When the Sun Cries

Chapter Six

Grace dropped to the ground, digging her elbows into the dirt and pushing her toes into the hill to keep from sliding down as she crawled and wiggled her way towards the top. Grass scratched at her stomach and left small red marks that she knew would agitate her later on, but a deep curiosity burned through her chest and was impossible to ignore.

The special department had found their safe house, although Grace still found it hard to believe. This wasn't supposed to happen. She had convinced herself that she was safe and nothing would harm her so far away from any civilization. As long as she stayed out of the sunlight, she would be invisible. But the warmth of the suns rays had taunted and beckoned her closer to the doors, and she had foolishly obliged. As she often was, she had been irrational and continuously made fast decisions. She hadn't thought about what would happen if the government found her. A glimpse or even the tiniest whiff of her dusty, damp scent would keep them on her trail for a lifetime.

The officers had started to spread out slightly and the middle aged woman closest to her looked in the direction of the hill that Grace was using as a hiding place and she covered her mouth, noticing the small stream of tears that had started dampening her cheeks. One of the twins had been killed. There wasn't time to cry or mourn their death, but she couldn't stop the tears from flowing or the redness that crept onto her cheeks and darkened with every passing second.

Her sore eyes wandered towards the rear end of the house and she watched as the back door slowly opened and a large silhouette was hurriedly pushing a smaller one out the door. Katherine looked over her shoulder before hurriedly shoving a small gun into the waist band of her unhemmed pajama pants that had to be tightly tied under her bulging stomach. Of course Katherine wouldn't allow herself to be defensless.

With a deep breath to slow her rapidly pounding heart, Grace pulled herself off the ground and wiped the loose dirt that had attached itself to her shirt. She sprinted towards the house, trying to adjust the weight she was putting on her left side to keep herself from tumbling down the steep hill. The tall grass kept her concealed slightly. Although, if the officers looked in her direction they would surely see her white dress, which appeared to stand out like a beacon compared to the dead vegetation surrounding her.

The guard who was circling towards the back had pulled out his gun as he continued to make his way over noiselessly, coming closer to Katherine with every passing second. Grace's legs were shaking as she continued to run, glancing over her shoulder to ensure that the other officers hadn't noticed her yet.

Katherine had finally made it to the gravel road behind the house, but the officer glanced at her, pressing his back against the rotting wooden wall that had darkened with age. She hadn't seen him yet and watched as the younger one went further into the forest. His gun was aimed between Katherine's protruding shoulder blades and Grace watched as he inhaled slowly and steadied his hands. Grace slowed down until she was just barely inching towards him, careful to be silent, which was hard considering the leaves that threatened to crunch under her light weight.

She had made it close enough to properly see his facial features. The man was slightly taller than she was, with broad shoulders and a straight jaw that had a thin scar that extended from his ear and continued underneath the collar of his shirt. His body angled towards her slightly, his eyes flickering in her direction and she froze, instantly noticing how his shoulders tensed. Before he had the chance to face her completely and raise his gun, she swung her arm in a wide ark, landing a powerful punch into his face. Her knuckles cracked from the force and she felt a deep throbbing as she held her hand tightly to her chest and bit back a cry. The officer didn't seem effected by her attack, although a red mark was forming directly on one of his sharp cheekbones.

Grace knew that she wouldn't be able to take him down without a weapon, but she couldn't let him live. He would call on the other officers and she couldn't risk anyone else getting killed or finding her and the others.

The officer swung his gun, which connected with her ribs before she could move out of it's path. Her breath was taken from her and the pain that came with inhaling made it impossible to replace the air that had been lost. Her knees hit against the ground as they gave out and she fell, dirt creating fresh stains on her white night gown, which was now torn and had loose threads hanging from the bottom.

The sun burned her eyes as she peeled them open a few moments later. The grass had left imprints on her cheeks and she pushed herself up slightly, only to be forced back down by a large boot pushing between her shoulder blades. As soon as her chest was crushing against the grass, the man cleared his throat, saliva landing directly beside her face, "I'll make this quick." He growled, his voice was deep and unwavering as the gun was jabbed into the back of her head.

Grace pressed herself into the ground further, ignoring the pain from her ribs as she pushed her weight into it, knowing that it wouldn't be enough to escape the guns path.

The sound of a gun going off rang in her ears and her eyes flew open, her lips open slightly in surprise. A wet substance dropped onto her exposed neck and she propped herself up on her elbow, putting a hand to the wet spot and noticing the blood that stained her pale finger tips. As soon as she realized what it was, she wiped it onto the ground, splashes of dark red stood out against the dead leaves and matted grass.
        "Grace!" A woman who she hadn't noticed before grabbed her arm and pulled her upright. After further inspection, she recognized Katherine's blonde hair by the way it gently reflected the sun's rays. "Jace is waiting by the large oak at the edge of the property. We have to go before they notice us."
Katherine stuffed her small gun in the waist band of her plaid pajama bottoms once again before grabbing Grace's arm firmly and sprinting towards the forest.

Grace looked back just in time to see the officer crumpled on the ground as the rest of the special department rushed towards him, attracted by the loud sound of the gun. They would be too late. A large puddle of his blood had already started forming around him and it dribbled slowly from his lips. "Where are we going?" Grace tripped over her feet as she tried to keep up with Katherine's long strides. "To town. We have to find Alsiah and Emili," Katherine was breathing heavily from the extra exertion and they finally slowed to a walk when the house was out of visiual range. "They will know what to do."

The woman leaned against the large oak and allowed a large amount of fresh air into her burning lungs. Grace watched as the special department got into their vehicles and backed out of the property, a few still had their guns pointed towards the house as they waited for more bullets to fly towards them. "Jace?" Katherine whispered, pushing herself off the tree tiredly and holding her bulging stomach with one hand and pulling apart some branches on a large bush with the other to expose Jace, who was shaking under the leaves. His hands were cuffed over his ears as he shook his head, tears streaming down his face, "Connor, oh god. He's dead. Connor's dead."
Grace looked back up at Katherine, who was biting her lip nervously. She cleared her throat and quickly wiped away the tears that had started forming, "We need to get moving if we want to make it to town before dark."

Grace nodded slightly in reply before scooping Jace's trembling body in her arms. His tears soaked the thin fabric of her nightgown and her arms had already started to ache from the extra weight.

He continued to shake against her as she bounced up slightly, readjusting so that the majority of his weight was balanced on her small hip. As they walked it was completely silent besides the crackling of the dead leaves they stepped on and the words that Jace kept mumbling into Grace's shoulder, "Connors dead. He's dead and it's my fault."