Shadow's Within

19 : Off we go..

"We have to move!" I order.

Chase tailing me. "Where to?"

"Away"

The atmosphere peel sideways in a flash. Watching the news confirms the status we're in. As long as that reaper roams free, none of us are safe. The only passage to haven is by escaping. I scrabble the compartment for any medicine worth taking. None catches my eye, so I took a generous amount of antibiotics for my own safe keeping.

My body generates enough energy to scramble around the store, hands stretching away to every direction.

"Wait just a minute!" Chase roar.

I turn to him. "What?"

"Aren't you being just a tad paranoid" he said. "I mean who even know he could find us here. We're safe here—"

"We're not!" I interject. "You saw how they found us yesterday. Give they a breathing space and they would gather the intelligence to corner us. I know them. The organization has tons of eyes. They see everything and hear everything. The only way we could guarantee our safety is to be one step ahead of them and leave no room for them to breathe in our scent.

"By the time they would even grovel at the slightest faint smell, we would have taken our life to a new site."

Chase didn't argue but suddenly talks. "What about your mother? She just had that bullet remove. There is no way she could travel in her condition."

"He's right" Joe agree. "Your mother is in no condition to be travelling. She could barely walk from bed to the door. How are you going to guarantee her safety if she herself could be taken to her own fragility?"

I kept quiet. I know they speaks the truth. Mom is in a terrible state, her body, weaken by the placebo effect of the bullet. Even if I force my hand to take her, nature would take its course and mom would be dead within days.

"What if—" I said.

"Hmm?" they give me an equal of questioning.

My eyes pierces Joe. "We have to leave her here.."

"Annie—" Chase starts to speak.

I lock him of his next word. "No. It has to be done. The organization could never trace her to Joe anyway."

Joe gaze at me.

"You know I speak the truth Joe." I said. "You said it yourself, she's in no condition to be walking in the state she's in. Who else capable of taking care of her beside you? The hospital? I don't trust them. She would be expose if I leave her there. The organization would get their hands on her if she stays there."

I made a three hundred and sixty degree turn. "Look around. There's a lot of medicine here. This is the perfect place for her to be in."

They didn't argue.

"When things finally cool down, I would take her off your hands. This journey I need to take is dangerous. I need to take my scent off, built a whole new identity so I could break free."

"Okay." Joe finally mutter. "I'll take care of her."

Thank god. Knowing my mother safe being taken care by Joe relieves me of my pain. There's nobody I would trust in leaving my mom other than Joe.

"When we're leaving?" Chase asks.

"As soon as possible." I said. "Pack your things. Bring anything essential to you, nothing more. The lighter the better. We don't want to attract attention. The first rule of escaping, leave excess baggage behind, it could be your anchor, dropping you to your death."

Chase dashes his feet to bundle together his belongings. While I advance to the adjacent room where mom lay down to a comfortable bed. I sat beside her, holding her hand; squeezing tight.

She looks to me. "What's the matter dear?" she asks.

I push a strand of hair behind her ears and contemplate her black marble eyes. How could I leave this poor woman for the second time in my life. I had just reunited with her and she finally deserve the closure she needs. This is beyond cruel. Leaving my mother to an uncertain future. But it has to be done. This is for her safety. I'm doing this for her sake, so she could live and I would hold my side of the bargain to return to her in a peaceful prospect.

"Mom, I have to go for a while" I said.

She slants her head aside. "Where to?"

"Far away" I said, it sounds unconvincing.

She could hear the uncertainty in my supple tone. "Oh.."

Hearing she muttering that one syllable sound hurts me to the end. I squeeze her hand tight. "But I'll be back." I said. "I promise. Me and Chase are going to take care of a little problem and after that I'll pick you up."

My eyes didn't leave hers. "After this is over. I promise we could be together again. In the meantime, I have asked Joe to keep you company for the moment, so you won't be alone."

She strokes her right arms over my scalp. "Okay dear"

Instantly I hug her, avoiding her abdomen, not wanting to inflict her pain. I could feel both her arms caressing my back. "I'll be back. I promise." I whisper in her ears.

I extract myself from her, take my step through the door, withholding any feelings that could bring me tears. I walk past Joe. "Take care of her. God knows she's the only one left in my life."

"God?!" Joe sounds surprise. "What a blasphemy word coming from you. Never heard you use the G word before." He chuckles.

I couldn't help but smile at his attempt of humor. Chase joins me at the door and together we exit the pharmacy to an uncertain hope.