Thorns Assassin

Steely Resolve

I couldn't sleep.

The first thought swirling in my mind was Paul, then Carter, then I was listening. Listening for any sign that Carter was awake. I couldn't help but wonder if Carter would go so far as to throw Paul out on the streets while I was in the same house as him. The thought sent shivers down my spine.

'No. No, Carter has been by your side for years, he wouldn't hurt you like that.' My thoughts were firm but my mind was wandering.

Shivering again, I rolled over and closed my eyes, desperate for sleep. I'd woken up in the middle of the night in a sweat, needing water and worried for Paul. I was trying to get back to sleep when I heard a thump from outside my window. It had to be pretty loud because I was 10 floors up and there was no scaffolding or stairwell near my window, or anywhere on the building to be precise. The thump I had heard got my attention right away. I could hear cars on the main road around the corner, a hoon a couple of blocks over lighting up his tyres on an early morning rampage to destroy our public roads, but above all that, the thump was what caught my attention.

I slowly pulled back the covers and exposed my now bare legs to the chilly temperature of the room.

Silently, I slipped out of the bed and crept over to the window. Carters window was on this side of the building too so he undoubtably heard it unless he was asleep.

I didn't open my window at first, not daring to incase something came flying through it aimed at me, but I did peek down to the ground.

I couldn't see anything unusual, but then again, I couldn't see much. The lighting was pretty horrible around this part of town with most of the street lights having graffiti on them which reduced the light. Not to mention the numerace lightbulbs that were simply smashed or missing thanks to the local drunks, druggo's and friendly neighbourhood gangs.

I quietly slipped the window up and poked just enough of my head to let my eyes see beyond the sill, and even then I was very slow and cautious about it. Any sudden movements and I was tensed enough to duck back under the window and race back to the middle of my room.

My eyes darted around the street, looking for the possible cause of the thump.

When I didn't find anything unusual, I ducked back under the window and shut it, making sure it was locked before heading back towards my bed.

The knock on the door frightened the absolute shit out of me and I jumped at least a meter into the air.

The knock was frantic and it was accompanied by a rather frantic Carter to boot.

"Thorn! Thorn! Come out here! Thorn!"

Before I went to sleep, like I always do, I locked the door. Being an assassin means I have to make sure I'm always on my guard, because killing your fellow druggies doesn't make you many friends in the business. Sooner or later someone is going to recognize me and want to get revenge for whatever I did to their buddies. And by revenge, I don't mean shaving my head and drawing a moustache with a two dollar sharpie from the local corner shop.

I rushed to the door in a panic and unlocked it in such a hurry that I almost broke the handle.

In the doorframe stood a wild eyed Carter, his hair was a mess and his clothes were ruffled and scrunched from when he had gone to bed with them on.

"What!" I began to yell, still in a panic about why he would appear so dishevelled in the middle of the night.

"Shh!" He immediatly hushed me, wide eyed and looking alert as a wolf on a hunt.

"Someone broke into the building. They're on the bottom floor and I don't know if they know what floor we're on but I'm certain they're here for us," he rushed out, whispering quickly into my ear.