Chapter 5

My feet took me to an abandoned park where I stopped to catch my breath. There was a clock a few feet away from the bench I was sitting on. It was only ten o'clock. How could so much blood be from spilled already? I looked into my shaking hands. What was I going to do? I was more worried about what the gang was going to do to me rather than the fact that people had died tonight.

I took a deep breath and stood up. It would be easy enough to link me to my uncle if I stayed here. I was going to need to leave the city. Go to Europe or Japan or something. Japan sounded like a good enough place to hide.

With my mind set, I stood up and made my way to the airport. Maybe there would be some later flights I could purchase a ticket for. I had about five hundred dollars with me, and I was lucky I had thought to grab my passport. I shifted my bag over my shoulder and walked down the quiet street.

Suddenly, I felt a weight on my back before I was thrown to the ground face first. I tried to turn, but someone had jumped on top of me and was holding a knife to my throat. "Where do you plan on going?" the voice asked. I could hear the anger in his voice.

I shook my head ever so slightly. "I-I don't know," I lied, fake stammering. I had figured out it was Erik, sent by the Black Knights to come and scare me.

"You better not go to the police, or you'll be in for a huge surprise," he warned me, and I took the chance to elbow him in the lower chest and I kicked up with my leg, catching him in the leg. I used the opportunity to roll away from him, and I stood up a few feet away.

"Erik, what are you doing?" I asked, shaking my head.

"I was told to kill you before you left the city and to dispose of the body," he looked at me, fear in his eyes. "I can't kill you, Lyn." He shook his head as the panic began to rise. "Look what you have done! If you had just made sure there was no one in the apartment, we'd all be home free right now."

"I know!" I practically screamed, letting my voice waver. "I made a stupid mistake."

"Your stupid mistake is going to cost you your life, but I'm not going down with you," Erik shook his head as he looked from side to side. I rushed into his arms which were so familiar to me. I wanted that familiarity. "They're watching us right now," he said, his voice barely above a whisper. "If I don't kill you, they will. If I don't do it, they'll kill me. I don't want to die."

I looked up into his eyes. "I killed someone tonight, Erik," I told him. "Well," I corrected. "Two people." My voice cracked. "The people in this gang have done far worse. I can't die," I pleaded. "Come with me!" I said. "We can run away together."

"We'd never get out of the city without being caught," he replied. "I can't go with you. My life is too messed up to decide to begin afresh. I'm a horrid person, and I can't expect that by changing now, I'm going to be in line for heaven."

I looked away. Erik was too much of a chicken shit to do anything. "Fine. Then go ahead and try to kill-" I was cut off when he stabbed me in the side. I groaned as I took several steps back. "You little b@stard."

"It's just part of the job, Lyn. Nothing personal," he shrugged and made his way towards me to finish the job. Luckily, I still had a knife, and I swiped at him with it, catching him on the cheek. He stopped and I took off running, holding my bleeding, aching side.

I found a taxi and got in it. "Hurry, to the closest airport," I told the driver. Sitting back, I looked at the wound in my side. It was bleeding pretty badly. But, I couldn't go to the doctor, there would be too many questions asked. I took off my shirt and wrapped it around my side. I'd grab different clothes and bandages at the airport.

~.~

Sunlight greeted my face as I stepped off of the airplane. Clad in clean jeans, a baggy T-shirt, and sun glasses that I had stolen from a convenience store, I made my way out of the airport security and out into the city. I had no more money to hail a cab, so I'd have to walk and find my way around.

Getting on a bus, which was cheaper than a cab, I took a seat in the back. My side was starting to hurt viciously, but I pushed through the pain and watched the scenery go by in the window.

End