When the Sun Cries

Chapter Nine

As Grace turned the corner she was immediately faced towards the back of a guard, his gun aimed directly at the side of Katherine's head. She still hadn't moved from her position behind the mailbox and was slowly sliding down the side of it, one hand protectively held over her stomach as bullets continued to fly past her in a chaotic mass.

Grace watched as his deep breathing suddenly came to a hault as he held his breath to ensure a steady hand when he pulled the trigger. The other guards hadn't moved from their place at the end of the street, concealed behind cars and pressed against the side of buildings. It would have been impossible to know they had been asleep moments earlier. Their eyes were now bright and alert with the adrenaline that was steadily pulsing through them. Grace pulled her attention back toward the man in front of her and slowly started to walk towards him, ignoring the pounding her heart was creating in painful protest.

Before she could reach him, he pulled the trigger. Although, instead of a bullet landing in Katherine's skull, a quiet click forced him to hunch over and fumble with his gun with unexperienced hands as he attempted to reload.

The cold, midnight air ceased to bother her as her attention shifted away from the temperature and towards the guard who had almost finished loading his gun. If she didn't move now she would lose her opportunity.

Grace grasped her knife tightly until she could no longer feel the blood rushing to her fingertips. Her heart continued to pound and she kicked forward, aiming for the back of his knees but hitting his calf instead. The force still managed to push him off balance and he fell forward, landing on his stomach. One of his large, callused hands grabbed her ankle and she yelped, falling on top of him. Squeezing her eyes shut, she plunged her knife into the back of his head, only pulling back when she felt his blood dripping onto her hand. Tears swelled in her eyes and she bit her lip, dropping the knife to the ground and rolling off him. She staggered into a standing position, wiping the blood onto the thin material of her dress distractedly. Grace forced back the vomit that threatened to spill onto the concrete as she picked the knife up with shaking hands.

Katherine's screams pushed Grace back into reality as a second bullet slammed into her shoulder. Grace's screams blended with hers as she watched the woman fall onto her hands and knees, struggling to stay conscious as blood flooded around her crumpled form. Her eyes fluttered shut and Grace held her breath for a moment, believing her to be dead before exhaling when Katherine's eyes opened widely, exposing her dilated pupils.

The light was just barely touching Grace as she grabbed the guards gun from his limp hand. She raised it awkwardly, her finger hovering timidly over the trigger.

There were less guards than she had anticipated. Only five or six. She had never shot a gun and the unfamiliar weight caused her thin arms to shake, although it was equally the fault of her nerves.

Grace pulled the trigger, hitting a middle aged woman in the side. The force from the gun knocked her to the ground and Grace winced, rubbing the sting from her hands before pulling out the gravel that had embedded itself under her skin. She forced herself to stand once again, peering around the corner to watch the scene unravel before her. The guard fell and another rushed towards her, pulling off her helmet and throwing a first aid kit beside her as he kneeled down to help.

Katherine was cradling her knee as she attempted to stifle the steady flow of blood. Time was running out and the guards were beginning to aim more accurately.

Glancing over her shoulder, she watched Emili and Jace run into a nearby building. The young boy had tears running down his face persistantly as he ran through the door, his small legs shaking from fatigue. Emili locked eyes with Grace and she nodded slightly, closing the heavy door behind her with a loud creak.

Finally, there was a break in the consistent firing from the guards. Grace took a deep breath, sprinting towards Katherine with her arms shielding her head protectively. When she made it to her, she slammed into the mail box, unable to stop her fast sprint. Grace threw the womans arm from her uninjured side over her small shoulder.
        "Grace.... you shouldn't be here," Katherine whimpered as pressure was placed on her injured leg. "Don't be ridiculous, Katherine. This is exactly where I have to be," Grace groaned, pushing herself up with Katherine's extra weight, which added instability and a lack of balance.

Bullets were rushing past them once again and Grace raised her gun, prepared for the punch and she started shooting blindly, forcing everyone within range to scatter. The gun ran out of bullets within minutes and with an irritated sigh she threw it to the ground, watching the guards regroup from the corner of her eye.
      "It's time to go, Katherine. Please hold on for a few more minutes," Grace begged, her words had blended together from her exhaustion as sweat moistened the base of her neck. "Leave me here, I'm wounded. I'll die anyway and you mustn't be in danger," Katherine whispered weakly, although her voice held an insistence Grace had never heard from her previously.

With a firm shake of her head, Grace started to walk quickly, praying the guards would still be occupied by the medical help their injured partners would need. Grace could feel Katherine shaking as she attempted to keep up with her brisk pace, which relentlessly propelled them forward until they had reached the protection of the brick wall which offered them shelter from the rain of bullets that had began to attack them once again. The metal door could just barely be seen within the deserted junk outside the door. It was rusted, with peeled paint running along the hinges and heavy knob. If she hadn't known it was there it would have conpletely avoided her interest and remained undetected.

The door lurched to the side suddenly as Grace felt herself tumble forward, her head hitting the pavement. Katherine mumbled her apologies as she attempted to stand, which were inaudible due to the gun shots that were slowly becoming louder. Grace grabbed her head, feeling a spot which had become painfully numb and soft. Katherine had fallen, pulling her down as well.
     "Come on, we're almost there," Grace helped the woman stand as she noticed her struggle.

Silhouettes appeared at the lip of the alley, although they hadn't looked in their direction yet. Although it was merely a matter of time before they noticed two women completely unshielded, one of which were pregnant and slowly bleeding to death. "I can't, you know that. I'm not fast enough in this state," The woman smiled and regardless of her youth, lines had begun to appear on her otherwise flawless skin. "If you don't run now, they'll catch us both."      "I swear I will carry you if I have to, Katherine," Grace could feel tears forming in her eyes, stinging as they forced their way onto her cheeks.
       "Go, now," Katherine bit her lip, a look of confliction passed over her as she hesitated. "If not for me, live for your father. He told me to protect you." "You knew my father?" Grace couldn't breathe, the gunshots were becoming louder but she needed answers. "Listen to me," Katherine held on to Grace's hand tighter, which distracted her from the throbbing pain in her head. "He's alive."

The sound of empty shells hitting the pavement echoed throughout the street and Grace looked up at the moment a bullet slammed into Katherines lower back. Using the last ounce of her energy, Katherine shoved Grace towards the door.