The Run-aWays (I)

~ChaptEr Four~

~ I ran,

Death ,fire...screams.

Red...blood or fire?

"Liberate them... liberate them"

Liberate... Them~

She limped, flashlight sweaty in her palm she crept down an alleyway. She peered at her front school gate, hiding in the shadows. She could feel her neck throb within each gulp, and her head still feeling light. Her mouth dried up, her tongue feeling gritty as she licks her cracking lips. She leaned against the wall, her t-shirt sticking to her sweaty skin.

"Ath-"

Athena's heart jumped she swung around and saw a stranger loom over her, she shielded herself. Her mouth about to open to let out a scream. "Don't scream," the person gently pressed their hand on her mouth. Athena licked. "ew," they pulled their hand away wiping it on their trousers.

Athena stopped and looked at her attacker, "oh" she thought, "Elijah."

"Yeah, damn," he said readjusting himself, "is April not here yet?."

Athena shook her head, "no, sorry."

He sighed, relaxing against the wall. He peered over at Athena, seeing the blue and purple bruises blossoming like butterflies on her neck. He hesitated, and he notices she was shaking. " what happened?"

Her head snapped up, looking up at him. Her hair parting away from her eyes, her thick black hair falling down the side of her face. Revealing almond black eyes, darker than the night sky. There was a beautiful slice of Blue in her right eye, which contrasted with the black. Her eyes are so captivating but yet so broken. Elijah's heart sank, physically seeing the sadness seeping from Athena's eyes. They welled up with tears, she went to tun away. Elijah grabbed her wrist gently yet firm, "who hurt you?"
Athena said nothing shaking her head vigorously, her body swayed. Elijah steadied her and looked her in the eye, both of her beautiful fierce eyes look hazed as she starts to lose consciousness.
She fell, falling into a mist of black dots.

Her eyes sprung open.
"she's awake, " April mentioned.
Everything was blurry for a second, She rubbed them against a solid-like wall. she tried to lift her head questioning where she was and why her feet weren't touching the floor. She looked down causing the whole world to rotate when she realised she was on someone's back.

She whacked them against the head causing him to stumble, "Ow! Athena. What the hell" a harsh whispered spat.

Elijah.

April filled her cheeks with air, her green eyes as pearls squeeze together as she tries her hardest not to laugh. She opened a bottle and it clicked before handing it to Athena. "Here, drink up."
Athena let go of her arm wrapped around Elijah and pressed the bottle around her lips and drank.

April bent down and started twisting the lever of the drain. Athena slides down Elijahs back, her knees buckling as her fragile feet met the cold concrete. The Drain creaked slightly as it opened, "Athena, Elijah you go first, I need to close it." With no hesitation, Elijah gripped the ladder tightly disappearing down the whole. 

Athena stood flabbergasted, "what is this?" she asked. April grinned, "it's under the city. Our hideout."

Athena shakingly slid into the hole her sweaty palms gripping onto the ladders ion bares and disappears. 

They waited silently at the bottom of a long tunnel, April scurried down jumping the last 3 bars. She dusted her knees and walked ahead. 

"This is the city's underground, commonly used as a hideout from the government. We can say our plans here, without worrying about enemies. This tunnel goes on for miles, people who are labelled 'uglies' stay and hide down here." She stopped and peered back, "just stay close, I love some of these individuals but some.. is pretty strange." 

Figures started to from the shadows and murmurs in the tunnels got louder, cries of infant children as mothers desperately tries to shut them up. Hooded individuals stop and stare, The tunnel grew wider as April turns into a room. There was a warm candle-light glow, and suddenly they found themself at a homemade pub.

It was a medium-sized room, tables made of old wood and chairs cleary stolen from different environments. A longer-sized table stood at the front of the room, the entire wall behind it covered in booze. A muscular man stood behind it, his beard unshaven and his t-shirt ready to burst from his muscles. His muscles flexed as he wipes a glass, and gave a kind teethy smile. 

"Mike" Grinned April, She ran towards him and sat in front of him. "Longtime."

Mike smiled,  setting a glass down and pouring a golden fluffy liquid into it. April sipped on it, look back at Elijah and Athena at the door. She waved them to come over. "This is Mike he is mute, he has no tongue." Mike nodded at them, waving his hand slightly. Elijah and Athena walked in sitting next to April. Mike set two more glasses down, also pouring golden fluffy liquid into them. Athena blinked and saw Elijah and April instantly dig in. Her hands shook as she lifted the drink up to her lips and drank.

Alcohol.

Her whole body twitched as she choked on the fluid bubbling down her throat, so slammed the flash down regaining her breath. There was a slight burn in her stomach, she pushed it away. Refusing to end up like her mother, the 3 of them stared at her, the curious eyes peering down on her. "Are you okay?" April asked. Athena simply nodded, " yes just not thirsty. Thank you."

The other two down there's causing their faces to turn warm red. April wiped her mouth she sighed leaning back. "Mike, these two right here are joining in on the-" she gave him the look. He opened his eyes and nodded, reaching his heavy palm at Elijah. Elijah set a firm grip into Mikes's hand, shaking it. Mike turned and reached his hand to Athena, gently patting her head, giving a warm smile. Athena turned pink, feeling his huge palm on his head but there was a sense of comfort.

"Welcome to the team, "