Handprints

Chapter 7: Explanations

"Intruder!" the person holding Dee called, shaking them in the process.

Quickly, every head in the crowd turned to look at Dee and their captor. People gasped and took up the chant of "Intruder! Intruder! Intruder!".

Dee watched in paralyzed horror as the crowd surged towards them, people swarming up the path seeming hungry for their blood.

The person holding Dee started dragging them down the path, the crowd pulling back to let them through.

Where they going to kill them? Was this the end for Dee?

Dee desperately tried to struggle free of the iron grip their captor had on their arm. They dragged the struggling Dee right up to the center five people who seemed to be in control. Throwing them don to the ground at the five's feet.

"Who are you and why have you come here?" someone ordered for an answer from above Dee.

Dee was too terrified to say anything, the words of explanation clogging their throat and threatening to choke them if these people didn't kill them first.

Before Dee could force the words out, could beg for their life, a commotion broke out just feet away.

Dee managed to twist their neck just in time to see two people break through the ring of people around them.

It took a second for Dee to recognize the newcomers, whether it was due to the angle or the situation over all Dee couldn't really tell but the two people were Sparks and Ziba.

"What is the meaning of this?" One of the five asked Sparks and Ziba.

"Let us talk with them," Ziba's voice was somewhere between pleading and demanding.

"And why should we allow that?" one of the five asked.

"We know them, they're not a spy, let us talk to them and we can figure out what's going on" Sparks came to Dee's defense.

Spy? why would they think Dee was a spy?

There was a pause, the entire room seeming to hold its breath as everyone waited for the five's answer.

Finally "very well, Sparks, you may consult with them but you must stay here" then they turned their attention to the crowd gathered around the group "the rest of you are dismissed."

For a second, Dee thought the other people would simply stay to watch the drama unfold. Much to their surprise, the crows obediently dispersed, disappearing through doorways carved into the walls of the room at ground level.

No one said a word until everyone but the five, Dee, Ziba, Sparks, and the person who had grabbed Dee were left. Once it was just those nine, one of the five nodded to Sparks "you two may speak with the intruder if you still like."

Carefully, Ziba helped Dee up to their feet as Sparks led the other two a little bit away from the main group.

Sparks didn't wait any longer then until the three were out of earshot of the group "What the hell are you doing here?" Sparks hissed at Dee.

"I could ask you the same thing" Dee snapped back, brushing themself off from their little trip across the floor of the chamber.

"We're not the one's in trouble here" Ziba pointed out, and okay so she had a point but Dee still didn't want to admit to it.

"so, why are you here?" Sparks repeated.

"I saw someone in the apartment and followed them here" Dee explained, hoping that being honest would get them out of this in all the pieces they started this unfortunate adventure in.