Against The Sun

Fire Fight

"GET DOWN!" he heard Nate scream as the air around him sizzled and heated up from the shear number of lasers flying past. He felt them burn close to his skin for a moment before flinging himself to the ground. Keeping his stomach pressed so closely to the ground he could feel the grit scratch again his flesh, he slithered frantically behind the cover of an old refrigerator.

"Mikey!" Gerard screamed out, eyes wildly searching the area for any clue as to where his brother was but coming up with nothing. Panic was clawing it's way up his throat like a rabid beast. "MIKEY!"

Gerard felt his heart stop when, out of nowhere a small body came flying around some rubble and flung itself against the fridge next to him. Gerard swung the gun that was still in his hands around on instinct.

"WOAH!" The boy yelled, blocking Gerard's arm with his hands. "I'm friendly! What the fuck!"

The boy was looking up at Gerard with wide, hazel eyes and an indignant frown, dark hair falling in his face. He looked to be only couple of years younger than Gerard himself, but he was tiny, and not just in a vertical sense. He looked like he had spent his entire life eating about half the amount of food that he actually needed. This kid could give Mikey a run for his money in the boney stakes.

"Are we shiny?" The dark haired, scrawny kid asked him.

Gerard didn't know what that meant but lowered the gun anyway. The kid got up on his haunches and carefully looked over the top of the fridge. Almost instantly the whole area lit up with another barrage of laser fire as he yelped and ducked back down again.

"Shit shit shit!" The kid cursed under his breath, clutching at his forehead where a bright red burn shone against his skin. "We gotta move!"

"But my brother..."

"We can't find anyone if we're fucking dead, now come on!"

The kid grabbed Gerard by the hand and pulled him up with a strength that he didn't appear capable of and started dragging him along, crouching and running between the masses of rubbish heaped in the dark. Looking to the side Gerard spotted a group of Exterminators all aiming directly at them. Digging his heals into the dirt and yanking the kid backwards violently Gerard threw himself back the way they had come, landing in a heap of limbs as the spot where they had just been standing glowed bright with laser fire. The kid rolled off of him with a wide, manic smile on his face.

"That was close," he cried cheerfully, and then he actually cackled.

Gerard was certain that this kid was not all right in his brain.

The kid grabbed a small, round metal object from his belt, fiddled with it for a second before flinging it around the corner at the group of Exterminators and then pushing Gerard down and covering both their heads protectively with his arms.

Everything was quiet for a fraction of a moment before there was a boom that knocked the air from their lungs as bits of debris fell all around them. The kid jumped up and peeked around the corner cautiously.