The Price of Freedom

Twilight Attack

(Gale)

I looked up to see Cleo glaring at me. Beside me three of the Twilight boys held each arm. The seventh, obviously their leader, stood between me and Cleo, glaring at us in turn. "This your sister?" He asked me.

I shook my head quickly, the last thing I wanted was for Cleo to get in trouble because of my stupidity. I knew I should have listened to her. Cleo was stubborn, it had to be admitted, but she was also smart. My cheeks burned red with humiliation. I wished with every ounce of my body that Cleo didn't have to see me like this-helpless.

"Well?" The Twilight kid demanded.

I was jolted out of my thoughts. "Huh? Oh, of course not. I've never seen her in my life." Near us Cleo rolled her eyes. I'm just trying to protect you, I wanted to say but decided it was smarter to keep my mouth shut.

"Really?" The kid continued, "She's not your sister? She looks awfully like you." He glanced at the other boys. They immediately tightened their grip.
I winced, biting my lip in order to keep from crying out. I wouldn't give them the satisfaction of seeing that they'd hurt me.

"So, you like that, huh? We'll hurt you again if you don't tell the truth."

"She's not my sister! I've never seen her before-ow!" I struggled and kicked but it was useless. The gang held me in an iron grip. "Please let me go." I begged, groaning with pain. My only reply was a slap in the head.

"Tell us the truth, brat!" The leader shouted.

"I've never-" I began but Cleo interrupted. "Yes, I'm his sister. My name's Cleo. And he's Gale. Now what do you want with us?" I shot my little sister a look. "What was that for?" I mouthed.

She rolled her eyes. "What else was I supposed to do?" She replied.

"So you are his sister?" The kid asked again. Cleo nodded. "Well in that case," He picked me up and slammed me onto the hard concrete. I cried out and Cleo ran up to me. "We're gonna teach your brother a lesson." That's when the blows started.

Someone pulled Cleo back, just a punch was launched at my eye. It struck it's mark. I groaned again but no one listened. The blows started coming, thick and fast, like a trickling stream that becomes a river that becomes a waterfall. Dimly I could just make out Cleo's voice above the cruel laughter.

"Stop it!" She was screaming, "Leave him alone." No reply. The blows continued. Someone struck my head. I started to feel that dizzy sensation right before you slip out of consciousness. Any minute now and the blows would fade, any minute now and I would fall into a dreamless, painless sleep. My eyes started to close. Suddenly the blows stopped. The Twilight boys started to move away.

"Alright guys, he's had enough. Let's go." Their leader said, "Let him go now." Obediently they dropped me and followed their leader down the alleyway and out into the streets.

Cleo ran to my side. "Gale! Gale, are you okay?" I groaned in agony and tried to sit up.

"I'm fine." I gasped, but my lip was swollen and my words were slurred. Cleo wiped her tear stained face, Cleo, who never cried, even when Jade found a box of dead kittens in the tip behind our house, even when the Tailor's baby died in her arms. I stared at her.

"Are you okay?" Cleo looked shocked. "Me? I'm fine, why?" I decided it was wiser not to answer that one.

"What about you?" Cleo looked at me with concern, "What about you, Gale? Are you okay?" I nodded and tried again to stand. It was a failure and I ended up falling on top of Cleo.

"Gale!"

"Sorry. Are you okay?"

"I told you I'm fine. What about you?"

"I'm fine! Stop asking me!"

"You stop asking me!" At that moment we realised how stupid we looked arguing but I wasn't in the mood to laugh. And neither was Cleo. Her face was solemn and devoid of emotion as she hauled me to my feet. I screamed again.

"Please Cleo, it hurts."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Cleo asked.

"Positive." I tried to smile but it was a dismal failure. Cleo's eyes bore into mine, sensing I was lying. And I was. Every bone in my body ached. My lip was so swollen I could barely talk and when the gang had pushed me to the ground I twisted my foot, making it hard to walk. Cleo put her arm around my shoulder and tried to help me along but it was slow going. Although she was strong for her age she's at least a head shorter then me. Slowly, gingerly, I placed one foot in front of the other and, with Cleo's help, we made our down the dark street towards our home.

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