Trench

Twelve

Clancy had never run through the streets of Dema before, nor had he ever been this afraid. The moment he had heard the Watchers' scream, he'd run. He took no thought as to where he was going. He just ran, his heart pounding and the blood roaring in his ears. He had never heard them scream like that before, and it chilled him down to his very core.

His legs began to ache, and his lungs were on fire, but he knew he couldn't go back. The screams had come from just under his flat, and he didn't dare return, too afraid of what he might find. But he had nowhere else to go, and worship would end soon.

He found himself near the same hallway as his secret room, and though it was risky, especially with the uneasy Watchers, he changed course and headed toward it. He flew around the corner and collided head on with someone running in the opposite direction. The force actually knocked him over, and he fell on his backside with a yelp.

The girl he had run into glanced at him and muttered an apology, and then stuffed her hands in her pockets and hurried down the street. Just before she turned the corner to leave his sight, he noticed something sticking out of her pocket. It was the same color as the petal he'd found a few days ago. Maybe she could help him.

"Wait!" he called, his voice working without him. She barely glanced back before breaking into a run once more and vanishing around the corner. Clancy scrambled to his feet and took off after her, his entire body protesting. He had never run this far before, and he couldn't remember the last time he'd truly exercised.

He managed to turn down the street and catch a glimpse of her as she disappeared around another corner. He'd never catch up to her at this rate. But he had to try. He had to know. He couldn't turn back knowing that he'd willingly let this knowledge slip through his fingers.

The next street was completely empty. The girl was nowhere to be seen, and the world seemed to stand still. He slowed to a walk, his eyes scanning the streets as if he could find her if he looked hard enough, but it was as if she had never been there in the first place.

After what felt like a wild chase through the city, he didn't know what to do next. He was still too afraid to go back, and now he was afraid that if he went to his secret room, worship would be over and someone would catch him.

He took a hesitant step to head to his flat, and then a calloused hand clamped over his mouth, muffling his shriek of surprise. Before he knew what was happening, someone pulled him into a dark corner between two buildings and pressed something sharp up against his neck.

"Don't say a word," she muttered in his ear, and he nodded vigorously, his heart nearly bursting from his chest.

She backed up, dragging him with her, but forced him to stay facing the street so he couldn't see her. He made a soft, involuntary noise of protest as he stumbled, and the blade pressed harder into his skin and her fingers tightened painfully over his mouth. What was going on? Who was she? She must have been the girl he'd followed, but that still didn't answer any of his questions. He had never heard of anything like this happening before.

No, that wasn't true. He'd heard of kidnappings time and time again. He just hadn't believed them. After all, they were just stories. The Banditos didn't actually exist, did they?

The girl's nails dug into his skin and he cringed. They certainly felt real.

What was she going to do with him? Was she going to take him out of Dema? That didn't sound too bad, but at the same time, he had no idea who she was or what she planned to do once they actually got out. Given the choice, he would have run back to his apartment in a heartbeat.

"What are you doing?" someone else hissed. Clancy didn't dare try to see who it was. "Are you trying to get us smeared?"

"He followed me here," the girl said, obviously frustrated. "He wasn't at worship."