Children of the Elements: Prey to Him

Chapter Seven: Kings of Manipulation

Chapter Seven: Kings of Manipulation

Nathan opened his eyes groggily from his huddled position against the wall of the alleyway. He couldn’t feel his hands, though the fact that the thin blanket was still hugging his shoulders was proof that they were frozen in their position trying to protect him from the wind.

It had been four days since Nathan had first run away from Georgea’s house. Since then, he’d been wandering around Brookstone, sticking to the network of alleyways and underground train systems in favour over the streets. Now he was no longer running from just Craig and his men, but also the Rebels and Ash, Chris and Eva. He didn’t want to be running away from them: he wanted to go back to them and sit in his bed again under the protection of Georgea’s watchful eye. But he couldn’t be prisoner to them. He had too many things to do. He knew they were only trying to help, but they just weren’t helping. Therefore, staying away from them was the only logical course of action.

Nathan blinked a couple of times to clear the sleep from his heavy eyes before he looked around. The alleyway was much the same as the alleyways he’d been sleeping in for the past four nights: bare, cold and lonely. He missed the feeling of being accepted by Ash, Eva and even Chris, and just general company. He hated being alone.

He shuffled a little until his butt was no longer numb and then sunk back into the blanket, huddling it around his neck and shoulders and closing his eyes. He hadn’t slept properly in weeks, and it was catching up to him. He hadn’t seen Craig since the attack on the warehouse, even though he’d checked every day. No-one had ever shown up. By this time, Nathan was too exhausted to check and then fail again.

Only five minutes passed it seemed before Nathan’s eyes popped open once more. I have to check. It doesn’t even matter if he doesn’t show up: at least you’ll know that nothing’s happened without your knowledge.

With an unenthusiastic grunt, Nathan pulled himself clumsily to his feet. His joints creaked under the cold, causing an aching sensation to crawl through his bones. All he wanted to do was go back to sleep. But he just had to check the damn warehouse.

Nathan let the blanket slide down his shoulders and onto the floor. I’ll come back and sleep once I’ve checked. Don’t worry blanket; I’ll be back for you.

With a stretch, he yawned and shuffled out of the alleyway. The road was fairly busy; cars were rolling their way across the dark tarmac steadily like little plodding elephants with a determined purpose to get their destinations. The gentle hum of the engines was a comforting distraction from his own thoughts, whilst the soft breezes they created as they drove past were like a thousand tiny needles digging into his cheeks in his coldness.

Nathan dawdled down the street, keeping his jacket’s collar up against the looming cold. He looked on jealously as other civilians seemed to stride past in their shorts and vests, embracing the warmth of the spring’s sun, but Nathan was past the point of no return. He was sure he could already feel the flu coming on.

A car pulled up on the road next to him. At first, Nathan ignored it, pulling his jacket closed across his chest and folding his arms across it to keep it that way. He closed his hands into fists, digging the fingers into the top of his newfound fingerless gloves in an attempt to feel them again. He heard the car door open behind him and then a couple of footsteps as someone got out of the car. He thought nothing of it: continuing on his way and thinking only of returning for his sleep.

Then he felt the hand on his shoulder and the barrel in his back, and he stopped.

A warm breath hissed in his ear. “Get in the car. Struggle and suffer the consequences.”