Shadow Moses [Fransykes]

Chapter 1

Doing something I wasn't supposed to be doing was slowly becoming my daily routine. Whether it was sneaking around the forbidden parts of the woods or sniffing around the closed mines workers shouldn't have access to, I usually always did it with my two best partners in crime, and today was no exception.

Breaking through the wilderness of the thick forest laying along the walls of the dome, my younger brother Tom and I desperately tried to follow the swift footsteps of our friend who practically flew through the woods dodging the branches and jumping over thorns.

''She's fast, you know, for a girl.'' My brother commented like we weren't the ones struggling to keep up with her.

I chuckled rolling my eyes at him before going back to solely paying attention to the path we were crossing. We've been snooping around the very edges of the dome for more than half an hour already, and if at least one of us doesn't remember the way back to the worker cabins we're gonna be so screwed once they switch the lights off and let the dogs raid the territory.

''Hey, Hannah, wait up!'' I called out to the girl slipping away from my view as I noticed it wasn't even in the back of her head to slow down. 

''We're almost there!'' She yelled back at me not even remotely slowing down - if anything, she only sped up.

''The fruit can wait, the night will not!'' I sighed in frustration finally letting myself run without trying to memorize each one of my steps.

She stopped so I was quick to catch up with her and when I did, I bumped into her knocking us both to the ground causing Tom to trip over us and join us on the dusty soil.

''You suck, Oli.'' Hannah groaned pushing both me and my brother off of herself before she jumped to her feet dusting off her dirty brown clothes.

''And you're such a girl.'' Tom announced standing up himself while I just got myself into a sitting position. 

''A girl that will bite your head off if you don't stop saying that like it's a bad thing.'' She shot at him, a playful grin on her face.

''Well, don't talk, do.'' Tom returned her the smile, challenge stirring his voice. 

''Not today or I'll strangle you both in your sleep.'' I threatened standing up before the two could actually pick up a fight. ''The government hasn't given us fresh food in almost a week, we came here to get some fruit for the kids not to pick up unnecessary bruises, so let's get on with it. The lights switch off in less than an hour.''

''You're such a buzz killer, brother.'' Tom laughed jumping onto my shoulders before pushing me back down into the ground. 

''Yeah, thanks, brother.'' I gave him a  glum look standing up again rubbing my elbows that roughly connected with the soil - it hurt, but I was used to pain, so this wasn't something that required an excessive reaction. ''And besides...'' I added. ''You should be thanking me, she would probably chop off your balls.''

Hannah smiled at us sweetly her hazel eyes flickering with amusement before she dramatically bowed at my brother. She was kind of conceited when it came to her physical skills but she had every right to be. She wasn't just the fastest girl I knew, but the fastest person I knew, and for her tiny figure she was rather strong too. 

''Yeah, right.'' Tom scoffed. 

''Wanna bet?'' Hannah returned him the challenging gaze.

I looked at them both as if they were little kids that just made a mess in the kitchen. ''Um, the fruit, remember?'' I reminded them.

As they finally broke off their staring contest I watched the black haired girl ably take hold of the branches climbing up towards the treetop.

"Stand there and catch her if she falls." I directed my brother before turning around and moving in the opposite direction. "I'm gonna make sure no one catches us off guard."