aren't we friends?

ch. 1 - nowhere to run

run. run, god dammit, run. don't let them catch you.

keep. running.

the fugitive panted heavily as he ran, taking in sharp and sudden breaths of air to try and keep his lungs filled enough to allow him to keep running. he felt as if his lungs would collapse. the bullet in his leg throbbed with every step, burning intensely making his leg feel like it was on fire. though he kept going. he couldn't stop now, he knew he had no choice but to keep going.

his whole body ached, begging him to stop just for a breath of air. screaming at him to stop and just let himself get caught. crying out for just a moment of peace. but he didn't have time to stop. he didn't have time to rest. not now, he thought, just a little longer, please just hang on for a little longer.

a loud bang pierced right through his thoughts as he felt another bullet hit him in the shoulder, breaking the flesh and lodging itself into him. the man shouted out in pain, dropping to his knees onto the cold cement sidewalk. he could feel his body shaking, burning and begging him to just stay there. despite this, he stood back up with a hiss through his teeth and kept running.

he could feel the soldiers gaining on him, hearing their shouting voices commanding each other to go every which way they could. he knew they were getting closer but he kept running. he darted through the ruinous buildings, making sharp turns and long strides. his legs felt like they were on fire, aching and screaming for a break. but he kept sprinting as fast as he could. his life, he was sure, was quite literally on the line.

he took another turn, stopping dead in his tracks.

a dead end.

no, no no nononono-

he could hear the echoing sounds of the soldiers boots pounding against the ground getting closer and closer. he turned around frantically in every direction, looking for something, anything, that could get him out of this. but there was nothing. no way out. this was it.

he turned around to see soldiers surrounding him now, on every side of him. their faces stone cold, eyebrows furrowed and eyes fixated on the fugitive in front of them. they all had their guns pointed at him, some just itching to pull the trigger. "do not move." one of them shouted, his thunderous voice echoing off of the ruined buildings around them. "we will shoot."

"shit..." the man muttered under his breath, knowing this was it. but he didn't want to be so easily defeated. he was better than that. he crouched slightly, as if he was going to jump at any of the men around him. his eyes darted from face to face, all of them the same cold, serious expression.

he made a slight movement, just a shift of his foot, earning him another bullet in the leg. he cried out, dropping to his knees once more and placing his hands over the injured leg as of that would help it. he could feel the blood from all three of his wounds seeping through his hoodie and overcoat, each drop lost making him feel more and more weak. his whole body shook and ached, feeling a burning sensation everywhere on him like he was on fire. his head was pounding, cutting off any thoughts that would try to enter his mind. his breaths were jagged and uneven, every breath sending a sharp pain through his chest.

even with his head held low, he could see the soldiers in front of him part ways to make room for something, rather, someone. and he had no doubt in his mind of who it was. he could hear the person's boots clink against the cement in a orderly and professional way, much unlike the loud uneven stomps of the soldiers. he could see the boots now, meaning the person stood right in front of him. he felt a hand grip at his messy hair, tugging it back to make him look up. he was met with a grinning face, looking down at him like this was amusing to him.

"long time no see, old friend."

his hair, still a soft caramel color shaped in two horns stop his head, was neat and kempt. an eye patch covered his right eye, and rightfully so. the whole right side of his face was burnt, red discolored skin and scars covering it. though the left side of his face was just as the brunette had remembered; silver eyes, half lidded and a smile, that stupid damn smile.

"did you miss me?" tord asked, grinning as he glared down at the beaten man below him. "let's be honest, i know you missed me."

"suck my dick." edd gritted through his teeth, feeling his face go hot from the rage behind it. he never wanted to see tords face again, he never wanted to hear his stupid voice again, and he certainly didn't want him grabbing him like a rag doll. he wanted to reach up and punch him in the face, but he didn't have the energy to lift his fist.

"aw c'mon edd, that's no way to treat a friend," tord huffed, crouching down to the shorter man's level. "especially not your new leader." he grinned again. god that stupid fucking grin.

"in your wet dreams, prick." edd spat, glaring at tord with an angered, beaten face. he didn't want him this close, he didn't want him touching him, he didn't want him talking to him, he didn't want him to even be here. he wish he would've just died in the explosion. but, here he was, in front of him and alive as ever.

tord frowned. "talking like that won't do you any good, my friend." he said, his voice more stern now. "we can't have you dying yet, not when i finally have you."

"id rather die than be anywhere near you." edd scowled, earning him a hard punch in his face. he choked up a little bit of blood, his head now facing away from tord hanging low as he coughed. "you watch your mouth with me, edward." tord ordered, his voice no longer friendly nor teasing. "i could kill you whenever i want to. lucky for you, i actually have use for you. so don't take this personally, kay?" he grinned.

before edd could get another word out, he felt something knock him in the back of the head, everything going black. the last thing he heard was tord chuckling to himself as edds body fell unconscious to the ground.

{word count: 1120}