Marked

Chapter 25

Marcus reached for my hand as we walked, Terrence was in front of us leading the way. My head still rung from his bold words, to me they were really important. I felt my chest constrict, I had never really said out loud, putting feelings into words seemed like too serious a task. I knew I could trust him and truly I did care for him, but love him? I wasn't even sure if I truly knew what it meant to have such feelings for someone.

The feel of his hand on mine was heavy. I never understood touch and I still don't, I grew up numb to life and remain still. Worst part of it all is that I thought it would never get better than this, that it was as good as it would get, now I get the chance to live better but, at what cost? Feeling can be good, but it can also kill you.

The world grew quiet around us, no birds chirping not even the mild rustling of leaves could be heard. I crashed into something, or more likely someone. Letting go of Marcus I bumped into Terrence, who was completely still. He held up his hand making a gesture for silence. My heart went still. I turned to find Marcus with a furrowed brow. "What's go- " he asked.

Terrence turned around brusquely, covering his mouth before he even got to finish. I could hear my heart beat inside my chest, thumping and accelerating as the tension grew. Terrence let go of Marcus making a gesture for silence. I looked around everything seemed completely ordinary, except for the deafening silence. It was too quiet. I tried to tap into my senses, but the veil made everything blur and mash up together, the push and pull made me dizzy.

Marcus held his hands up in a form of surrender, Terrence let go of him and took a step back he was still holding a finger to his lips. He crouched slowly, Marcus and I followed suit. The grass surrounding us was tall enough to give us cover, everything mas unmoving the rustling wind absent as if it too were in hiding. Terrence held his hands to the ground, his eyes were closed shut, meanwhile I didn't know what to do with myself. I felt so out of tune with my own body, so useless in a situation like this. I hated depending on other for my own safety, growing up as an ailing girl to a useless young adult with a constant foreboding of the calamities to come. Always scared, always afraid.

"We can't stay out in the open for too long" Terrence whispered, so quietly that only I could hear. His hands were sunk in the dirt beneath our feet, he had a look of deep concentration in his face, "we're too exposed, anyone could find us".

MARC could find us I thought to myself, we were too exposed, pretty much asking to be captured. My knees started shaking for crouching for so long, but I couldn't dare to move. I heard the click and chime of a gun I turned around with a gasp, blood leaving my face. Had they found us? My breath hitched at my throat when I saw the holder of the handgun. Marcus clicked and unlocked the gun pointing it towards the ground.

At the look of shock in my face he shrugged, "We cant always defend ourselves with branches here" gesturing towards Terrence, I turned to see him. A face of concentration gone, replaced by an expression laced by anger "What?" he continued, "It's just to keep her safe".

Terrence's eyes flamed with anger, turning red at the rims creating a contrast with his now dilated pupil. "Those things murder, they are made to kill" he said in between gritted teeth. His breathing was pronounced, his chest rising and falling. He clenched his fists and pushed against the ground.

"Maybe you should put that away Marcus" I said, "guns are dangerous, we don't want to be fooling around with that".

"Oh come on" he wined, "It's not like I'm aiming at earth kid here" he flung around the weapon as if it meant nothing, like it were weightless in his grasp, but the look on his face implicated veiled seriousness and at that moment I couldn't quite see the Marcus that said he loved me just couple moments prior.

Terrence was frozen in place with a look of pure fear etched across his face. The lively blush that normally crept on his cheeks faded into a much paler complexion, his eyes were focused yet distracted by the unoccupied spot in the guns trigger.

"Put that away Marcus!" I said sternly, "It's making me nervous" and it was making Terrence nervous, I couldn't help but notice his shaking fists balled up at his sides.

"What?" Marcus spat, "don't you trust me, haven't I given you every reason to?".

His words felt like a punch in the gut, I had to trust him didn't I. No, never mind that I did trust him but I couldn't help but feel wary. Guns made my stomach churn and my knees tremble, but most of all the look of Terrence's face stayed present in the back of my mind, what could have happened to him that created such an impression of him? why react that way?

"Marcus thats not the point" I said glancing again at Terrence in his frozen state, he seemed ready to run if needed be.

"What you're worried about Dirt here?" he said absently pointing which the hand holding the weapon, I didn't need to look over to realize that Terrence's' jaw was sealed shut, his teeth clenched tightly. Marcus took a step forward forcing Terrence a step back, a smirk was on his face as he spoke, "Not so brave now huh?", seconds later they were face to face.

Terrence remained quiet, his muscles tensing more with each moment. "We should go" I neared them with shaking steps, as if walking through a minefield that could go of at the smallest provocation. "Anybody could see us here, its too dangerous".

"Or maybe," Marcus began as he slowly lifted the gun, tension increasing with the slow movements of his arm, "we should see if this guy is really as though as he claims to be" as soon as he finished he had lifted it up to Terrence's forehead his index finger with full intent caressing the trigger.

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Authors note

Hiatus #34567890 over, I'm back ;)

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