Flame ➸ John Murphy

33

Stars lit up the night sky as the group rested on the shore. West sat by the fire as her eyes were glued to the reflection of the moon on the water. Around her, everyone seemed to be sleeping. West enjoyed her time without them.

Gazing around her, West noticed the backpack Jaha and his goon seemed to always carry with them. Standing, West moved closer to figure out what it was. Slowly, West reached her hand out to grab the backpack. In an instant the mans eyes shot open and gripped Wests arm. The girl gasped as she tried to back away.

As West moved away, the man closed him eyes again. West stayed far away from the man and didn't let her eyes close, even as the sun rose.

"You look like hell," John commented when he saw the girl.

"Didn't sleep well," She said as she hit his shoulder.

John laughed as he stood up to stretch. The two sat to staring at the water for a while before Jaha told them to collect wood. With a sigh, West and John walked around their camp. Picking up sticks, they threw them into a small pile.

As West walked back into the main area of camp, she saw Emori speaking with John. Jaha and Otan were gone, leaving the three of them and the man sitting with the backpack.

West rolled her eyes at John and Emori speaking. She but her lip to not say anything about it, but she didn't trust Emori. After all they had been through, West was surprised that John trusted her.

"Emori stop," John told her.

West looked over at the two seeing Emori creeping up on the man. Hurrying over, West questioned John.

"What is she doing?"

"She's trying to take the backpack. Which is a bad idea," He said loud enough for her to hear.

"Be quiet John," Emori shushed.

West stilled as Emori reached for the bag. Emoris hands grabbed the bag and she smirked. Her smile quickly left her face when the man woke. His hand wrapped around her throat as he lifted her from the ground.

"Woah easy," John said as he help his hands up. "Put her down."

Choked coughs left Emoris lips as he squeezed her throat. West ran to the man, trying to push the arm that held Emori. Instead of helping her, West was pushed to the ground by the man's other hand.

"Put her down," John yelled as he swung a branch down on the man's head.

The man made no movement as John continued to hit him. West gasped when he turned to look at the boy.

"There is no pain in the city of light," He said slowly.

Before anyone could say anything else, Emori grabbed her knife and sliced the man's throat. West quickly moved away as the man's body fell to the ground. Emori quickly recovered and grabbed her things. She picked up the backpack and began walking off.

"You coming of what?" She called to John and West.

West looked to John as she stood. John looked between the dead man on the ground and Emori. Grabbing Wests wrist, he pulled her to follow Emori.

Together they hurried to the area where the boat was docked. Emori threw the backpack on the dock before going back to the boat. She grabbed something to wipe the blood from her hands and face while John and West sat by the backpack.

"When Otan gets here we'll leave," Emori said, moving to sit by the bag too. "Whatever is in there we'll split."

"All we had to do was kill a man for it," West sighed.