On the Run

Chapter Thirteen

I awake from my sleep to the sound of feet. Girls! I am about to yell at them to stop when I recognize the sound. Boots not feet. Big, manly feet not toddler feet. I jump from the bed as quick as a jackrabbit. "Jhase! They are here!" I squeal. I run to the door to find a large group of men in the living room. I rush back to the room. I am panting. "No. No. No. No. NO!" I scream. I throw the lamp on the table across the room. It shatters on impact of the wall. Jhase rushes over to the door and listens. His face drops with despair. "Isabelle." He turns to me. I panic. I begin looking for an escape route. Not down the stairs. Not around the back door. Definetly not through the front door. "isabelle!" JHase grabs my shoulders. He hugs me tightly. He speaks into my hair in a calming tone. "I'll get the girls. We can go down through the window. It's only two stories." I stop, pulling out of his embrace. "You can't come with me." I say. I run to the closet and change out of my pajamas. I throw on a pair of bue jean shorts and a large gray sweatshirt out of Jhase's closet. It says "CROSSINGS CAMP 2012." I pull it on and breathe deeply. Vanilla and mint. I cross the room in a determined way. Jhase stands there frozen. I walk up to him and take his head in my hands. He grabs my hands and puts his hand over them.

I sigh. "I love you Jhase." I start. "That's why I have to leave." I pull away and start to the door. "Get the girls. Stay with them. Kepp them safe. Tell them I really loved them." Jhase walks up to me. He loops his arms around my hips, pulling me close to him. Our stomachs touch. I shiver. "Kiss me one last time, Jhase Booth."  So he does. Its warm and passionate. It reminds me of a man and wife where one of them is in the army. THey kiss for the last time and walk away. But, sometimes they find each other again. I can't. I love him too much to do this again.

We pull away and I rub my hand down his tear-stained cheek. "I love you." I say. "I love you too." HE whispers. Then, walks out of my life forever. I steady myself and regain my posture. Then ,jump out of the window.

I land with a THUMP. I get up and try to run. I am grabbed by two large men with a scars down the opposite sides of there faces. They are twins with twin scars. But all the suits look the same to me now. I dig my heels into the ground. They freeze wondering what is stoping them. I take my chance. I kick hard into their shins. They bend down to cradle their wounds. I kick their heads and they fly backward. Rookies. I chuckle. I run a little farther when a tall, slender suit runs in front of me. We both freeze. I squint. He squints. He pulls out a gun. I stop breathing. "Take the beats Iz." I hear my father say. I close my eyes for a moment. I hear the trigger being pulled. I open my eyes and take the beats.

TICK. I dodge the bullets by bending backwards in a sick Matrix move.

TOCK. I stand straight and easily dodge the cascade of bullets from this Rook suit.

TICK. I rush forward and slap the gun from his hand.

TOCK. I take the gun and pull the trigger.

I freeze. The Suit is on the ground, swiming in a pool of blood. I killed him. I shot this man between the eyes. And feel nothing. I kick his body over and hold on to the gun so tightly, my knuckles turn white. I hear a whimper and look down. The Suit has opened his eyes and looks at me sorrowfully. "Finish it." He demands in a low gurgling voice. I Squat down and brush the flaming red hair fom his eyes. I pull his shades from his eyes and put them on the bridge of my nose. I smile sweetly. I get down to whisper in his ear. I pull my new reflective black aviators down to look at him ove the edge."No." I say and walk away while listening to the Suit beg for mercy. Pushing the shades back onto my face, I walk away smiling. Burn baby, burn  I think to the man. I walk into the horizon of pink and orange and purple swirls.