Galaxy Shoes

5. Midnight Police

The sirens screeched in my ears like nails against a chalkboard: irritating, deafening, yet frightening all the same. The blanket covering my sleeping figure was pulled aside and my legs were blasted with a sudden chill.

I struggled to open my eyes, the sleepiness I felt heaving them down like bricks. I blinked and was immediately struck with the moderate household I knew and loved merely for the people that lived inside. I looked down the path to my right and was hit with bright red and blue lights.

My body shook as I fell to the ground, watching as the door was kicked open by the paramedics in order to enter the locked building. My lips trembled and my head fell as not one part of me wanted to accept the predicament my family was in.

"Joanne," a voice called. I raised my head to spot a soft hand before my eyes. I grabbed it firmly and stood up from the ground. I stared into the beautiful, warm eyes and opened my mouth, preparing to speak.

"Joanne," the voice said again with a now rougher edge.

"Joanne!" The voice was more aggressive and I jumped in surprise, my eyes flying open. I was struck with the light of the moon and had an urge to growl in annoyance. The sirens from my dream kept blaring in my ears, causing me to look at Liam in confusion.

"Liam, what's going on?" I asked, my heart speeding up involuntarily.

He grabbed my hand and pulled me off the bed. "Police officers are here. We have to leave now!"

"What?" I shrieked, widening my eyes in horror, "Why? Where's Ellery?"

"Right here," Ellery grabbed her phone from the desk near the window, "One of Marty's 'occupants' had drugs hidden all over the place! They want to take everyone in for questioning."

Liam rushed Ellery and me to the door. "They haven't spotted us yet, so we have a chance to get out of here, but we have to hurry."

The police sirens continued to pierce the air with shrieks and colors, muffling my ears and blurring my vision. I stopped near the door, causing Liam and Ellery to stop behind me, while the occasional 'freeze!' could be heard outside.

"Wait, how are we gonna leave? Don't they have police cars all over the place or something?" I asked, fear creeping through me as my hand froze on the doorknob.

"There's a back door. Marty showed me where it is," Ellery said, shooting her hand towards the door and pulling it open.

We stepped into the hallway, ready to make a run for it when I heard footsteps coming around the corner. We looked at each other, knowing we wouldn't be able to get out due to the hallway coming to an end behind us. I looked to my right and spotted an open door, the room's furnishings coming into my sight.

"Guys," I whispered, pointing to the room and jogging inside.

Ellery rushed in behind me before a loud, aggressive 'freeze!' resonated throughout the hallway. Liam turned away from the door and faced the voice hidden behind the wall. I took a step towards the threshold, heading into the hallway, before Ellery grabbed my arm and yanked me back.

"What are you doing?" she whispered roughly.

"We can't let Liam get arrested," I growled, "We have to go with him."

"No, we don't," she said, "We can't get him out if we're all in the jail cell with him!"

"Put your hands in the air," the gruff voice yelled. I turned towards Liam as he stared straight ahead. He flexed his hand while raising them, momentarily pointing sideways in our direction. I pulled my eyebrows together, wondering what he was pointing at.