100 Days and Nights

Chapter 19

I struggled to breathe. The worst part was I couldn’t prevent myself from being choke, and even if I could, my hands were tied behind my back. People in the crowd grasp at what happened. Out of all the people that has been killed in the past forty eight days since the Japanese invaded the country, I was the first person to be hung while others have been shot.

I glanced out into the audience, seeking for my parents’ faces as they watched another child of theirs get killed. I couldn’t see them at all and I was glad because truthfully I didn’t want to see the pain on their faces.

Just as I was about to take the last breath, a gunshot sounded as a bullet pierced through the rope. It took two bullets for the rope to snap, sending me crashing to the ground. People began screaming from the gunshots. I coughed as I got my breath back. I heard a motorcycle in the distance with someone yelling out my name. I looked up to see what was happening and see Zack pulling up in front of the steps. Hearing him say my name still stuns me and I have to keep in mind that right now I can’t stand here in shock. I have to get out of here before I or someone else is killed.

I struggled to my feet and ran to Zack. He shot at a few soldiers before helping me onto his bike. I couldn’t sit behind him and there was no time to undo the rope. I sat in his lap so I was between his arms so I couldn’t fall off. Putting his hands on the motorcycle, Zack took off, zooming in and out of the crowd. We had to duck a few times as bullets headed our way. I think Zack may have gotten shot in his shoulder, but he concentrated on getting ourselves to safety.

Zack pulled into an alleyway when we were safe. He turned off the engine and then untied the rope. As soon as my arms were released, I turned around to face him, throwing my arms around him and hugged him. He did the same.

“Thank you so much, Zack,” I told him. “I’m so happy to see you. I thought I will never be able to get out.”

“I’m just glad you’re alright, Abigail. I couldn’t sleep for the past few days, worried of what they could be doing to you. We weren’t even sure if you were alive.”

“Well, thanks to you, I’m alive.” I smiled at him. “You know, it feels weird that you’re talking now.”

“Yeah, it feels weird for me too.”

“What made you speak?”

“I don’t know. I guess speaking was my only option when that soldier came up behind you.”

I smiled as I pulled away. That’s when I noticed the blood stain on the sleeve of his blue long sleeve checked shirt of his right arm.

“Zack, you’re bleeding,” I told him.

I looked around me for something to tie around his bicep to stop the bleeding. The only thing I could use was the rope. I tied it around his bicep, just under his arm pit above the wound. I think that should be okay until we get back to the hideout. Zack handed me his gun and asked if I could shoot while he drove the bike. I told him I will be fine with walking, but he thought the bike would be quicker. He said that Maddison wanted us to grab me and then get out quickly. I got behind Zack on the bike and wrapped my arms around him tightly.

Zack took off down the alley way. We entered a chaotic street with people running in all directions. Being careful not to run anyone over, Zack zoomed in and out of pedestrians running as well as explosions going off nearby. While having one arm around Zack, I shot at soldiers who attempted to shoot us.

We got to a safe place, parking the bike in the alley that was close to the man hole we were going to escape through. Taking my hand we hurry down the alley. We were just about to turn a corner onto the street when I was grabbed from behind. I screamed as I was pulled away from Zack. He put his arm around my neck, strangling me. Zack wracked the soldier in the side of his head with the end of his gun. A small gash was on his forehead. He let go of me and was about to go after Zack so I jumped onto his back, trying to strangle him. I wasn’t strong enough to fully choke him. Zack went to kick him in the stomach, but the soldier didn’t respond to the kick at all. Instead he grabs my arms and flips me over him, throwing me to the ground.