King of Swords - Flash Fiction/Short story collection

Jade Beads

I saw a man on the train who looked like he was in trouble. He was fervently counting little jade beads that were in his right hand. In his other hand he clutched a small red book. It had writing that looked like it was of Asian origin. He had a weathered look about him, seemed like someone who had walked through fire and survived. I imagine going up to him.

"Sir, are you alright?" I ask.

He looked up. "Sure, I'm fine" His tone would be cautious.

"What's that you're doing?" I say, pointing at the beads and the book.

"Trying not to die" he said cryptically.

Two men entered the carriage once the train stopped. The man with the jade beads noticed them and grabbed my hand.

"You need to leave" he said in a harsh whisper.

I glanced at the direction he was facing. I saw the men; well dressed yet out of place, even on the morning commute. They walked towards us and as they did, their hands moved slowly inside their jackets. I felt my stomach turn.

"Get down!", the man with the jade beads yelled, as they opened fire and he in return showered them with bullets.

We were on the far end and managed to take cover. Unfortunately, they too had cover. The patrons in the middle struggled to hide from the crossfire. I could see one woman drenched in her own blood oozing from her shoulder. Before I could help, the man with the jade beads took my hand.

He pulled me along as we ran through each carriage, dodging the bullets screaming past us.

"We're getting off the train" he said, prying the doors open with his hand.

"What, no," I say, "I'm not coming with you"

"You're involved now," he says, "you have no choice"

So we jumped, tumbled, and started running through the grass then onto a suburban street. I began to feel extremely out of breath, remembering the last time I ran (or did any exercise of any kind) was in year 10. However, when I looked back and saw the suited assassins keeping pace in their dress shoes, my tiredness faded.

We rounded a bend and the man with the jade beads pulled me into a garden with a high fence. We waited. The pair of well-dressed murders ran right past. We left the garden and ran back the way we came.

We came to another house with a high hedge fence and this time we went with the intention of staying.

"A safe house! Incredible!" I said, astounded by how much tech you could fit in a house.

"What are you?" he asked. He was silhouetted in the door frame. The dark shadows made him menacing.

"Are you a reporter, a spy? Are you a contact?"

"No, no, I'm just a curious commuter" I said, unconvincingly.

"What do they say about curiosity and the cat?"

"That it killed it?" I laughed nervously.

He moved towards me and I could see his sour expression in the faint light.

"You don't have nine lives, cat, and now you've gambled away your one"

"But if I just leave now-"

"I told you, you're involved now. Life's not going to be the same"

He sighed and massaged his brow.

"You know how to use a gun?"

"Yes, I do actually"