This used to be a whole chapter, but every time I looked at this story my brain cringed because the first two chapters were whole and none of the others were, and I've finally broke..... sorry.
Part Two
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Rattling of keys. A click. The squeal of metal deeply in need of oiling.
Castian opened his eyes and met the man's gaze. He noticed a star on his shoulder. So, Lizard Nose was the sheriff.
"Good thing looks don't matter in your line of work," Castian said in a carrying tone as he sat.
"Don't move." The Lizard Sheriff snapped, coming into the cell. A gun was holstered at either of his sides, and another strapped around dangling behind him, slate black--No. Kill him, hang him, beat him, sure, but wear his weapon and there'd be serious trouble.
"That's mine," Castian hissed, ignoring the command to be still. What would he do, shoot him before his hanging? No. Well... maybe. There was enough hatred and disgust in his eyes.
He grinned, it made his lizard nose shift. Creepy. "What? This?" The lizard cop stroked his, his gun appreciatively. "I like it, I think I'll keep it."
"You don't even have the bullets for it, you uncultured piece of--" The words died in his throat as he found himself suddenly staring down the end of his own gun. Okay, you're a quicker draw than I expected, I'll give you that. "Hey... chill." Castian tried to hold up his hands, but well, one of them was still attached to the bed by a rusty iron chain. He flinched in pain. His left wrist was definitely, seriously messed up, bruises just didn't hurt this much.
Lizard Cop chuckled, watching him curl over his arm. A low groan crept up inside, and slid free past the lump in his throat. "Like what I did there?" The sheriff asked.
"You bastard, rot in--Ahhh!" The chain around his wrist jerked tight. Pain exploded behind his eyes. Red and black spots dance everywhere. Don't pass out. Please, please don't pass out.
Another sharper jerk from the sheriff. The black spots dominated his vision and Castian knew he was going to black out. Then, slowly, they receded.
Lizard Cop had undone the chain from the bed and held the end in his hand. The manacle remained firmly in place on Castian's wrist. It felt like his entire arm was on fire.
"Up." He gave the chain a shake to punctuate the word. Castian felt nausea clawing up his throat. This should have been an easy job. But no, he had to get cocky, had to test Taren's shit, and worse, get sloppy. They didn't even have proper tech here! It should have been so simple. This single-handedly took his biggest mess up and made it look like nothing more than a trip, this was a tumble down the stairs straight into Hades.
Castian rose on uncertain legs. More spots clouded his eyes and he blinked them away. The lizard cop pushed him out in front. The barrel of a gun jabbed into his back, cold through his suit.
Without pause the sheriff marched them out through the jailhouse, past what had indeed been the corner of a desk; yay for useless observations. They exited onto the dusty street beyond. A hint of sun shimmered on the edge of the horizon. Sunrise. Unnatural as hell if you asked him.
People filled the street. Well, not filled exactly, but Castian would have bet most of the dingy little town had gathered there. Per-fricking-ect. Because more people would make this easier. Because his day wasn't shitty enough.
The gun barrel dug firmly into his shoulder blade. That's too far, the bullet wouldn't catch my heart you moron. It would still hurt like hell though. So Castian stumbled forward, letting himself be pushed down the street. Like there was any other option, ha. Be shot now, or walk to the gallows? Such choices.
"You know," he offered as they walked down the street, people following behind them, "you don't have to kill me, I could be super useful."
"Oh really," he sneered back.
"Yeah. I know lots of stuff. Like, just as an example, I could teach you how to shoot." Luckily from Castian, pistols were a blunt force weapon if they weren't being fired. If they hadn't been, the sheriff would have been able to shoved it straight through him. Instead, it shoved him forward hard, and Castian stumbled over his bare feet, landing in the dust. He curled in on himself. Lizard Cop had dropped the other end of his chain. He looked like he was going to kick Castian, or maybe shake him till all his teeth fell out.
"I'll teach you," he bellowed, spittle spraying from his lips. His lizard nose worked hard, feeding him air in sharp breaths. He leveled the gun at Castian. No one stepped forward to do a thing. A few men drew their guns, ready to provide backup.
"I'm sorry, I just can't take you seriously with that nose."
The gun clicked. Today was officially the worst.
YOU ARE READING
An Assassin In Time
Science Fiction(ON HOLD) If time couldn't hold you, what would you do? Castian was born inside a Field, outside of time. He has no timeline. He belongs nowhere, and anywhere. The Field he was in was destroyed when he was young, and he and four other children...
