Inktail

Chapter two ~ Late for class

Chapter two ~ Late for class

The next morning, I broke my alarm clock. Again.
I was mostly asleep, and having the oddest dream about being attacked by a giant slice of American pizza - not even the good kind - and it was making this extremely annoying beeping sound... so I hit it really hard with my tail, and knocked it out. Then, of course, I woke up nearly an hour later, took one look at my broken alarm clock, and leaped straight up in the air, my tail spiking up like an alarmed cat's. I sped through my morning routine, skipping or cheating on several points, and only grabbing a granola bar for breakfast. I was out the door in less than five minutes.
Five more minutes later, I burst through the door of my classroom at the university where I was taking some college courses. Well, okay, ONE college course. Writing.
I stopped just inside, panting. "Sorry...*huff* I'm late...*huff*... professor!"
The elderly, balding man in an old tweed suit and tie nodded to me. "It's alright, Miss Eira. Please take your seat. We were just going over-" Before he could finish, and before I had time to sit down, I heard something that for a moment, I thought was just an echo from my dream.
*BLAM! BLAM! BLAM!* Gunshots rang out from just outside the windows, followed by screaming.
Everyone in the room froze, and I felt my tail twitch where it was wrapped around my waist. I realized I had automatically widened my stance and gotten low to the ground, almost crouching.
Suddenly, more gunshots rang out, and with a loud crash, one of the window panes of our classroom blew in, startling everyone into action.
Despite cries from the poor old teacher to stay calm, the students bolted for the entrance, pushing and shoving and screaming for everyone else to get out of the way. The professor followed, calling fruitlessly for the rest of the class to remain calm.
I sniggered a little, then cautiously peeked out the window, checking to see if the gunman was still in the vicinity, before hopping through the jagged-edged hole, and crouching behind some low bushes. I peered out between them for signs of the gunman, or gunMEN.
I was on the edge of a wide green courtyard-like area between four buildings, which was rather parklike, and usually full of students. Today was no exception. But now, all the students were running willy-nilly around the enclosed space, looking like a bunch of insects whose hive had been damaged.
After a moment, I spotted the gunman, slipping around the corner into the narrow space between two of the buildings, which was actually closed off, and usually used for storing dumpsters. I figured he had gone into such a confined space because he needed a quiet place to reload. I started after him, swiftly. I felt my tail lengthen, and scales materialize on the outside, like armor. I slowed down as I approached the opening, and pressed against the wall, peering around the corner, cautiously. In the distance, I could hear sirens.
A young woman was standing with her back to me, arms working frantically in front of her. I heard the metallic cha-chuck! of a clip being loaded. On the ground around her feet lay a scattering of casings, ammo boxes, and a large black duffle, from which I could see at least two more guns poking, as well as a virtual storehouse of ammo.
I crept around the corner stealthily, weaving around a pair of dumpsters, while trying not to let my shoes scuff the ground. Suddenly, my arm brushed a tangle of wire, which was hanging from underneath the lid of the nearest dumpster. In the echoing, enclosed space, it sounded like a set of windchimes.
The woman whirled around, long, brown hair flying out behind her. The gun in her hand came up and pointed at me, but before she could get off a shot, I leaped to the side, into the space between a pair of the large, stinking green cans. I felt my tail loosen around my waist. Egh, fine... looks like there's no other way...
Outside, the woman had stood, stunned, for several seconds, before yanking out a hand pistol and striding toward the crack where I was hidden. Before she got close, however, I dove and rolled across the narrow space in the middle of the alley, sliding to a stop behind a single dumpster on the opposite side of the space.
I heard a pair of bullets skid off the pavement where I had been an instant before, and one of them thunked into the trash bin I was hiding behind. My mouth was set in a grim line, as a long, black tendril unraveled behind me, holding itself just off the ground. I flicked it, and it became slightly flattened and snakelike, with a line of spikes down the top, ending in a flat, dagger-shaped blade.
The next moment, the woman rounded the corner.
Everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Her arm seemed to whirl through the air, toward me, gun already firing off bullets. At the same time, my tail slashed across the space between us, slicing the barrel off the gun just as it reached the same level as my head. Then everything seemed to return to normal again, sparks shooting from my tail as it's momentum sent it skidding against the dumpster to my left, before slurping back toward me like a string of spaghetti. The woman only had time to blink once, before I took two steps forward and punched her lightly in the temple. She sank to the pavement with a sigh.
Heart pounding, I stood for a moment, my now-short tail whipping behind me in agitation, before I tucked it away, around my waist, and turned around...
To see a figure standing at the end of the alleyway, staring at me, his mouth open in shock.