The Stars of My Heart [Completed]

Chapter Two

   

Sirens. The scream of sirens fills every alleyway of Flesherg. I honestly don't know whether the sirens or the beat of my racing heart was louder. My steps are fast and frantic as I run down the streets. We've never been caught before. Damian was always there, but now I'm doing jobs on my own...well not entirely on my own.

"Keep up you fool or we'll be spending the night in sinner's paradise."

"The bar?"

His sarcasm is beyond me. My steps get faster, and I hear the car shriek. That can only mean they're going by foot.

"I thought you took care of the security!" He screams at me.

"I did!"

I frantically look around. The only thing visible are the tall buildings of Flesherg. A tiny streetway the only escape.

"Go down that alley. Run and don't look back. I'll see you back at the house." I order at John. He gives a slight nod and quickens his pace. I, on the other hand, take to the wall. I climb, my limbs shaking. I focus to make sure I'm moving faster than the police steps behind me. They are progressively getting quieter which gives me a bit of relief.

I take hold of any crack or spur in the wall to grab on to. Risking a glance down, I see how high I've climbed wishing I hadn't looked down at all. I turn my head back up, but as I do I see movement. I lose my grip but quickly find it again with a burning sweat surging through me. I quicken my pace to get to the top of the building. When I do, two figures running on the roofs of the opposite street buildings. They can't be the police. They wear all black and move too catlike to be police officers with heavy equipment.

I watch them swiftly run, hopping gracefully from roof to roof. Then I see it. A small bun bobs up and down as they run away. Burney. Top spy of the Huva gang. Top gang on our backs. Those little rats sold us out.

I jump from rooftop to rooftop with relative ease. I have always had long legs, the one thing I can appreciate from my father. Building after building, I eventually see John from up above. His running is consistent, like he does this every day, and that's the truth. We do this every day.

I whistle. Loud enough for him to hear me, quiet enough to sound like a bird.

He looks up, meeting my eyes. Stopping, he waits for me to climb down. Shame in our hearts, we walk back to Damian's mansion, the police no longer on our tail.

Breaking the silence John whispers, "What do you think he will do?" He slouches his arms at his side, his head hanging down.

"I don't know...." I say it again, this time sounding like a prayer. "I don't know."

***

"You're getting really bad at this."

Damian looks down at me with disgust in his eyes. He holds his arms crossed over his chest like he always did when I disappointed him as a little girl. I sit in a chair across from him slouched, trying to show the part of me that is unfazed. The table is ridiculously long. Something Damian had wanted to make himself seem like he was in charge. The room painted a dark burgundy color, the candlelight making it seem more brown than red.

Wine bottles line the room. Damian's collection. The thing he will show off first to any guests that have the nerve to enter. My heart still beating faster than it should be, I cross my right leg over my left, glaring at him directly just like he taught me to do with city rats.

"Don't give me that look. You put yourself in this situation," he says, his voice gruff and stern.

I leave my glance on him for another second then turn to look away. I have nothing to say to him. It's not my fault that the Huva gang sent one of their spies out to catch us. It's not my fault they called the cops on us. It's not my fault that he has made us the most powerful gang in Flesherg with everyone on our tail. If anything, this whole ordeal is his fault.