Adar

Chapter 5 : The Escape part 2

Flames ran up the walls of the building, furiously. The heat of the flames were growing, tongues of flames lashing everywhere.

Captain Barnette ordered his men to give up the hunt for the prisoners. He had them all filling up barrels and buckets to put out the fire that was nearly done burning one side of the building. The Guardsmen threw the buckets of water and barrels at the flames,  consuming the walls. The heat was unbearable. Those at the well,  trying to fill up the buckets and barrels with water, felt more relieved to be farthest from the flames.

***

You will pay Langstrom... This is just the beginning.

"Adar..."

A voice interrupted Adar and pulled him out of his thoughts.

"Yes, Melanie? " He looked over at her.

They were facing the now burning building, a great distance from it, on a hill.

Melanie bit down her bottom lip, her forehead creasing as well. 

"Where are you going ... now?"

Adar looked forward. He hadn't thought to much of it. His anger hadn't let him, only thoughts of Langstrom's rotting corpse at his feet filled his mind, that and the image of the burning body of his mother. 

A quick flashback initiated. His mother was lying down, the hungry flames were crawling over her body, like millions of ants on a corpse. He was helpless. If only he had been there to stop those men. If he had just stayed at his house instead of wander off.

Why did I leave the house in the first place? 

The thought struck Adar as weird. He couldn't remember why he left. He just couldn't.

He turned his face from Melanie, hiding a grimace of pain from the flashback.

He regained his composure then talked with a clear throat."  I don't know.  I don't have a home. I didn't think I would be... having company. "

Melanie crossed her arms and closed her eyes, a look of annoyance clear on her face.

"No one asked you to babysit me. And why am I the company? How is it you are not the company?"

"I'm older and I was the one who told you to come along," replied Adar. "If you wish, I could leave. "

"Wouldn't matter to me," said Melanie. 

Adar turned on his heel and began to walk down the hill, away from the building.

Melanie opened her eyes, turning around to see him walking away. She made fist with her hands,l at her sides. "You can't just leave me!"

"I thought you didn't want company," said Adar. 

"First you ask for my company, then you just rather not have it?" said Melanie. " You were begging for it while in the cells. "

Adar stopped. I thought she knew that was just an act.

Adar turned around to face her. She had her arms crossed once again. Her face, again, appeared annoyed.

Adar sighed. "Follow me."

************

Cane stepped out of the town hall building.

A look of triumphant on his face.

Norman stood beside the taller Seth. Seth held a lantern in his hand.

"What did the town council rule?" asked Seth. 

"They said they would help us with our hunt for Langstrom... If we split half of the bounty with them."