The Ember In The Storm

Part III

   Elizabeth turned to her side and folded her legs to her chest. She leaned against the thin wall and rested her head against another, watching the room from a small hole in the wardrobe.

Jackson's scent lingered around her from his clothes, intoxicating and calming her.

Elizabeth pressed her palms against her ears, hoping to silence out the gunshots. Memories of Richmond flashed in her head.

What if they were out numbered? She thought with horror. What then?

What if Jackson got severely injured, or worse...?

The image of her mothers face in a pool of her own blood came to mind. Elizabeth had to hold her mouth to prevent herself from screaming at it.

Jackson would return.

The sound of the desk against the door being pushed away caused Elizabeth to look back through the hole, hoping it was the man she had been thinking about.

With both fear and anticipation, she watched the table furiously dragged back for a long deafening while until the man came into sight. It was not Jackson.

It was no man she knew.

The stranger scanned his eyes through the room quickly, turning to the table and looking through the mound of papers across the surface.

After a long while, whatever he was searching for did not seem to be found on there, he turned for the bed, lifting and throwing it over, trying to see if his search was underneath.

Jackson's scroll fell down from between the mattress and bed. The intruder ran towards it and rolled it open, examining it for a long while before turning for the door.

However, no sooner had he tried walking through than Jackson himself getting inside.

The two men looked at each other for a long pause, eyes rolling to their hands and faces. Jackson was unarmed, unfortunately. As soon as the intruder reached for his waist, he flew towards the man, knocking his gun and the scroll across the room

Jackson was able to land a punch at intruder, which gave him the upper hand until intruder pulled out a pocket knife, swinging it in front of Jackson. He dodged them all with skill, not able to land a blow.

Knowing it would turn into a dance, Jackson sprung forward and pushed intruder to the ground, crossing his arms against his chest as he straddled him below with a chokehold. Intruder still held on tightly to his knife, groaning with all his strength to push the blade into Jackson's chest.

The two struggled amongst themselves, testing whose strength would power whose.

Just as Jackson was succeeding in cutting all air pipes for intruder, he spat on his face, blocking his sight and causing him to loosen his grip on him. Intruder soon plunged half the blade into Jackson's shoulder before crawling to his gun.

With undeniable pain, Jackson groaned at the stinging feeling.

Without thinking, Elizabeth jumped out of the wardrobe and ran towards him, reaching to his side in an instant.

"You're hurt."

"I'm fine," he groaned pulling the knife out.

Intruder stood to his feet, scroll and gun in hand, the latter pointed to the two.

"Stay still!" He ordered, walking to the door sideways.

"Hell, I can't let him get that," Jackson muttered to himself, a hand pressed against his right bleeding shoulder. He held onto the knife's handle tightly, hoping his arm would not affect his aim.