and I look up in time seeing slipknot's head burst in pieces. I do a surprise yelp, covering my face. 'That was violent.' And I've seen violence happening every day.
" Now that is a killer app." Mom quips, in a joking way. Chuckling to herself about her pun. I had to agree her response, to witnessing a guy having spontaneous combustion, is morbidly hilarious.
" Okay. You wanna keep playing the Hollywood squares version of I'll blow your freaking head off. Are you next?" Adrienne came to where I stood, mouth continuing at gaping, eyes wide staring toward slipknot.
" Have to say. It's surprising that you are shocked at his death. There was bound to be a casualty soon or later on." She whispers, I noticed how she had her eyes trailing on El Diablo. Her face blushing a light dust of pink, as he said a phrase of Spanish regarding what Rick said. 'I see she has a crush. Awe'
" You next, deadshot?" Rick says, wanting to invoke his reaction, agonisingly. Floyd gets in his face, not appreciating the tactic of intimidation, and does a once over. " You threatening me? You are lucky that lil girl, I care about, is close enough to save you from me raining down bullets like the Holy Ghost on your patriotic ass, right here right now. Yeah I see how you look at her, captain righteous. Don't be threatening me again." I furrow my brows at Floyd's words. A subtle hiss in how he's anointing and changing his tone, So it wasn't louder than a murmur as he continues talking.
He loudens his voice with 'Don't be threatening me' pointing an accusing finger.
Rick backs off, his mind pre-occupied by having to use the gadget early then he wanted to, taking a hold of my hand before mumbling " Let's move." I leaned my head to the side, resting my ear on his shoulder.
" Must have been hard for ya to do that, Ricky. He was a good climber, I have to give him credit for that." I could never take anything serious. There is nothing fun in having commodities such as responsibilities and adulting. Live in the moment, present, don't think too much about the tragedies of life.
" You can't take anything seriously. Can't you, Quinn." If there is something to be gained out of this 'mission' was to enjoy my 'freedom'. Well— it is controlled but you cannot be picky. " What happened here? And the actual hell is that?" I mumble in disgust, seeing a strange, black gooey crystalline substance had gone through a van. As though it was a meteorite.
" C Two, what is the operational load of the PLS. Over." I overhear on a channel through the walkie talkies. 'There is something that doesn't feel good. Right now.' I see an old, rusted police car with all its windows blown out. I begin trailing rick from behind. He has his gun at eye level, staring down the telescopic reticle to improve his accuracy. Direct and not wanting to miss his target. I hear Adrienne, harshly, whisper shouting wondering what I was doing putting myself in danger. But I choose to let it go in one ear out the other. " Amanda, we have hostiles up ahead." Miss waller? Oh how could I not have figured this out straight away. Of course. We are saving her.
" Tell Miss waller I say hi, Ricky. Hi misses waller." I made a face hiding my enjoyment of being close to Rick, abruptly giggling at his reactive jump of surprise. I hear what sounds as though there is distorted chittering. Several feet in front are grotesque creatures, created out of the exact same substance I had seen that imitated a rock that plummeted out of nowhere. 'They are freakish looking. Not even human. Why do they look like that.'
Rick leans down, in ear range, to my height. His close proximity makes it difficult for me to focus. I am experiencing the exact literal feeling of my heart beating out of rhythm like mom said she felt, herself, falling in with daddy. ' But I couldn't have those emotions. It's ridiculous. Right?' I shift my body to adjacent directly in his.
" You don't say anything of what you heard. Are we clear?" It's obvious Ricky doesn't want the others to realise who we're saving. Ms waller is not very popular.
" Bump out second two squad two blocks east. We'll pass through here, continue north." He instructs, indicating the moves he wanted to implement moving forward. I didn't understand the military code names or what they meant. But listening to Ricky give out orders was definitely a delightful experience. I got bored of listening, I have a short attention span so really it's either fun or just boring to me. 'I am bored.' My ears pick up more quiet chatter, Solider's use cover of deserted alley's to not blow their position.
" I don't like the look of these.. things. Flag. Can we please proceed to the path of our mission as ordered." Adrienne admits, it does not take being a smart person to know she is anxious the way her fingers are wanting to activate her trigger.
" Rick. Why do they look.. like that?" Asks the solider beside Rick. 'At least he agrees they are the ugliest things I have ever seen. Puts Harvey Dent to shame. And I should know, he kidnapped, held me hostage when I was ten. Ugly bastard.' I see Floyd inspecting those things through his Visor. Trying to figure out what they are. I am never the one for carrying a concealed weapon, it weighed me down tremendously in my escapes from the scene of a crime I committed. Luckily mom made a custom pistol that matches her own, my design had Cheshire Cat and queen of hearts on the handle. 'I love Alice in wonderland. My favourite animated movie of all time.'
Rick spoke through his teeth, aiming and steadying his gun. " Just.. stay cool. Lieutenant GQ." That's his name? Initials? That is underwhelming. I shrug it off. Floyd finally joins at the front, giving my shoulder a soft pat. " What in the hell are they." It wasn't a question, more-so a demand for an explanation. 'I have a feeling Ricky hasn't got a clue as well.' I roll my eyes, hearing him use the threat is blowing Floyd's head off. 'He knows how to kill a fun time.' I chuckle, earning a quizzical stare in response by GQ.
" You're crazy." He murmured purposefully loud. " Thank ya. I got it from my mama and daddy." I grin. I knew it wasn't in the form of a compliment. My guns barrel is facing up toward the sky, as I reach down taking out an enormous pink grenade out of a hidden satchel compartment on the leg of my pants.
" Ready for fun, boys? OFF WITH THEIR HEADS. WOOHOO." Rick yells 'No' when I unclip the safety pin and toss over the grenade. There is a short second of pause before a giant fire starts, after exploding.
" You little fire bug." Floyd grunts, I innocently smile before putting on my game face and running in to the awaiting abominations wanting a fight. " Let's go, you ugly fucks. You get a bullet, you get a bullet. Everyone gets a bullet." I cackle every minute I put a bullet in their heads.
" You are crazy. Just like your mommy, I'm so proud of ya Suga." Mom yells over her shoddier, grunting aggravatingly each time she takes out a creature which was once a living breathing human. They were not no more. I exclaim, in shock, when I had my ankles violently tugged.
" LET GO OF MY PUMPKIN. YOU FUCK." My mom shouts, crying out and excessively repeating to shoot the creature in the face even after it was gone. " Mom. Mommy. I'm okay! I'm okay! Look." I caught Adrienne using her poison mist exuding out of her hands, turning the crystallised rock in to granite rubble. The hues of green acting as an amplifier to her already overly bright mutated emerald eyes. Mom kisses me all over my face, even on both eye lids. " Mommmmmm." I whine, we're in the middle of a battle and she acting like she never going to hold me ever again. KC, Killer croc, had shown his inhumane strength tossing one of them in the windshield of a car. I cringe.
" Careful. Get behind me, Flower. Now." She hauls my body away and aggressively hits another oncoming creature using her 'Goodnight' baseball bat. Taking out anger on it. I dodge the tomahawk it welds, liking to have my head still attached to my shoulders.
'I don't want to die like this. No sir.' Mom does a battle cry absolutely demolishing the once-human man or woman. Saying " that's. For. Touching. My. Baby. Girl." Each hit. I whip my head over, hearing a struggle and if I was in looney tunes my ears would be steaming upon witnessing those failed experiments targeting Rick. " you don't get to touch my Rick!" I seethe, in a growl. I ran up, using a car to leverage my legs, creating momentum and leaping off in the air firing three bullets. It crumbles to the dirty ground, Rick catches me.
" Hi Rickie." I say, in glee to be in his arms. 'I feel like Rapunzel in tangled when Flynn holds her.' I gaze in his eyes, gleaming at the fact he is holding me. He analyses my faces structure, down to my lips which he keeps staring at for a few seconds, swallowing. His feet sturdy Rick places me down, keeping and creating enough space to know being attention.
There is no one focusing on him, or I, but the craziness happening. I feel Rick remove hair straying from my style I made, out of the space of my eyes. 'He smells delicious.' I thought. His hand moulds to perfection on my jaw and I leaned his on instinct.
" BEHIND YOU. QUINN."
I am stunned at behind detained, the creatures were back. Three roughly held each of my important body parts, arms and legs, down.
" Rick. RICKIE." I exclaim scared. My fingers reach for his hand, wanting to feel safe.
" MOM." I was full on crying in hysterics. Beyond scared as why I was targeted. 'I feel like a pathetic scared little girl. Powerless.' Rick, in the midst of danger not caring if he's heard, cries out my name.
" Frannie. Get off her! Son of a .." but it goes unheard as he too is attempting to shoot off each creature. " Harley! They have your daughter. And Rick! If he dies we all die right now." I hear Floyd over the rain of bullets and death. I never knew what death is like, some say there is a purgatory that greets you for your journey to heaven. To Others it's vacant, dark and unwelcoming. 'This got dark pretty quick now I'm facing my death.'
" Frannie! Hold on. GQ! On my six, follow me. We have to get her and flag!" Adrienne yells over where I am being taken away. I continue the struggle, putting up all the fight I had in my system. Aiming a kick to his groin region, head butting. Nothing is achieved. Mom, Adrienne, GQ and Floyd come marching over firing off bullets in the bodies of those creatures. Mom bashes her bat repeatedly.
All of them are taken out, thankfully, to a point where I can personally execute the remaining one whose guttural roar is silenced after I shove my gun inside its gaping space it calls a mouth and set it off. I ran to Rick, tears of fear and relief burning my face surely leaving dirt stains. He caught both of my arms before I could run any farther. Call it a rush of adrenaline, a rise in serotonin or impetuousness, i had zero control over my next decision. My lips connect to his, he handles each of my hips with a steady grip as though refusing to let me go I would run away.
'I am actually ridiculous. Why am I acting this stupid. I've never kissed a man. Now here I am. My first kiss with him. why does it feel so right.' He voraciously takes my lips, intensifying how deeply he kisses me, one hand supporting my head. Not a Singular worry, care, for how this might be resolved. I know Miss waller is furious with Rickie but somehow I don't really think she will punish him. This is definitely not at all in my imagination of a first kiss would go down as. 'Much like how Rapunzel kisses Eugene in her tower. After saving him from mother Gothel.'
I part with Rick, our breathing becoming in sync. His eyes are pained, conflict evident. I rest my hand on his cheek caressing him, leaning on his body, enjoying his presence. Even in chaos.
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JASMINE SPEAKS:
I know what you probably have to say. 'Why did they kiss four chapters in the book, that is unrealistic.' Because it's my fan-fiction and I love Frannie & Rick too much to keep it slow burn. You might not agree on how fast I wrote their scene together, they were both in danger. Heat of the moment. That is all I have to say. I hope you like this new update.