Molly - Part 4

Chapter 36

"Fifteen, thirty-four!"

She came up and shot with her rifle, the cross fixed on the side of the stock lighting up then splintering, casting blue shadows as Arcadia delved forth, spewing fire wherever she went.

And beyond: the city. Oh how it glistened, even during these last days. Red fire scorching from the ground as a million lights penetrated everything.

"Eight six--quick, down the perimeter, go!"

Arcadia turned, firing into one of the men wearing white, red erupting and casting him across the earth.

Her rifle hissed as she unlatched it, pulling and then producing smoke to be added with the smoke below, that twisting fog. She had tried to ignore it, to turn to her god for comfort but each time she inhaled the fumes she felt a little stranger, a little higher.

"Arcadia!"

She came up to her, watching the horizon.

"We're going back."

Arcadia exhaled sharply.

"Where's Tom?"

"South-side; it's bad. I don't think we're waiting around anymore."

Arcadia nodded, clapping Vero's shoulder as she stepped back with her rifle raised, watching the rooftops.

They always attacked from above. You were never safe.

Arcadia sped fast, taking corner after corner; sometimes there'd be a piece of metal, rubble from the bombs she would have to maneuver around or over.

Tom, and some of the others. Crowded around a hole in the side of an apartment building. Not something uncommon now, but they were keeping their distance so Arcadia raised her rifle.

A raven shot through the air, screamed.

"Some guy," Tom said, nodding at the hole. "I think he's a scientist or tech or something."

"Let me see."

They parted for her, Arcadia siphoning through until she came to a door and next to it was a window and there standing in what looked like a zoo was a man, garbed in white, taking slides from black boxes then holding them up.

She turned to Tom.

"He's a beekeeper."

Tom frowned.

"I don't know what that is."

"Bees, they...nevermind. He's a conservationist."

Tom didn't like hearing that, plain on his face.

"I can't deal with anyone's politics right now, Arcadia. We need to get out of here."

"We can't just leave him."

She waited for their answer.

"Compassion, yes?"

Tom sighed sharply.

"We're fighting for our lives right now. We need to go, but you can stay if you want."

They left her. Arcadia wanted to spit on all of them. They were already falling back to the old, bad habits.

Arcadia knocked at the door.

"Yes?"

The door slid open then closed behind her as she quickly ducked inside. She scanned the area: just a few pieces of tech and a screen that wasn't on. Would have been like any other room save for the second-half, lined in grass and there was even a clear sky, fluctuating a little each time the beekeeper took a step.