Onee-Chan Is Gone (Sokka x OC)

Chapter 10: The Race

I hardly noticed I wasn't breathing. My body hunched over behind a potter's display counter of neatly decorated pots and vases. I couldn't tell if my heart wasn't beating, or if it was racing so fast that it would run a hole through my chest.

The soldiers in their red and black uniforms clamored around the streets in confusion. I knew that if they found me I wouldn't last very long. I couldn't let them catch me; I made a promise that I would stay safe.

I listened closely as they slowly made their way down the street looking for me. I peeked my head out from behind the counter, ignoring the suspicious potter behind me, to look and see where the soldiers were now. It seemed that the soldiers were gone now, because I couldn't see them anywhere.

Cautiously, I stood up, giving the potter a small apology for using their shop to hide in, and walked out into the road. I started walking in the opposite direction that I heard the soldiers go, relieved that I could go about getting my food without the threat of being captured anymore.

"Hey! Stop right there!" Someone shouted from down the street. I guess I spoke too soon because when I turned to look at who spoke I saw four Fire Nation soldiers running towards me.

I made haste down the road, running past pedestrians and lightly pushing anyone who was in my way.

The rumble of wooden wheels alerted me of an oncoming cart about to cross the intersection in front of me. I sped up and ran right in front of the cart, making it to the other side just in time for the cart to block the road.

I took the opportunity of cover to run into a skinny alley in the marketplace. Not wasting a second, I rushed out of the other end and jogged down the road to not attract too much attention.

After a few minutes I figured that I was far enough away to take a minute to get my food. I pulled out a few coins from my pocket and grimaced. That would probably only last me a few days.

Dispelling my problems from my head, I walked over to a fruit stand and bought three of the cheapest fruits they had. I gently put them in my bag and started heading back to the Inn.

:::

I tossed my bag on the table and sat down in the wooden chair near the window. I've been staying in the So Lu Inn for about a month now and so far no one has come looking for me. Plenty of my wanted pictures are posted in this town because it's so close to Zhoudao though.

Taking a deep breath I took off my boots and rested my blistering feet on the windowsill. I've been staying up in the attic of the Inn, and I can honestly say that this is the worst conditions for a living space I have ever seen.

I can tell that the roof of the building has molded considerably, and the floor is splintering. The cot up here has no mattress so I just tie a blanket across all corners and use it as a hammock. I couldn't count the times that the blanket unties and I end up with a hole in my blanket and a wooden spike in my back.

Either way, I can be sure that living here is better than getting executed, no matter how much I hated it here.

I let my hair down and let it fall down to the ground. It had been growing longer every day and it's very troublesome sometimes.

The fruit I bought wasn't half bad, considering the other foods I've eaten.

Outside through the window, I could see people roaming around looking for a place to stay in this infested town.

My future seems more uncertain than it ever was. At least I used to have dreams about finding my biological family or finding love. Now, all I can seem to find is people who want to kill me. Would my family even want to find me? How could anyone love me now? Now that I've done the unthinkable.

I miss Bao. I miss my parents. If I ever make a mistake....

Who's going to stop me now?