Starstreak

Jordin

It didn't take me long to find the black-haired boy. 

The flashlight he was carrying was dim (and had atrocious quality) but the light it gave off was still enough for me to pick up on. Actually, the quality of the flashlight worked out in my favor since I didn't even need it with night vision and all. 

I'd expected the ceiling of the cave to be brushing the top of the boy's head, but it actually hung a few inches above him. So, it was probably at least 7 feet from top to bottom. But it still felt as if it was too close to the ground for me. I guess I was expecting the cave to widen out at some point like the one in my bedroom. 

I had summoned my costume on the way here so it would be easier for me to blend into the shadowy caves, so I had that comfort. Nonetheless, I followed him soundlessly so as to not alert him to my presence, not that I was scared of him or anything. I was just being cautious. I'd taken him on before and won; I could do it again. 

I noticed he had changed out of the all black that he'd been wearing in the woods. He was now wearing a crimson, tight t-shirt and black jeans. As if we couldn't be any more alike. 

I kept hearing him grumble to himself, which I couldn't understand, but other than that it was dead silent. 

I attempted to listen in, but I missed a step in the rock and nearly fell. I caught myself just in time, but my foot had scraped the ground with a noise loud enough for the black-haired boy to hear.

He swung around with a scowl on his face, and the beam of the flashlight narrowly missed landing on me. His scowl faded into a disapproving frown, and he turned and continued walking, his pace slightly slower now. 

I hesitated for a moment before resuming pursuit. That was way too close. He'd almost caught me. What do I do if he does catch me? I wondered. The thought made me shudder. 

Do I just kill him? No. Then I wouldn't know where to go and I want to know why we look so similar. So, killing him would be a total waste. So, do I just do nothing? Okay, that would most likely get me killed and who knows what would happen to Alex and Zara then? I shivered as Zara's scream echoed through my head again. 

My mind was racing through the possibilities over and over again at lightning speed. Something hit my foot, and a small stone skittered across the floor. Crap! I thought. 

The black-haired boy stopped short, but he didn't turn around. I got a sinking feeling in my stomach. This reaction seemed somehow worse than the one before. He reached for something at his waistband. 

"Drop it," I ordered. The dagger was in my hand and hovering just above his shoulder. 

There was a small clatter as the pistol hit the ground. A stream of light appeared and picked it up. The stream floated the gun past the black-haired boy and gently placed it in the palm of my free hand. 

I eyed the duffel bag slung over his shoulder that I knew contained explosives. Why he had bought them in the first place was beyond me, though. "I'll take this from here," I said, pulling the duffel from him and slinging it over my own shoulder. Then I tucked the gun into the duffel. 

He made a sort of growling noise low in his throat but didn't do anything to stop me. "I'm guessing you already know what's in there." 

I narrowed my eyes at him, not that he could tell. "I do, actually." 

"Are you going to kill me now?" he asked calmly after a pause. 

"No," I replied, trying to hide that I actually was tempted to just stab him right there and then. "On the contrary I need you to lead me through this maze."