Underground

53

Estelle
"Hide the kids." I say to August, lightly touching his shoulder.
Cirus's dark eyes were wide with fear, while September's were full of anger and determination.
August grabs them, Cirus by her tiny hand, September by the bicep, dragging them to the basement.
Leeciy grabs my wrist, his blue eyes searching my grey ones. "Ready?"
I reach over and grab my hatchet from a small table we moved to be next to the door.
"Let's go." I say, nodding in confirmation.
***
Leeciy refuses to leave my side, and his hand refuses to let go of my wrist, it was comforting.
"Where are the people?" I ask.
"I said they're coming, not here." He says.
I nod.
Annaliesee walks up to us. "They're not sending a lot."
"How can you tell?" I ask.
She looks to Leeciy. "The other day when I watched Cirus for you, y'know when you were studying tactics? Anyway, I was watching her and she kept murmuring twelve, so I asked her why she was murmuring that and she looker up at me and said twelve soldiers." She explains, looking between the both of us.
I nod. "Okay."
Leeciy's face goes blank while he thinks. "We can handle twelve."
"Well, they're probably heavily armed." I say.
Leeciy turns to me. "Are you underestimating me?" He scrapes up a pathetic attempt at a joke.
"I might be." I say.
Annaliesee scoffs. "Stop flirting and get ready, they're supposed to be here soon."
"We're not flirting." I argue, crossing my arms.
"Whatever! Aren't you guys supposed to lead us!?" Annaliesee stomps away angrily.
I nod. "She's right. Let's lead these freaks."
"Freaks?" He asks, sounding offended.
***
We all conceal ourselves in the trees, some even slathering mud across their faces .
I had separated from my friends and was in a group of Pangaeans I didn't quite know.
They are nice though, giving me room.
The soldiers take a helicopter and land on the other side of Willowdale.
"Greeny." A boy murmurs behind me.
I turn and see a girl, big green eyes, in his arm, shaking like a leaf.
"You're being dramatic." The boy says.
I step away from the treeline. "Hey, is she okay?"
"I don't know." The boy says. "She's never done this before."
The girl looks about sixteen, unruly ginger hair that went to middle of her torso, she looks like what a cousin of mine would look like, beside the green eyes.
"Greeny?" I ask, reaching over and touching her shoulder. A shock runs through me.
The boy must feel it too, pulling away swiftly.
"She's uncovering her Oura konnes." I say. "Lightning, I'm guessing."
I look back to the tree line to see Yeeva walking out, a familiar head of pale blonde hair.
"Gabrie?" I whisper to myself, now questioning everything.
Gabrie was my neighbor growing up, when I was nearly mauled by Norisks, she was there to soothe the pain with homemade remedies and softly spoken words.
Question is, why would she be with Yeeva?
I don't rack my mind for answers, instead, I march out as well, holding my head high.
"Estelle w-wait!" Greeny yells, after me.
I don't turn back, frozen with the scene unfolding ahead of me.
Yeeva walks up to one of the soldiers and points at the forest.
I couldn't read her lips from here, but I could tell we were screwed.
"Run!" I scream at the treeline. "Get out of the trees!"
They follow my command, which is extremely satisfying.
A few run towards their houses, which I stop by glaring in their direction.
The soldiers don't notice us at first, but they do when the trees suddenly grow.
They open fire into the trees.
'They're going to kill all the squirrels.' I think, right before realizing I should do something.
August runs towards me, loading his pistol.
"What are you doing?" I ask, my eyes widening in both anger and fear.
He gives me a soft smile. "We go together or we don't go at all."
***
I sneak through an alleyway, closely followed by August.
The knot is back, tightening in my stomach, though I try to act emotionless.
"I don't know what kind of body armor they're wearing." I say quietly. "If I throw my axe there's a big chance I won't get it back."
"Hmm?" August hums.
"I'm going over tactics." I say.
He nods. "I could try a headshot." "Don't." I murmur. "I'm not sure it'll work."
I peak out of the alley, three soldiers, burnt to crisps, lay on the grass.
"Annaliesee's killed some." I murmur. "Fried them."
"Good." He says.
I turn to him. "Don't die okay?"
"What?" He asks, taken aback.
"I couldn't forgive myself if you died." I say.
He smiles, shaking his head. "I won't die."
"Promise?" I ask with big doe eyes.
"I promise." He says.
I grin. "I'll hold you to that."
***
My shoulders always tense when I walk into battle. Leeciy thinks it's my greatest flaw. I asked him about the scar above my eyebrow, or the scars on my arms and hands and he said battle scars don't count as flaws, but as marks of bravery.
That's all I can think about when my shoulders tense and one of the soldiers walk in our direction.
I press myself against the wall, praying to whatever God is out there, who's taking requests.
August gets the hint and flattens himself against the wall, grabbing my shaking hand.
The soldier walks past us, not even giving us a second glance.
Once he's far enough away, I let out a breath.
"We're okay." August says, squeezing my hand.
I bite my lip. "What do we do next?" I look out and count five soldiers, add the one that just walked past.
"How many?" August asks.
I turn to him. "Six."
One of the soldiers was laying there, arrow deep in his eye.
I applaud Luca in my head, smiling softly.
Well, I smile until I realize what direction the soldier was walking. Towards the house, that's hiding both September and Cirus.