Run

Chapter 3

  The next morning, I went outside for a perimeter check and stretch. James was still asleep. 
It was a crisp morning and I regret not grabbing a jacket. Rubbing my hands up and down my arms, I check around. 

It's really quiet, I mean it's always quiet but the wind isn't even rustling the trash that litters the ground. Before all this I would've just brushed it off but now you have to be constantly cautious. Always be aware of your surroundings and learn to predict what might come next, as movie like as that sounds. 

I hear someone stumbling behind me and I whip around. "You have got to stop doing that or you will get a knife stuck in your eye." Grumbling quietly, I tuck my weapon away as I glare at James. He mutters a quiet apology as our shoulders bump roughly when I push past and head back to the building. Once we're both up there, I grab my breakfast and offer James some food. With a shake of his head, he grabs food from his backpack.

About fifteen minutes went by in blissful silence. 

"So, where's the bathroom?" He scratches the back of his neck as he glances at me and then around the room. Smirking, I nod my head towards the door. "Outside, pick a spot- a safe distance from here-  and go on the roof."

James looks at me, trying to gauge whether or not that was a joke and I couldn't help but throw my head back and let out a loud laugh.

"Kidding." I pick up my bag and clothes with another chuckle. "It's one floor down."

James gives me a look. Quirking his brow, his next question makes me laugh again. "Really? Or are you just trying to get rid of me? Spiders love bathrooms."  after I chuckle, I roll my eyes and walk out the door, telling him to follow. 

At the edge of the building, I climb down to the next floor using the fire escape, James following closely. Going through a window, I wait for him to come through before walking in further and in the direction of the bathroom I use everyday. With a stern look saying 'stay here', I go into the bathroom and get dressed. 

I take a moment to just look at the woman in the mirror. It's hard to recognize myself. A few months ago my light eyes didn't look so lost or empty. My body didn't have the toned but thin figure I see now. A new scar lays along my left collarbone, across and down to the middle of my chest, looking angry with it's uneven, jagged lines. With a sigh, I pull my blonde hair back in a ponytail before averting my gaze. I slip a thin gray hoodie on and black jeans with rips up and down the legs. 

Finishing the outfit with my normal black boots, I walk out with my bag on my back. As I exit the bathroom, James comes from a bedroom across the hall from me. "This place is nice. Why don't we stay here?" 

"You can." I reply with a shrug. Without meaning to, the words came out cold and curt. Walking to the window, I look back, one leg out. "Weapon?" He shakes his head and I sigh. Tossing my gun at him, he fumbles with it before giving me a look. "You need to be able to protect yourself at all times- even if you feel safe, you're not." 

He just blinks at me and I sigh through my nose. "Just meet me up stairs when you're done." Ducking through the window, I hear James sigh as I start climbing up. Grumbling to myself, I open the door to the shed, pausing at the table to flip through radio stations and drop my bag. 

Nothing- as usual. 

Going over to the couch, I fold the blankets James used last night and stack them on top of the pillow he used before stowing them in a bin under the bed. I know I won't be back but every time I leave a decently nice place I clean up and secure everything as if I will be back. I don't know, just in case maybe. 

It's been twenty minutes and I just blame James' delay on bathroom time but just as that thought crosses my mind, the shed door opens. "Hey, Haylee?" 

Making a noise of acknowledgement, I continue going through the food, deciding what to keep and what I should leave behind. 

"Little help please?" James said. Turning around at his nervous tone, my eyes turn to slits at what I see. How in the hell- Low and behold, a man with blonde hair and brown almost black eyes has a knife held to James' throat. He's a little shorter than James, wider frame though- incredibly built. In a different scenario, the man could be consider attractive, the way his hair is short but curly,flopping in his eye but those eyes show a coldness that makes me retract that thought. 

Pursing my lips, I glare at the two idiots. It's annoying how I let my guard down enough for the two of them to have entered and I didn't notice. Not to mention I just gave James crap for not paying attention- Which he deserves, clearly!

This man is trying but he doesn't scare me. Why should he when there are things out there a hell of a lot scarier? "Haylee," James stutters, panicked. 

"What are you here for?" I ask. Glowering at him, the man seems to grow nervous. I'm not scared and that takes his confidence away. Seeming to grow a pair, he grunts out "Guns, give 'em to me and I'll let you two live." His voice is deep but under the false confidence, I could hear in his voice and see in his eyes the nervousness. His threats are empty.

People have turned to violence instead of kindness in these times. More often than not, you would hope to avoid strangers. 

"Let him go first." My eyes shift to James for a second, his eyes locked on to mine- fear evident in his green eyes. The man shakes his head. "So you want me to grab the weapons? I could kill you. You don't know how I feel about the boy in your arms. I could care less about what happens to him, you don't know." I scoff. "Not very bright but if you insist." I turn and take a single step before he speaks. 

"Shut up and sit down." I smirk and turn around to see him gesture to the table. "Don't move." He shoves James at me, almost knocking me off balance, however, I catch him and give him a push towards the other seat. He's soft when you need to be strong but since he's so scared I decided against not catching him. 

"Green tub under my bed." I instruct, rolling my eyes, my arms crossed over my chest. This kid clearly doesn't know what he's doing but I can sympathize to a certain extent. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Although that doesn't mean you should threaten people, the population is already almost none existent without us killing each other for petty reasons.  

As he walks towards the bed, I quickly grab my pocket knife and throw it into his back. 

The man shouts as I lunge. Who does he think he is, barging in here and threatening me for my own shit? Like I would actually let him do what he wants. Like I'd let him walk all over us.