Last One Standing

|Prologue|

I kicked my feet back, crossing them over the cured leather couch. The chocolate chips of the cookie I was holding were half melted and oozed out of the crevices that they filled, but I didn't care. I had survived one more year. I was tempted to call out for my mom. She had disappeared into the hallway of our apartment, the one that connected the four rooms of our home to the front door. I was sure she had gone to talk to one of her friends, making an excuse for why her husband wasn't here. "Rick died as a veteran." She would say, "He was a hero." That's bull.

The truth was, he was nothing of the sort. I used to call him dad, but now it was just Rick- if it was anything at all. He had shut the door on us when I was 11, though he said it was for a good reason. He had told my mother that he had to leave, for my sake. Totally. 7 years later, he had a family with another woman, with two young children to call his own. He never came back to us, nor had he said a word in our direction. He never thought about us, and I had to spend my nights lying next to my mother as she cried herself to sleep. It was amazing how fast such a strong woman could weaken at such a point, fragile to anyone except the person that hurt her.

Before I knew where he had gone and what he had done, I had cried about my father leaving us, trying to cherish the moments we had. Looking at it now, I wanted to throw those memories on the floor, spit on them, and kick them into another continent. I was done with his stupid lies. He had tried to call us or even visit -as he lived five minutes away- though I hung up or shut the door in his unwavering face. He hadn't even said sorry, other than asking if everything was okay. 

I wanted to shout in his ears. I wanted to curse him out. But it would have to wait. It was a special day, and I wouldn't want to spoil it by thinking about Rick.

Click.
Click.
Click.

"Alexis?" Someone whispered. I looked up, wondering why the voice was so low, especially on one of the loudest days on the calendar. I realized that the whispering had stopped and that my mother was in front of me.

"Mom?" I whispered back, taking in the women plagued with restlessness, fear, and especially sadness. She still hadn't been able to sleep, every night spent tossing and turning, enfolded in nightmares. I was the only one left for her, and that had been a bad thing. No one said it, but we both knew that anytime, a government official could come and drag me away.

"Alexis. You can't stay here anymore. I'm sorry," She said. For the first time in months, she was on the verge of tears. 
I faltered. "Mom?" I grasped her hand, which was shaking out of control. I had always been able to calm her down on her worst days, so what about now?
"Mom, what are you saying? Why do you want me to go?" I asked her, tears pricking the back of my eyes.
"You can't stay much longer, Alexis. I've already packed your bag, just take it- take it and go." She turned her head, as if not wanting to look at me. 
"Mom, why? What are you not telling me?" I made her look at me, not ready to hear the answer. How was there a chance of anything bad happening to us?

"They're here."
Shit.

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I did the only thing I could. I ran. What could I do anyway? It wasn't like they were going to take mercy on me. I was an unknown criminal, hidden away like the hundreds more like me. Because of a stupid law that forbids people from living.

I dropped my mother's hand, leaping up from the piece of furniture and pushing it back in the process. I winced as the leg of the sofa shrieked against the wood. They might hear it, Alexis! This isn't the time for your clumsiness! I could only respond to my subconscious with a Shut up.

"How far are they?" I asked my mother, turning back quickly. I could see her wringing her hands, shooting looks at the door- as if it would fall down any moment. For all I knew, it could. Who knew how many people were standing outside the door with an arsenal of weapons waiting to kill me? It could have been one person, it could have been a cluster of officials. All I knew, was that I was getting out, and I was getting out now. My mother had gathered up all my supplies in my emergency backpack and was holding out a water bottle along with it.
"Thanks, mom," I said as I took the bag filled with provisions and spare clothes for at least two days. I would find a way to get more things later when I was in the clear.

My mother held my face in her hands, forcing me to stay where I was. "Alexis, listen. I have a spare credit card in the wallet that's in the inside pocket of the backpack. It has a bit of cash on it. Take it out of the bank so they can't close the account. Go somewhere. Anywhere. Just stay safe." Her eyes welled up as she said one last thing. "I love you."
"I know mom. You've shown it in every way." I replied with a smile, shouldering the pack that was bulging with provisions for the run ahead.

"Excuse me, ma'am, we must search your house. We have a warrant. Come to the door." The officer outside banged on the wooden door, hard. At that moment, I grew scared.

I'm going to die.

"Alexis, go." My mother said, pushing me towards the back door. I swallowed, opening the door and staring at the ground, rain splattering onto it. Puddles had formed, and the distorted figures of my mother and I stared up at me. 

Goodbye, mom.

I took a deep breath and ran for my life. Literally.

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THE PROLOGUE IS OUT! (After a million years...)

This chapter is dedicated to loveX3Jen, who was very supportive through comments! She commented and voted on my stories, and all of the comments made my day! AND SHE IS AN ARMY... SO YASSSSSS... I loved her story, Bad Boy Gone Shy, and I think everyone will love it! Go check it out! AND FOLLOW THIS AMAZING PERSON!
loveX3Jen, STRONG POWER THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING!

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Sree is out... :D