MASKS [Jon Snow]

SIXTEEN • BLEED OUT

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

•••

always fight for love
walk barefoot across the jagged
shards of a broken heart
but never become its victim

•••

THE yelling ceased. All that could be heard was the howling wind and the occasional scream from the other side. The noise chilled Liliana to the bone. She could tell even Jon was rattled as he gripped her forearm tightly, she didn't know if he meant to do it or subconsciously needed support.

The screaming began again as things started to bang and scrape against the gate. The creatures that then banged against the door were not men. No. They were roaring and snarling, snapping and screeching. The noise that came from their mouths was no human noise.

"Ready your arrows." A man yelled, as a line of men nocked they arrows in their bows. Inhuman arms broke their way through the gate, clawing at anything in reach. Liliana unsheathed her sword, stepping forward readying herself to fight.

"No." Jon pulled her arm back. "Get in the boat, now." He tried to pull her back to one of the boats.

"No, we are not going through this again." She hissed, pulling her arm from his grasp.

"Get in. Now." He seethed. "Just listen to me for once in your life. I'm trying to protect you!" Men began to run for the boats and Jon tried grabbing her again but she stepped from his reach.

"I can protect myself." She yelled over the commotion and span on her heel, yanking herself from his grasp and running for the gates, Scorch right behind her. She didn't need Jon's protection, right? What was he thinking? He wasn't her father so she wouldn't let him tell her what to do.

She picked up a bow, not having much training in archery she just had to hope for the best. But no way in hell was she sitting it out. She released an arrow, watching it fly through the air and sink straight through one of their heads. She smiled at her bulls eyes before pulling another one back and trying again.

It was surprising how many hit her target. At least one in three hit where she wanted which was better than she expected.

She glanced back at Jon who was trying to keep the fleeing men in line unsuccessfully. The Wildlings plunged into the sea, desperately swimming after any boat in sight.

Liliana focused back on the gate which was beginning to wobble. She cursed as one of them popped over the top of the gate, snapping and snarling. She faltered as she got a good look at the thing, it was a skeleton. A ragged bone man. One from her dream.

A shudder went through her as she reaeased the arrow, it sank into the things head, but it didn't stop. It kept coming.

She didn't know where to focus as some began digging their way through underneath. She was desperately flinging arrows at anything that moved in hopes of hitting something. She reached for the quiver below her only to find it empty. Well shit.

Her head turned at the familiar voice, echoing through the snow. "Nights Watch, with me!" Jon yelled, all the men dressed in black started following him through the crowd. Liliana drew her sword, preparing to fight. Scorch yapped, snarling at the skeletons.