Challenge 1

Story 6

Author: sammyjak

Muffled shouting echoed through the thin damp walls as Teagan leant down to tie the frayed laces of her docs, pausing as a woman's scream pierced the air and rendered the typical mayhem of the hostel silent. She sat up and waited for what would come next, brushing her long mousey blonde hair back behind her ears as if to help her hear better she held her breath. One... Two... Three... She began to count the beats of her racing heart as the stillness stretched on.

She gave a shriek and shrunk back on the stained mattress as the door flew open and bounced back off the wall with a bang. The doorway framing H, a guy that frequented the hostel. His dark hair hanging in loose curls to his leather-clad shoulders as his cool green eyes swept through her room until they landed on her, for a moment she thought he was going to dismiss her and keep on walking but as he turned to move away to move away he hesitated and looked back.

"Kid you need outta here, major shit's going down."

Teagan clenched her jaw, she wasn't a kid, she was nineteen and could handle any kind of—

Two-gun shots rang out, making her scream again and cover her ringing ears, eyes closed she started to count again. One... Two...

She gasped as a hand wrapped around her wrist and pulled her to her feet. "Now!"

He didn't let go, pulling her into the hallway that was alive with fear, people scurrying in every direction like rats on a sinking ship.

His grip so tight it pinched her skin, and even in their mindless panic people seemed to instinctively part a way for them as H kept on knocking on doors, making sure rooms were empty until he came to a locked door and thumped his fist against the wood.

"Niall?... NIALL?!" He raked his free hand through his hair and cursed under his breath. "Fuck..." He reached up high, his black shirt riding up to unveil what looked like a laurel tattooed on his hip as his fingertips danced along the top of the door frame looking for something. His wild eyes swung down to her. "Look for a key, it's s silver key!"

Released from his hold she dropped to her knees to check under the door, finding nothing she saw a book holding up a table leg and pulled it out, and there cut into page 186 was a silver key. H's fingers hungrily snatched it from her, cupping her face and kissing her hand in gratitude. In pure shock she brought a hand up to slap his sharp jaw-line, but he didn't flinch, just flashed a grin, before he unlocked the door, the room was empty but the window open and as they peered out and below there waited a motorbike. H pulled a set of keys from his pocket and dangled them enticingly in front of her.

"Ready??"