Tales of a Dead God

Chapter Five: You Don't Understand the First Thing about War

The door swung open and the two soldiers charged in. They missed seeing all three boys pressed to the left wall. Gabriel signaled for them to run. Noah threw the pan in the direction of the soldiers but didn't wait around to see if it found its target. One of the soldiers yelped in pain as the pan hit right in the middle of his shoulder blades. Noah let out a muffled cheer as he ran to his horse. The three boys had a pretty decent head start before the soldiers figured out what had happened.

The two soldiers rushed out of the house and after the three. Gabriel looked around trying to find any means necessary to keep these guards from reaching the boys. They ran past what looked like building material and Gabriel saw his opportunity.

"NOAH! Get the horses untied and ready to go. I'm right behind you," Gabriel yelled. He made a B-line for the materials.

Noah grabbed Theo pulling him to the side of the house as they watched Gabriel run off. They circled the house to the horses hoping to reach Gabriel before anything terrible happened.

Gabriel was able to reach the materials and quickly think up a plan. He picked up a piece of wooden plank and took a deep breath. He kept himself a bit hidden and watched for the soldiers. They came running up yelling at everyone to find the three boys. Gabriel saw his chance and swung.

The plank sliced through the air with ease whistling towards its intended target. The first soldier ran up and the plank found its landing. A loud thud broke through and the soldier doubled over clenching his abdomen.

"You son of a bitch," The soldier wheezed. Still hunched over holding his stomach. At this point the other soldier was making headway and Gabriel booked it.

Theo was up first on his horses then followed Noah also holding tight onto the reigns of both his and Gabriel's horse. They had made it past the commotion Gabriel had caused and waited a way up the road. Gabriel sprinted as fast as he could and practically jumped onto his horse. They were about to get their horses going but found they were blocked in. Several of the villagers stood as a wall and Riley led them.

"Riley, you have got to move," Gabriel said frantically seeing the uninjured officer making his way with the other much slower running.

"I can't let you go again. They'll murder us all," Riley answered in desperation. Gabriel's heart broke because he had trusted Riley for as long as he could remember.

"I trusted you." Gabriel's voice broke a bit.

Riley stared blankly at him. Gabriel then realized then and there why Matilda was killed and how they knew to come.

Gabriel glared at Riley. "You fucking coward."

"Grab them," Riley said calmly and stood to the side to watch. Gabriel looked around frantically and only saw one way out. Over the fence.

"Have you ever jumped fences?" Gabriel looked at both boys.

"Uh no!" Noah was watching the men getting closer as he backed his horse away from them.

"Well, today's the day to learn, boys." And with that, Gabriel ripped the reins to signal his horse to start running towards the fence. Theo was right behind him.

"Goddamn you Gabriel," Noah yelled before following suit.

It was almost slow motion. Gabriel kicked one of the men that had grabbed his leg and sent his horse into a full sprint for the fence. Theo was able to follow easily as most of the men were trying to grab Gabriel. Noah pushed through two of the men with his horse. As all three managed to clear the fence, the two soldiers came into view. One sprinting and the other in a weird jog as he held tightly to his ribs. One of the men began to yell for anyone to stop the boys but between the chaos ensuing and the breakneck speed of the horses, no one had time to understand what was going on. The boys were home-free and were quickly making their way out.