Take Me Down

11

Patterns.

Feet hitting the ground in a soft rhythm.

That was the only sound, besides Cassie's pained breathes. Avery ran next to Cornelius and Claudius kept a pace next to me, almost waiting for us. He could have easily ran to the end without us, but he didn't.

Cassie was thin, but you could tell she didn't work out or anything. She was only naturally thin.

Ethan must have been tired of hearing her pant, because he scooped her up like a feather in his arms and continued to run, not breaking a sweat. Cassie seemed surprised and wrapped her arms around his neck to hold on to him. All werewolves seemed to be blessed with the ability to be naturally fit, of course with a little effort.

We made it to the end of the hallway; a door at the top of a flight of stairs was our ticket out of this silent yet eerie hallway.

Cornelius opened the door, and it led out into the barn I had been in previously that same day. I looked around to be sure it was the same barn and spotted the green tractor in the same spot I had seen it earlier.

"I thought a man owned this land." I whispered, and Cornelius froze. He turned to look at me, a shadow crossing his eyes.

"I own this land for another 10 miles. There was a man here?" He questioned quietly and I nodded slowly, understanding now how much danger we were really in now. Avery clutched Cornelius' arm, seeing his sudden distress. She tried to calm him down, him doing the same for her.

"He questioned why I was in his barn, and I said that I didn't know this was his land and then I left and came back to the farmhouse..." I said as we followed Cornelius quietly over to where another door was.

"We need to get out of here, now." Claudius said quickly and I rolled my eyes.

"Why don't we stay back and fight?" I questioned at a normal tone of voice.

I wasn't one to run from a fight, especially if it meant that I looked like a coward.

"They tracked us, Amanda. Not only do they have the power to do so, but the money and resources. We need to go meet up somewhere else. Everyone needs to split up now." Cornelius said, when Claudius looked back at me from where he stood. He seemed to look at me differently, as if seeing me for the first time. He finally realized I wasn't a coward.

"I agree with Amanda. Running isn't what we should be doing, but fighting." He said, and I nodded in agreement with him.

"They know what we are," Cornelius stated simply.

"They know what our weaknesses are, what we eat, where we live." He stated, and I looked at Claudius who said no more. He bit the side of his cheek, seemingly holding in a thought that crossed his mind.

"Let's split up. Avery, Cassie, and I will head to a safe haven not too far from here. You, Ethan, and Claudius should head somewhere else." Cornelius stated quietly. Before I could refuse to leave Cassie and Avery, an eruption of gunfire from outside caught me off guard.

We all hit the ground fast. I rolled under the tractor, shifting into a barn mouse. Claudius ran for the side of the barn, and Ethan also hid behind the tractor. Cornelius and the others headed into another long tunnel and sealed it off from the inside. Claudius banged on the door and it didn't even budge. He cussed, leaning back against the wall as he took cover.

Thanks for abandoning the rest of the group asshole, I thought directed at Cornelius. I knew internally he was protecting Avery because of his instincts, but leaving the rest of here stung.

Ethan shifted and started to dig a hole, sending dirt and pebbles flying in all sorts of directions. Claudius stood completely still in the corner of the barn and looked through a hole in the barn wall.

"They've got us completely surrounded. Amanda, do something now if you want to prove to us that you're not a coward." Claudius hissed softly. I growled in my mouse form, heading for the barn doors. I pushed the side of the door slightly and gunfire erupted once again just outside the barn. I jumped back, dodging the bullets as they fired through the door.

"Don't shoot! Hold your fire!" One yelled and he warily walked up a bit closer. I moved out of the barn and his gun held a steady aim at my small face.

"It's just a barn mouse!" He said, when I ran away to the right.

"It could be the Shapeshifter!" One yelled and the others laughed at him.

"A shapeshifter wouldn't be that stupid, to transform into something so.... small and weak." Another man spoke in a stern, but strong voice. He must be the one in charge.

Staying in my small form, I went over to the man, mocking him.

A roar from the distance sounded, and the men ran off towards it. Ethan and Claudius came out slowly, and I shifted back into my regular form.

"We need to get as far away from here as we can," Claudius said and I nodded, running in the opposite direction of the roar. Another roar sounded, one more powerful and deeper than the last. I turned, the sound making my ears perk in attention.

"It's not Cornelius, and it's not his brother," I said, but curiosity rose my suspicion.

My senses seemed to draw me towards the roar, as my feet were no longer under my control and I was sprinting towards the roar before I knew what I was doing.

"Amanda!" Claudius yelled and caught up to me, grabbing my arms. I yanked at his stone grip and shook my head. I couldn't seem to control my own body. I was fighting back, trying to get away from him, but my mind told me no.

"I don't know what's wrong with me," I said, and he scooped me up, running back in the opposite direction,  catching up to Ethan in the blink of an eye.

I closed my eyes and covered my ears, the roaring still ringing in my ears.

What the hell is this sound, and why is it driving me crazy?