Running With Ghosts (H2OVanoss)

Chapter 5

Song: The Hour - Answer

------

Evan's desperate cry echoed endlessly down the empty alleyway and all Jonathan could do was listen to it fade as he raced behind him. Evan fell to his knees beside a struggling pile of white fur that whimpered and kicked beneath his hands.

"Lucah, why did you run?" Evan took a deep breath, fighting back tears as he eyed the bear-trap that was holding fast around her leg. The blood stood out so bright against her hair and he didn't know what to do.

"She's been out here for months, we may have scared her or she could have been chasing something." Jonathan got down on one knee beside him, examining the scene before them.

Evan cut his eyes at him and said with just a hint of bitterness, "Like what? There's nothing alive left out here."

Jonathan didn't even blink, "She's alive. That cat we found was alive and so was Livia and her child. It's pretty fucking obvious she's been living off of something or your dog would've starved to death a long time ago. She was probably chasing her next meal and was just in the wrong place at the wrong time like all of us seemed to have been at one point or another. She's alive and she'll be fine, we just need to get her back to the tower and let David look at her."

Evan shut his eyes and ground his teeth together trying to relax himself but when he opened his eyes again, watching the way Jonathan kept his eyes fixed to the dark, shady end of the alley, he felt the uneasiness sink in again. "You still think there are other people out here don't you?"

Jonathan pulled his pack off his back and produced an extra shirt that he ripped into a long strip. "Hold her still."

Evan did as he was told because Jonathan didn't hesitate in finding the release on the trap. Lucah cried when he pulled the metal teeth from her leg and began wrapping it tightly with the ripped shirt.

"I'll put it this way." Jonathan remarked. "I wasn't the one who put these traps here."

Evan seemed concerned about that thought for a moment but he forgot about it the second Lucah cried out again as Jonathan tied the fabric a little tighter. "Be careful!"

"Evan!" Jonathan snapped and grabbed his shirt collar. "She's going to be fine. Yes, she'll be in pain, but she'll be fine. Now let's go before whoever put these traps here shows up."

Evan tried to pick her up off the ground but he was shaking so bad he couldn't do it. Jonathan didn't say a word just pulled him out of the way and hauled the dog up over his shoulder. Evan gave him a worried look.

"I've got her." Jonathan spoke softy for once. "Do you trust me?"

Evan didn't even blink. "Yes."

"We'll go slow with her, just lead the way. We need to stay down on the streets." Jonathan instructed and let Evan gather himself before setting off at a light jog down the empty roads.

He hated how anxious and rattled Evan was, the way his legs were unsteady. But he'd just found his best friend that he thought was dead, so he more than understood. If he'd found Tyler, he probably wouldn't be able to move, let alone breathe. But that was a hopeless dream. Tyler was dead.

So he watched it run it's course through his running partner whose tremble had eased the closer they jogged toward the tower. The sun was pelting down on them and the dog was hot in his arms. She gave a steady but quiet whine, like she didn't want to be loud. He adjusted her until he was cradling her, to ease the strain on his shoulder.

"You're going to be okay." He whispered to her and her blue eyes met his and she licked his shoulder in response it seemed like. Jonathan grinned beneath his mask and turned his gaze back ahead of him to see Evan opening the gate.