Runaways and dreamers

Chapter 3- Just keep running

The sound of a loud pounding on the door jolted Katie awake. This time though, she didn't need to check, she already knew it was the cops.

Quickly grabbing the little amount of things she had and stuffing them into her old tattered backpack, Katie rushed downstairs. Hastily waking Jace with a firm shake, Katie grabbed all the food they still had and shoved it into her backpack along with her belongings.

Tux meowed skeptically as Katie scooped up the ratty stray and headed for the back door.
Jace, hearing the cop at the front door, quietly followed Katie toward the back door.

But by now the police had caught onto their escape plan, as the two "fugitives" opened the back door they were confronted by a cop who was already waiting.

The house was surrounded now, cops encircling all possible exits, intent upon condemning the latest "criminals".

"You two will be coming with us." The cop calmly informed, reaching out to handcuff them.

"To hell with that!" Katie yelled as she turned and darted up the stairs. Tux wiggled in her arms but she refused to lose her animal, which was also her closest friend.

Frantically, Katie searched for another way out, hoping that Jace had the brains to follow her and not get caught.

Luckily he did.

"There's no way out!" Jace called as he joined her upstairs.

"There has to be." Katie muttered urgently as she continued searching desperately. Jace rolled his eyes but followed her anyway.

On the plus side to living on the streets, Katie had learned to be quite resourceful and clever; if there was a way out, she'd find it.

Running in and out of rooms, Katie continued a search that Jace had already given up on.
The police slowly filed into the house, convinced that the two wouldn't get away. But they didn't know Katie.

"Got it." Katie confirmed, pulling a ladder down from the ceiling.

"How in the world...." Jace trailed off, amazed that she had found an alternate route.

She didn't waste any time explaining, instead heading quickly up the ladder and into the musty attic.

Jace had an irrational fear of attics, though he said nothing as she plunged deeper into the dark and hidden upper floor.

"We are climbing out the window." Katie stated clearly as they reached the opposite end of the attic which was illuminated by a huge glass paneled window.

"What!" Jace stared at her, bewildered, and completely convinced that she wanted to get them killed.

"The window. It's our way out." Katie repeated for clarification. Jace's eyes widened in shock at her nonchalance.

With a firm punch, Katie shattered the window, shaking her hand after with a grimace, she dropped her backpack to the ground far below. Insistent upon keeping Tux, Katie pulled the cat close to her, zipping her jacket tightly around the stray.

He meowed but she took no notice as she carefully climbed out the window and began to slowly go down the side of the house.

Jace stared blankly for a moment at the broken window she had just climbed out of. But upon hearing the cops coming upstairs, he too climbed out the widow and down the house.

"See? Wasn't that bad." Katie commented victoriously.

"I beg to differ." Jace argued as he dusted bits of broken glass off his jeans.