The Night

Night of Lies Pt (3) Midnight Marauders.

Lincoln couldn't stay still, not for a second. So instead he paced back and forth to both ends of the log cabin. The noise of his feet clacking against the creaky wooden flooring, which was loud and obnoxious for someone who was trying to sleep. That is why Dace couldn't get any form of rest. This meant she will not be rejuvenated by morning, to be able to go out and do her work again. Lincoln couldn't stop fidgeting around with his knife, he couldn't stop checking the windows, he couldn't stop stomping through out the house like a wild man on the hunt for treasure. It wasn't like he had no good reason to feel scared, but since Dace had already gone through The Night a couple times alone, she no longer felt the anxiety as bad as she first did. She decided to leave him to his madness, figuring she will have a chance to sketch out the rest of her plan. 

Opening her sash bag, she pulled out her small and slightly ripped 3in x 3in squared note pad, marking off 'a place to seek shelter' off her list. She knew it was wrong to choose a kid who is so new at this to be the one to house her, especially if she didn't ask permission. Yet she had no choice. She risked her life every night for the Near Dead, with no where to go afterward, she needed somewhere that she can find peace to cool down from any heat that may follow her. Even if she had to fake it to make him let her stay with him she would do so. In all honesty, she thought he could use some more protection, a jittery teen is not a good match for a Solo Night. 

So with that being said she slumped back into the delightfully plush sofa , closing her eyes feeling quite protected, knowing nothing can get passed this boy that was obviously plagued by paranoia.  So she felt comfortable enough to try and sleep through his annoying foot steps. Soon though the foot steps stopped and she felt a dip into the sofa, which made her jolt up out of her relaxation and immediately grab the closest thing to her to use as a weapon and pointing it toward the figure that sat in front of her. Not to her surprise it was just Lincoln, and he had a big smirk on his face. She wondered why, until she turned to see what she grabbed and was pointing at him as a weapon. It was a tooth brush, which caused a blush creep up her beautiful yet darkened features, her Dr. Pepper skin turning to more of a Cherry Cola color. 

"You frightened me." She said, as if she had to making an excuse for her rash behavior. Though it was quite funny, Lincoln knew deep down he could use an extra pair of eyes, especially with someone who's natural reflex is grabbing a weapon on hearing a noise. He wouldn't ask it of her though, at least not until the next day. He looked at her eyes, and behind the brave warrior that shined in them, something in her eyes read fear. Fear is healthy, but he was in a panic, and that was the worse version of fear you could have. She shown respectable fear.. he was in panic. She seemed so self assured, and he wondered how she was able to remain that sense of calm.

"It is alright." He finally said to her, swallowing the lump that was growing in his throat from not speaking for a bit. Suddenly out of the crisp yet comfortable silence that fell upon the two teens, you heard a small 'crunch' and it wasn't just in Lincoln's head this time. He knew that because Dace stood upright immediately after the sound was made, and unless she can hear someones imagination, the sound of footsteps were real. Dace looked dead into Lincoln's eyes. The thin angel-like fighter going completely stiff while she tried to sense the direction of where the footsteps were coming from. Another crunch of leaves made her head turn to her left. Which seemed to be where her mind took her. She put her finger to her lip at Lincoln, symbolizing silence. It could be the Guards that were following her or it could be-

Crash! A rock slammed through the window, and pelted right into Lincoln's calf. There was a crack when it landed onto him, and it was almost certain that something broke due to the hit. Lincoln hollered out in excruciating pain but the adrenaline he felt soothed the pain temporarily and was able to help him focus back on the attackers. Lincoln looked to the now cracked window, and looked directly through the hole the rock made, and what he saw was a tip of an arrow. Dace yelled loudly for Lincoln to duck, and with his fast reflexes aiding him, he was able to duck perfectly in time and was he glad he did so. The arrow that was being aimed straight at his head, flew past him and only grazed off the rim line of his ear

(Fun Fact : Midnight Marauders. They use old fashion weapons to corner their enemies, steal their valuables, and murdering them via hanging or guillotine one by one. Depending on the Marauder group, the more brutal ones of the bunch as will have their victims watch their loved ones die no matter the age of the recipient. )

Lincoln quickly scrambled back onto his feet with the accuracy and sturdiness of a toddler taking his shaky hand to grab his army dagger. Then without a second thought, Lincoln drew his arm back, and drove the dagger forward with force, spiraling directly out the hole that the rock made. In a split second he heard a blood curdling cry, a loud thud, and a sound of someones body cracking against the sticks and leaves that was littered outside the cabin. He didn't even have to check.. he knew the man was dead. There was no mistake of the grievous cry that seemed to echo out of the mans mouth. He has seen his father do it before.. but he never thought he would have to.. at least not on the first Night. With that being said.. he was left shell shocked. 

Dace on the other hand had her part taken care of, holding knives that are as small as darts. She threw it with pin point accuracy, having it crack another one of Lincoln's windows before throwing another knife, and piercing the Marauder in the throat, blood bursting like a volcano from the hole. Just like a waterfall, blood spilled down from the Marauder's neck as he fell down onto the floor in a kneeling fashion. Just like that they were defeated, and the other Marauders began to flee the scene seeing as they have two casualties in their fleet. Even as they fled though, Lincoln stared out the window as he slowly tried to comprehend the mess he had made.. the fact that a man was outside his home dead because of him.

He felt a delicate hand on his shoulder shrugging it off and jolting before realizing it was just Dace looking at him with a sympathetic look in her eyes. Lincoln felt his eyes brim with tears as the tall lanky girl stood by him for a moment, before she pulling him in for a hug, knowing this is always hard.. and it is best to not go through your first kill alone. It drives Solo Nighters to insanity, and sometimes suicide is their first and obviously last resort.  For a moment they were both at peace, in each others arms, two humans caught in the heartbreaking embrace of death. All it took was another gust of wind blow against the rickety home though, and Lincoln detached from Dace so quickly she stumbled and fell backward, thank goodness for the couch that caught her fall. 

There he was again, checking each of the windows, looking outside of each door, and stomping around the home. He grabbed a kitchen knife, not yet ready to look the man he killed in the eyes to grab his dagger. Dace this time just watching with her eyes at the poor soul who was slowly breaking on the inside and she could do nothing but watch in silent agony. She didn't know if Lincoln was going to survive this if this is how he acts after one casualty. Yet she let him be, for all she knew he was soon to implode with irrational thoughts about who he is as a man if he had killed another human.

As he continued paced back and forth, she decided to let him do it... because now she was thinking back to her first night.. and if she was gonna sleep.. they could use someone on the lookout.

Vote and Comment~!