Lego House

iii. Blood

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Michael exhales deeply, resting his free hand gently on the knob of the shed door. It is cold and rough. In his other hand is a knife, and slung over one shoulder is his gun, and on the shoulder, a backpack. He gulps. “Everyone ready?” he whispers.

“Nothing is out there, Mikey,” Autumn huffs impatiently from just behind him. They are all lined up behind him, with Roselle guarding them from the back. He attempts to gulp again, but the dryness in his throat reminds him of how long it’d been since they’d all last had food and water.

“Okay, then. Ready your weapons just in case.” He twists the knob slowly, pushing the door open with his body. It creaks annoyingly loudly as it swings open. Autumn is right, nothing is there. He takes a few cautious steps forward, onto the crunchy leaves littering the ground.

The others pour out after him, their footsteps far too loud for comfort. He inwardly groans. He points them in the direction of a dark patch of trees. He hears rather than sees them follow him. They had come back from the shed the night earlier after everything was pure darkness.

Now, it is twenty four hours later and everything is yet again darkness. He almost rams his head straight into a branch as he marches forward with purpose. He hears Autumn stifle a laugh. He shakes his head with an amused smile on his face.

As they come into a clearing where the moon shines above them, illuminating the entire area. Michael takes a step forward and a knife slices through the air. Autumn screams. He whirls around frantically, but she doesn’t seem to be injured.

He counts eight men as they step into the clearing. He had prepared for this, of course, mentally, emotionally and physically – but the reality sends you into shock. Eight men circling your group with guns or knives aimed at you. It is impossible not to be shocked still.

But only for a moment. The sound of a gunshot fills the air. Time seems to slow down as he flies himself away from his previous position. His ears ring, still, from the loud bang. He grapples for his gun, swinging it around his body and blindly shooting. His fall onto the ground had rendered him dizzy and with blurred vision.

-

Autumn watches Michael struggle to stand. She is about to rush over to help him when a large body propels itself at her, teeth bared and eyes wide. She lets out an ear piercing scream, not even thinking of grabbing her bow. The man topples both of them onto the ground. She realises she has a knife in one hand. She goes to thrust it into the man’s side.

He already had a knife out, prepared to cut her. As he dropped it, in death, it sliced very lightly Autumn’s cheek. She groans, pushing him off of her, feeling with disgust the blood rolling down her cheek. She stands up and readies her bow, having tucked her bloodied knife into a pocket in her backpack.

Someone jumps at her from behind and she makes a mental note to find Irisa after this fight to become fighting partners. Irisa. Aleyah! In a panic, she starts thrashing about. Where is Aleyah? She is armed only with a knife in each hand. She is about to call out when a fist makes contact with her face. It is the same side which was cut with the other Pyllagement man’s knife.

“You killed my brother,” he hisses, his accent thick and strong. He punches her again and pain pulses through her nose. He pulls away from her for a second, his legs pinning her down far too well. He produces a knife, a small dagger, and sets it to Autumn’s throat.

Its tip presses into the side of her throat, his knees press into her legs. I’m going to die. I’m going to – he flops down on top of her and her heart rate quickens. An arrow is protruding from his side, and blood is pouring onto the ground beside Autumn. She starts to shriek shakily, trying to push his limp, dying body off of her.