Free *Editing*

Chapter 4

Celedora is an intense, glowing ball of blue light floating in the darkness of West Countries barbaric lands. The stars above can not pierce the shield and the pitch black sky is just another dark blue hue against the shields immense warmth.

Outside the shelter, dressed in these said colors are the two secretaries. They share a cigarette break, and take the opportunity to let the cold air refresh their lungs. The woman who helped Birdy and Barn flicks her cigarette to the ground and snuffs it out.

"They'll get us eventually." She says in a sad tone. The other woman with short blonde hair and hazel eyes shrugs. "I dont know what the fuck else we autta do. These people have nowhere else to go."

They fall silent again. The darker woman says she is going back inside and turns around to the front door, she opens it quietly and leaves the other on the front yard.

She takes another drag from her cigarette and turns her hazel eyes to the street.

She hears a sharp sound in the distance followed by an eerie silence. She glares and holds her cigarette firm in her hands.

Screech , slam...

She hears another pair of sounds, like metal on metal. She's been alive long enough to know to listen to her instincts. She throws her bud on the ground and violently stomps it out.

She takes a brisk walk to the front door, and turns to the left.

BANG!

Everything goes black.

—-

Barn jumps to his feet and almost pushes Birdy off the bed in the process. Less gracefully, she stumbles to her feet almost slamming into the woman who was sleeping on the floor next to them.

The door slams open, and five of Lord Adamants guards stalk into the yellow hues of the shelters overhanging lights. The secretary who helped Birdy and Barn puts her hands up-

"Upstairs..." Barn whispers and grabs Birdy by the shoulder. The guard fires and the secretaries body flings to the floor and blood splatters across the desk. Everybody screams and begins tripping over one another in a desperate attempt to escape. Barn starts yelling and cursing under his breath trying to push Birdy through the crowd. Birdy has gone completely pale and is using all her strength to get to the stairs.

A volley of shots ring out behind them, and a row of innocent people trying to run past the guards are shot dead. The guard finally speaks.

"Try to run and you die!!" They stop firing for a moment and Birdy pauses a few feet from the stairs. "Everybody on their knees, now!!" Barn shoves her- "What are you doing!?" Birdy blinks rapidly and watches as the guard whispers to another.

"We don't need all of them..."

Birdy gasps and launches up the staircase, another volley of shots rings out in the silence of the night and it sounds like hell on earth. Birdy reaches the next floor and hears the windows being smashed below in an attempt to flee. Barn points at a window across the mess hall next to the first aid door. People who were lucky enough to survive the first attack are starting to make their way upstairs. Two women hide themselves under a table while another opens the first-aid door and locks himself in. Barn takes off his shirt as they run and wrapped it around his arm and hand. He jumps past Birdy and smashes it open. Birdy looks behind her, no guards yet, they are still busy with the victims downstairs.

Another gunshot rings out above the screams and shouts of the guards. Birdy starts to hyperventilate. Footsteps pound up the stairs.

"Jump Bird, jump!!" he grabs her and shoves her towards the window. She jumps up and cuts her hands. That doesn't stop her and she looks down below. Without thinking, she jumps and lets instinct do the rest. She relaxes her body and lands on both her feet. The impact rocks her to her core and she tries to roll to alleviate the pressure. She ends up on her side and coughs in pain. Her legs are throbbing and her ankles are stiff. She looks up and watches Barn jump. He does the but landing on his injured leg is fatal. He screams and falls face first not having an opportunity to roll-