Drugs

Lead Astray

A cool ocean breeze greeted her face through the glaring hole in the wall.

Ash sat on her bed, her eyes were trained upon the box. That symbol it looked the same. She remembered what was told to her from that meeting last night. This box, with the key inside of it has to have some meaning to the door that the group had told her they had found. The engravings are the same she thought to herself. Maybe this was the way out for them all. Domenic, had he lied to me? She knew he had to know more than what he had pretended to know.

Now he left me with her. Ash's eyes slightly glimpsed her in the corner, it was an uneasy peace. Every move she made kept Ash on her guard with her hand gripped tightly upon her blade. Now she wasn't alone either it was her and this boy. Ash could sense nothing from him was he a demon too? Mother, mother, he kept calling her. It was truly a disgusting sight. The demon finally got up to its feet. Ash's blade was pulled out to show its teeth.

"Where are you going!!?" Ash shouted with no regard.

"Don't you hear them? Don't you feel them?"

"Hear who?"

The screams outside answered Ash's question it was followed with shouts, bestial growls and gunfire came shortly after. There was much commotion outside as Ash turned around to confront her, but the demon and the boy were gone.

A loud pounding came on the door as Ash contemplated what she should do. The door was swung open with Ralph armed to the teeth with weapons strapped around his body and a little girl in his arms. She had tears in her eyes, behind her was a woman who must have been her mom.

Ralph rushed them in as other servants came in with bizarre looks upon their faces.

"What's going on?"

"What's happening?"

"Are we really safe here?"

"They are coming," Ralph said, towards the voices and Ash already knew immediately who he meant.

Ash drew her sword and step forward. Everyone here was now on a hunting ground. She could not sense them or tell where they would come from.

The shooting downstairs had faded to mere whimpers and unintelligible pleas.

In this room, some prayed while others paced in panic. Ralph merely unloaded and set himself up with his guns. Ash could see him, keeping the two closest to him. He handed out guns to a few, but was that really wise? Ash wondered. They were making too much noise.

Then it came, the thundering crash of death upon the door. With one ferocious hit, the door flew back, knocking directly into one of the servants, sending them flying through the crack in the wall. It had whizzed passed Ash, who had managed to sidestep it. Ralph wasted no time as he unleashed hell. The shaking hands of those who held guns began to work.

Raging screams were shouted at the oppressors. Who commanded an authoritative presence?

Heat filled the air as sweat, blood and tears soaked the room. Bullets, however, did not stop them from coming through. One fell, but another took its place. They began to maul the closest servants who in their own panic started to shoot at each other.

Ash used the confusion to her advantage as her blade went to work. The more she cut down the more annoyed, she got. She was annoyed with Domenic, annoyed with her mother for abandoning her for her sister. This very world annoyed her it would not allow to be free. Despite saving their lives the fools were still shouting and wailing. Who will they thank now? Ralph or Domenic? She didn't even realize that the creatures were all dead and her hands had merely been cutting dead bodies.

She turned towards the people still standing in the room. Ash could tell from the look in their eyes that they feared her and probably wondered who was the real monster now? Even Ralph was silent.

The sunlight was coming to an end. Maybe it would be best if she just left the room, she thought. Ash pulled out her sword and sheathed it walking down the stairs. In the cluttered chaos of what was now Domenic's house.

She felt her arm burning as she realized that she had been shot. It felt like a mosquito bite and she only noticed it by the mirror she had passed.

She ran her bloody hands through her hair in the hall. The key, she thought as it got darker. She entered back again.

Ralph finally spoke gun in hand. "Is that all of them?"

"Yes, its fine you can leave. You should be safe."

I felt the darkness creeping as I walked over to the shelf.

Ralph was about to speak, but I place my hand upon the strange artefact.

In a second the world was gone and here I was again. I wondered what the rest will make of this when I bring it for them.

Finally, this might be the answer for us all to get free. I can't believe you kept it from me all this time, Domenic. She looked at the volcanic sky as she prepared herself for the journey ahead.