Tɪɢʜᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ Bᴏɴᴅs || Tʜᴇ Cʜᴏsᴇɴ Eɪɢʜᴛ Bᴏᴏᴋ Tʜʀᴇᴇ

ᴘʀᴏʟᴏɢᴜᴇ || ʀᴜɴɴɪɴɢ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ꜱʜᴀᴅᴏᴡꜱ

Flynn

I have been running for a very long time.

I knew they would find me one day.

I guess that's something you resign yourself to, as soon as you start running. You won't stop. Ever. It's depressing, sure, but that's life.

What I didn't realize was that they'd wait to figure everything out before they came for me.

Now, I've been on the run— but technically, you don't have to to be running all the time. Although it feels like it. Constant panic, fear of getting caught.

I was running now though. For real. My lungs were aching, my breaths rasping copper air over my tongue. My legs were shaking with exhaustion. Every step felt like it could be the last, but I still pushed on.

I'm too old for this, I thought. I glanced over my shoulder. The sound of footsteps had receded, and I couldn't see anything, not that that mattered, for their black uniforms blend in so well, especially at night.

Isn't that fitting. I snorted at the thought, letting my spirit animal out of passive. A grown man like myself, running from shadows.

The fruit bat flew around my head, emitting high pitched chirps. I ducked as one of his wings came a little too close to my eye, then straightened.

"Yes, Zazu." I huffed exasperatedly, "they've finally caught up to me. Now, can you go and see if they are close? I think I've lost them, but I'm not sure." I wet my lips as I spoke, my pace slowing dangerously.

Zazu chirped, nipped my ear affectionately, then flew off. His little dark body was enveloped in the night within moments.

I rubbed at my ear, still heaving for breath. I wanted to pause, wait for him to come back, but I didn't dare.

It took the bat only a few moments before he came zooming back. He darted around me, a comically anxious look on his little face.

I didn't laugh, though. Instead, I felt dread form a hard knot in my gut.

"I guess I didn't lose them, after all." I muttered. My legs felt like they were on fire, but I quickened my pace. With Zazu out, I felt more alert. My hearing was sharper, more acute. Indeed, I could hear the shadows' voices as they ran, along with the thumping of their boots on the dirt, probably waking tons of sleeping critters. But no matter how loud they were, they were also gaining on me.

Zazu had taken refuge on my shoulder. He chirped worriedly in my ear, and I nodded.

"I know, Zu. But don't worry, I have an idea." I swerved a hard right, leaving the trodden dirt trail and heading into the underbrush instead. Keeping my senses tuned high, I heard all of my pursuers' not-so-muffled curses as they trampled shrubs and brambles behind me. Unfortunately, I was listening so intently to them that I didn't notice the branch that suddenly appeared before me.

I ran straight into it. The stupid tree flung me backward, but only after it broke my nose. I landed flat on my back, in front of my pursuers, who stopped in their tracks. Blood flowed from my nose, and I attempted to stem it with my hand, all the while trying to tell Zazu to stay hidden.

"Well, well, well. Lookee here, Diablo." One of my pursers said. I couldn't see either of their faces, a combination of the dark night, their hooded cloaks, and my watering eyes. But a smirk was evident in his voice.

"Yeah, looks like our prey ran righ' inta our trap, huh, Glen?" The other, Diablo, had a distinct drawl; he was from the Hundred Isles. Glen, though, I wasn't sure.

Glen gave a rough chuckle, "you betcha, Diablo. Boss'll be mighty happy about this. Says old mister loony-pants is one we've bin chasin' a while, he does."

Nope, he's definitely from the Hundred Isles too. His accent isn't as strong, and he talks more like a Euran or an Amayan. I thought.

The two thugs stepped forward and each grabbed one of my arms. My hand was yanked away from my nose, which was still squirting blood.

"Hey!" I protested, "put me down!"

"Ah, look, Diablo!" Glen mocked, "lil' mister nut-head can talk!"

I thrashed around, furious and afraid. My leg lashed out, and I kicked Diablo. Kicked him right where the sun don't shine. He howled and dropped my arm, curling into a ball on the ground. I wrenched my other arm from Glen's grasp, with surprising ease. The man fell, batting at a black critter that was attacking his face.

"Zazu!" I cried happily, holding my nose with one hand.

The bat abandoned his fight and took flight into the night.

I spun and fled into the forest, following my spirit animal.

Glen came crashing after me, faster than before.

"We've gotta lose him somehow!" I hissed, spitting blood.

Zazu squeaked, and I felt, rather than saw, as he turned right.

I followed, and before long, the trees started to thin out.

"He's sure to catch me in the open!" I called.

Zazu turned to me. The moonlight spilled over his face which said, quite plainly, just trust me.

I did, and ran after my spirit animal. We dashed through two fields, then I saw where he was leading me. The Great Bamboo Maze.

I laughed out loud, "Zu, you're a genius!"

The bat looked at me smugly, as if to say, of course I am.

Glen's footsteps thundered behind me, reminding how little time I had. I dove into the Maze, tearing down paths and turning randomly, sometimes left, other times right. I slowed, the sound of Glen no longer following me. I wheezed, holding my side. I walk down the paths now, an exhausted Zazu resting on my shoulder.

"Thanks for your help, Zu." I tickled under his chin, and the bat replied with a tired sounding chirp.

"You can rest now," I told him, offering my hand, where his tattoo appeared when he was dormant.

The fruit bat squeaked gratefully and vanished into a tattoo of a swooping black swirl.

I brushed a hand over it, smiling slightly. My nose throbbed, but had luckily stopped bleeding. My mind wandered along with my feet as I walked on the dirt paths through the stalks of bamboo. It was peaceful. Far too peaceful for a night of running from shadows.

Heyyyyyy guys! Prologue is uppppp. I hope you liked it! I'm probably gonna add a Halloween special in the Book of Extras, so keep an eye out!
Bai!
*Arrow has left the chat*

edit: 21/12/2023
surprising not a lot of edits?? tbh this might be my fave book from my series (so far)
anywayyyy hope y'all enjoyed xx