I am Number Twelve

16

16

My towel nearly ends up at my ankles. A drawing of my face, Jake's face, and a photo of our houses and the school take's up the entire screen along with the dialouge,

"The two adolescents that burnt down Clarke County High and several surrounding buildings late on Tuesday evening have been identified as Jake Clark and Zeda Thomas, both 15. The two were from separate families, and had both recently moved to the area. The principal of the school, Whiteny Birganti, has been confirmed dead, as has Catherine Clark, Jake Clark's mother, Lola Thomas, Zeda Thomas' mother and Whiteny Birganti's daughter, Helen Birganti. 

  'The bodies have not been retrieved. Also, believed to be kidnapped by Mr Clark and Miss Thomas, is 15 year old Charlie Cross. It is believed that Mr Clark and Miss Thomas are responsible for the murders and kidnapping, and the police also warn that the pair is very dangerous, skilled and are armed. Do not approach them. We believe they have ties in Los Angeles and Nevada. If you see Mr Clark, or Miss Thomas please call the hot-line number at the bottom of the screen...' The broadcast is on loop and the woman starts again.

My eyes flicker to Jake, who is standing now, packing stuff. 'What do we do? Where should we go? Everyone knows us, that was national T.V.' He stops packing and asks me.

'Well the logical thing to do is probably stay away from Los Angeles and Nevada. I don't know.' I shrug.

'I knew we would get pinned down for the murders, not Cath's of course, but the others. I don't know where they got our pictures from, maybe-'

'Our houses. Shit!' I finish for him, throwing my head into my hands. 

'C'mon, Get dressed, then we need to hit the road.'

'I bet the dude at the reception office is coming over here right now.' I say, rushing to my bag while still holding the ragged motel towel. I dress quickly, right in front of him, the towel covers everything, and he's busy erasing traces of our stay.

 I collect anything that belongs to me, then I throw a shirt over my head to mask my face. I quickly step outside, open the car door and shove my stuff in. I bustle back inside, and Jake is on his way out. He waits in the car, while I do one last sweep for stuff.

I lock the door and leave the motel key on the wrecked door mat. The sun blares through the windscreen as I get in the car, the sky cloudless. 

'This is turning pearshaped, very quickly. I don't think the Zens will get much of a lead though. There isn't anything extraterrestrial about two teenagers murdering three people.' He flinches as soon as he finishes. I think there might be.

'Crap. We need to find the others before shit gets serious.' I point out.

'I know, I think Char-' Jake stops talking. A loud bang errupts from above us, on the roof. A large dint apears and I can feel the car sink  lower due to the added weight.

A metal screetches against  metal, and a long metal rod plunges between Jake and I, down through the car roof. Adrenaline is being pumped around both our bodies. Jake grabs the metal rod and twists it out and into the car, a weapon. 

Unfortunately, I realise, I don't have one. I quickly use my black shrinking cube, and shrink by bag, tucking it down my bra. I slowly open the door, and slip outside. I start to crouch on the ground, as does Jake, hoping to hide from the person on the roof, when I feel a pair of cold hands wrap around my mouth and drag me upwards forcefully. 

I hear barely audible grunts- Jake, fighting off whoever got him. I scratch at the hands, dirty, and kick with all my might. It's no use. I wriggle and struggle, but I only receive kicks to my back.  I stop resisting as pain shoots up my spine. The person drags me. Round the back of the motel units, and down a steep bank into the woods behind the motels. And I let them.