Swearing quietly, I gripped the window sill and nodded to the wolf pup who was whining quietly. "Okay, show me where you got this," I pocketed the gun and watched as Liam stood wearily, unsure if he shold trust my partner and I in a fight. He didn't really have a choice, however. The quiet sounds of voices were beginning to echo around the corridor.
"What do you plan to do?" he asked, sliding an arm around my shoulders and helping me limp after Ama. "There's no way you can fight close-combat." We crossed the hallway into another room, where Ama nudged a clothed object on the ground.
"Ugh," I brought my free hand to my nose and covered the stench of rotting....something. I avoided his question carefully. "That smells like... like...." I faltered and froze, eyeing the large clothed object. "Ugh."
"Stay here," Liam let me lean against the wall while he knelt and began to unwrap the shape - which was sickly and roughly his own size and shape. "You're right," he confirmed after a while, rewrapping the figure and kicking it aside. "It smells like rotting corpse."
"Figures," I grunted, shoving off the wall. "These must be his belongings." I lifted the sack Ama had brought me, the silver revolver tucked in the hem of my pants. Scattered all around the floor were other weapons, cloths, bags. "Funny," I slid against the wall and sat, lifting a crossbow and inspecting the polished black wood. "You'd think a scavenger would've found it - that man must be... a few days dead."
"Looks like he stood his ground here," Liam informed, gesturing to scrapes on the floor where the bed used to be blocking the door, and a wooden board blocking the window.
"And that's exactly what we're going to do," I replied curtly, loading an arrow in the drawstring and locking it. "If those men come over here, we'll stand our ground. If they pass us, then we're in luck."
"Ha! I don't think so," the boy argued, narrowing his eyes. "Those men wouldn't just walk past a room that smells like rot. They'll be looking for left-over belongings. That's what scavengers do best."
"So we'll take 'em down. Big deal." I waved the crossbow around in the air, as if our victory were obvious. Liam flinched, afraid I'd shoot him...accidentally, of course. Though I'm not quite sure that's what my sadistic grin told him.
"Do you want to die like that guy?" he asked, regaining his stoicness and jabbing a finger towards the covered body. "I don't think so. Your plan sucks."
"Well then, enlighten me." I sighed. "Do you have a better plan, Mr. Saving-Damsels-In-Distress."
"What did you just call me?" he asked, arching an eyebrow. But he didn't answer my question, he just held up a finger. The sounds of the scavengers were getting closer. "Fine," he pursed his lips reluctantly. "But don't you be giving me shit about saving you. You'd be dead if it weren't for me."
"You're right. Thank you," I muttered quietly, and cursed myself inwardly. No one should be admitting something like that - least of all me. I felt his gaze on my bent head, as if he was trying to figure out why - or how - I'd gone from a bossy bitch to a grateful girl. I shook my head and held up the crossbow. "Okay. Barricade the door."
Liam stood and shoved the bed back to its position against the doorframe with ease. Damn, he was strong. I smirked and loaded the revolver. Ama licked her lips and Liam loaded his gun.
Our victory was garunteed.
