Alex's (POV)

The world goes in slow-motion.

The glass still dropping lightly to the floor, pieces of play-money from the board game floating slowly in the air.

Mack and Polly ducking down to the ground. Their eyes wide with fear, confusion, and disbelief.

Slow.

My heart thuds dully in my chest, no sound present.

Panic the only thing on my mind right now.

Not again!

No.

        No escape

No!

I tightly close my eyes.

There's nothing I can do now. Completely hopeless.

A cold fist closes over my heart.

I failed.....

Again.

They're-They're going to....die.....because of me. Because I wasn't strong enough to warn them.

My fault.

Everything's my fault.

My chest tightens unbearably.

I'm going to lose another family again. But maybe I was never meant to have a family. Cursed to live alone my whole life.

I fist my hands in my hair, squeezing tightly.

Give up

Nothing you can do

Useless

Failure

I squeeze my eyes tighter. The words Razim engraved in my mind all those weeks, repeating throughout my head.

Burden

Piece of trash

No good

A whimper escapes my tight throat.

Give up

Nothing you can do.....

No!

I shake my head. I have to at least try.

They can't die.

They don't deserve it!

My mind flashes back to all the times this past month that Polly and Mack have helped me, been my friend, and just been there when I needed someone to be.

And the Browns.

I take a breath, my chest warming at the thought of them.

They're more than I could of ever hoped for.

I can't just....give up!

No.

My eyes snap open, everything around me suddenly resuming at normal speed.

The glass from the window settles on the floor, the game pieces lazily scattering  across the room.

Polly and Mack huddled on the ground. Panic clearly written all over them.

Determination runs through me, freeing me from my frozen state.

Thunder cracks outside.

I ignore it.

Taking a deep breath, I uncurl myself from my position beside the arm of the sofa.

With my heart now thumping wildly in my chest, I examine the predicament.

I'm safely tucked away in a decently large gap between the sofa and the wall. Mack and Polly still on each side of the coffee table.

In clear view of the window.

My breath catches.

Only a couple more second until I'm sure another bullet is going to come screaming in through the window.

I hastily get on my hands and knees, crawling towards them. Mack looks up at me, eyes wide.

For a split second he stares me in the eye. Then he grabs Polly, pushing her forward towards me.

I grab her arm, pulling her back behind the sofa.

As I get safely behind cover, the left side of my chest gives another painful throb.

Looking back, I see Mack's only a couple feet away. His bad leg dragging uselessly behind him as he tries to quickly crawl over.

My eyes widen.

He's not going to make it!

I lean around the sofa, grabbing Mack on the upper arm. Giving him a big tug, he jerks forward just in time.

Another ear splitting POW echoes through the house, the wood where Mack was just at, exploding in the air as the floor fills with multiple bullet holes.

I press my back against the side of the sofa, my heartbeat rapping away in my chest.

Now what?

The lights in the living room flip back on.

.....Great.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Polly's (POV)

Oh my god.

Oh my god!

I huddle stiffly on the ground, the glass from the window tinkling onto the floor in a almost musical way.

Only this ain't no musical.

My arms tremble as they hold me up, hands fisted tightly in the rug, the side of the coffee table digging painfully into my side.

The sound of the gunshot echoing in my ears.

My wide eyes stare transfixed at the little blue minivan from the game that's laying beside my hand.

Can't move.

I know I need to get up, but my limbs aren't registering that one simple fact.

Move!

I only manage to turn my head to the side, my eyes landing on the holes that now completely litter my board-game.

Buckshot.

I get the sudden urge to roll my eyes.

Really Polly? You can't get out of your shocked state long enough to move out of the way, yet you can examine the table and determine what kind of bullets they're using.

Now I roll my eyes, feeling a little less stiff now that I've been talking to myself.

A thought strikes me.

Mack and Alex!

Did they get hit?!

Oh my g-

I'm suddenly jerked forward, my hands coming out just in time to catch my face from smacking the hard floor.

What?

Another hand grabs my arm, dragging me and my stiff body over beside the sofa.

Out of the way of the window.

I let a shaky breath out.

I turn my head, noticing Alex propped up a foot away from me, leaning lightly against the sofa.

His eyes aren't nearly as wide as mine probably are, his face set in a determined frown.

Yet the more I look, the more I see signs that he isn't quite as calm as his face might appear.

His hands are trembling at his side, sweat glistening on his forehead, his breathing sounding ten times more ragged than my own.

That's when I notice the lights.

When did they turn back on?

Alex's eyes suddenly widen, and he swiftly bends his upper body around the sofa.

What's he doing now?

I look around our little hiding spot.

No Mack.

My breath catches.

Stupid mind not keeping up with anything. How could I simply just forget Mack?

I sigh.

This is what fear does to you.

Another gunshot fills the air, and with a squeak of terror, I cover my ears with my hands.

Yes, when I get scared I squeak.

We all have our weaknesses.

Alex is suddenly back in his original spot, Mack appearing out of nowhere beside me.

I look over at him, staring my wide eyes into his matching ones.

Where'd he come from?

I feel a giggle settle in my throat, tears sliding down my cheeks.

Oh dear lord, help me.

I'm going delirious!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Alex's (POV)

What now?

Come on Alex. Think!

I need to do something.

"W-What do we do now, Alex?" Mack questions with a trembling voice, his hands also shaking.

All three of our quick breaths fill the now quiet room.

I look over at them.

Mack's sitting with his back against the wall, his bad leg stretched out in front of him. Polly's sitting beside him, against the wall also.

But...

I examine at her face.

Tears drip silently down her cheeks, jaw trembling, loose hair falling over her face, eyes not focused on anything specific.

A giggle suddenly slips from her mouth.

My eyes narrow.

There's different ways people react to fear. And she's obviously getting a bit hysterical.

Guilt squeezes my chest.

Your fault

I ignore the voice, my mind ticking off the seconds. Because we don't have long before whoever that is, comes inside looking for us.

And I think I know who it is.

Ben.

Anger flares in me, an idea forming.

My gaze settles back on Mack.

He's thankfully not delirious, just....shocked.

"M-Mack a-are there any bullets in the house?" I ask him, the tremor in my voice as noticeable as day is to night.

He scrunches his face up in confusion.

"Y-Yeah, up in the Browns room." He says, his voice sounding more controlled now. "On the top shelf in their closet." He finishes.

Perfect.

But first I've got to get up there and get some.

I look over at Polly.

"A-Alex." She says with a hiccup. "You ain't gonna return fire, are ya?" She giggles again, her hand coming up to cover her mouth.

And I need her help.

Mack can't do it with that leg.

I gently take both her hands in mine, my eyes staring into her tear filled ones.
"Polly, I-I need your help." I tell her, despair leaking into my voice.

Her eyes widen, and with a quick shake of her head, she moves her head to look away. But I quickly catch her gaze again, trying to show her with my eyes how serious this is.

Trying to break her out of this spell.

She holds my gaze this time.

"I can't d-do it without you." I soften my voice, bringing a hand up to tuck some loose hair behind her ear.

I watch as her eyes slowly lose that crazy look, realization dawning in them with her normal steady eyes returning.

"W-What do you need me to do?" She whispers out, tears drying in her eyes.

I pat her arm, bringing my hand back down to my side.

"Go into t-the kitchen and put a pan on the burner." She opens her mouth to say something, but I stop her with a look. "On high." I finish with.

She nods, confusion showing in her eyes.

I roll my stiff shoulders, trying to loosen them up.

We need a distraction if we're getting out of here....alive.

And I know just how to make one.

"Stay out of the way from the windows, and don't turn anymore lights on." I tell her, thankful that she doesn't have to cross a window to get into the kitchen.

But I do. Which technically I could go the same way she is and just head to the Browns room from there. But I have a feeling that if we don't give this person something to shoot at, he'll come inside to investigate.

         Which we don't want.

The Browns room is up the stair, and to the left.

        Now I have to cross the window that's already been broken. Hopefully giving us more time to figure this out.

Glancing around, I spot the flower pot I'd been staring at earlier over to the left.

Reaching over, I grab it. Pulling it over, I hand it to Mack.

He frowns, holding it up in his hand. "What's t-this for?" He questions.

"When I say so, Polly you head to the Kitchen." I look at her, making sure she understands. "Then when your done, come back in here." She nods her head in affirmation.

"Mack." My gaze lands on him. "You throw that pot across the room." He nods his head, realization dawning in his eyes.

It'll act as a diversion while I run across the room, hopefully making the person shoot and essentially miss me.

Because if I'm right, this person will shoot at anything that moves.

One problem though.

It could be a double barrel shotgun. Which means, there's two shots without having to reload.

I take a breath.

I'll have to take that chance.

I look across the room.

I only have to run about five feet before I'm clear of the windows view. The only light that seems to be working is the one that's directly in the living room.

That helps....a little.

I get into a crouching position, Polly also getting ready.

Sweat trickles down my neck, hands trembling in anticipation.

I look over at Mack.

He's in position to throw the pot, sweat also glistening on his pale face.

"Now." I say.

Polly heads the opposite direction, Mack throwing the pot in view of the window.

Another loud POW fills the room, the clay pot smashing into millions of pieces.

I run.

And not surprisingly, another POW echoes in my ears.

Without stopping, I register the wood-floor just a few inches from my right foot exploding with tiny holes.

I hiss out a breath as I feel small sharp jabs on my lower right leg.

Definitely got a few splinters.

But I made it.

Continuing on, I run up the stairs. Making a left when I'm at the top of them, I find myself in the Browns room.

My eyes frantically scan the room, my breath rattling in my lungs.

There.

A door to a closet.

Running over, I swing the door open, my eyes already focused on finding the box of bullets.

I spot them tucked up in a corner on the top shelf. Standing on my toes, I reach up, feeling the tips of my fingers brush against the box.

Pulling them down with trembling hands, I hastily open the top of the little cardboard box.

I grab seven shiny bullets from the box. Then I throw it back into the closet, all the rest of them spilling out with a jingle.

No ones going to care about a mess right now.

Holding the seven bullets firmly in my hand, I run back down the stairs. Taking the other way to the kitchen, I head over to the stove.

There's a skillet on the burner, the temperature on high. A little smoke starting to drift off it as the pan cooks nothing.

I angle my hand with the bullets over the skillet, getting ready to drop them.

I pause.

This strategy usually ends with the building burning down.

My hand shakes.

I can't burn their house down. But what other choice do I have?

Taking another deep breath, I open my hand.

The bullets fall into the skillet.

Only about a minute until it should be hot enough.

Then we make our escape.

Checking my watch first, I crouch as I make my way out the door towards Mack and Polly. Making sure to keep myself lower than any of the windows.

Who knows how many people there are.

Exiting the kitchen, I spot Polly and Mack in the same position as before.

They see me, their faces instantly washing with relief.

I sit back against the sofa, my right leg now stinging with fresh pain.

I take a few gasping breaths, trying to calm my rapid heart before speaking. "A f-few seconds, then we make a run f-for the truck." I tell them.

They both nod.

The keys for the truck are located on a hook by the door.

I check my watch.

Still another ten or so seconds left.

I tense up, waiting for my distraction that's bound to be loud.

I mean, you've got bullets that have flammable gunpowder in them, and a very hot stovetop.

I'll let you do the math.

Come on...

Anytime now.

Polly and Mack glance between each other.

Checking my watch again, I lean over, placing my arm underneath Mack's armpit. I motion for Polly to do the same.

We're going to have to help each other out with this.

I tighten my hold on Mack as I hear movement from right outside the broken window.

Someone's out there.

Polly puts a hand up to her mouth, eyes widening once more.

Mack takes a deep breath.

I hear a quiet grunt as someone pulls themselves inside from the window, the sound of glass crunching underneath a foot as he steps down onto the floor.

Getting closer.

I tense even more, my senses on overload.

The smell of something burning drifts from the kitchen.

I lean forward.

Suddenly a sound like extremely close fireworks explodes from the kitchen, shaking the house.

I brace my feet to keep myself steady.

I hear a shout of surprise from the other side of the sofa, a thump of someone falling.

The noise continues.

Good.

Jerking up, I run towards the front door. Polly helping me support Mack as he stumbles along with us.

Reaching a hand out as we pass, I grab the keys off the hook.

Swinging the door open, we're met with a sheet of pouring rain that keeps you from seeing more than four feet in front of you.

I slightly smile.

It'll help keep us covered.

With my "distraction" noise now fading in the background, we stumble down the slick steps.

With our clothes now soaking wet, we make it to the side of the truck. I open the back door on Don's truck, my hand trembling.

Pushing Mack in, I open the drivers door and get in. Polly climbs in beside Mack, shutting the door behind her.

Buckling up, I hear the sound of their own buckles clicking locked. I tighten my hands on the steering wheel, taking a couple deep breaths.

As soon as I turn the engine on they're going to know our location again.

"Get down." I tell them, positioning myself a little lower.

I glance back at them through the mirror. Both are leaning down, their backs just barely coming up to the window.

"Mack, is there a different way to get to town other then the main road?" I ask him, knowing they'll most likely have the Browns driveway blocked off.

"Yeah, the way we went on the ATV." He says. "You just keep going." His voice fades.

Alright.

Taking my right hand, I angle the key into the ignition. "Guys, whatever happens....stay down." I tell them, seriousness the only thing evident in my voice.

I make sure the headlights are off. Then with a slight turn of my wrist, the engine fires up.

Not wasting a minute, I put the truck in reverse, backing out of the parking spot.

Instead of going towards the driveway that leads out of the Browns property, I turn towards the dirt path that leads to their fenced in field that me and Mack went on a couple weeks ago.

The left side of my chest gives another twist of pain.

The passenger side window explodes with a terrible Bang, glass flying everywhere.

Polly screams, covering her head. Mack joining in with a shout of surprise.

I angle my head to the side, feeling pieces of sharp glass scrape the right side of my neck.

Another POW sounds outside, the upper right side of the front window exploding now.

I gasp, jerking my body to the left as I feel something impale the right side of my ribcage.

That didn't feel good.

Narrowing my eyes in pain, I keep the truck moving straight.

The sheet of rain lessens, a bolt of bright lightning zigzagging across the sky, illuminating the ground.

I make out the shape of a red gate in the distance.

Pushing down on the gas pedal, I angle us towards the approaching gate.

No time to stop and open it.

Right as we're about to ram into the gate, the steering wheel jerks, a loud popping noise coming from right outside.

My chest tightens.

He shot the wheel.

With the truck now slightly weaving, I manage to aim it into the large red gate.

The gate slams open, my head jerking back as we hit it full speed.

I hear a couple grunts from the backseat.

Gunning it out of the gate, I continue down the bumpy dirt path, the truck still dangerously weaving.

Tightening my hold on the wheel, I hold it as steady as possible. I keep the headlights off, trying to blend in with the dark surroundings.

My heart thumps loudly in my ears, breathing sounding like I just ran a marathon.

I glance out the mirror, seeing the few lights from the house fading in the distance.

No sign of anyone following us....

Yet.

I take a deep breath, wincing as something painfully digs into my side.

"C-Can we sit up now?" Mack hesitantly asks.

I glance outside again.

Nothing.

"Alright. Just don't sit completely up." I decide, thinking the position they're currently in can't be very comfortable.

I hear the squeak of leather as they sit up.

"A-Are we safe?" Polly quietly asks, relief showing in her voice.

I shake my head, instantly regretting it as a headache starts pounding. "Not sure." Is my simple reply.

Because I'm not sure.

Ben might come after us, or send someone else.....Or he might just let us go.

But judging from everything I've heard about this group. I don't think 'letting us go' is an option.

Not able to see more than three feet in front of the truck, I rely on my memory from the last time I was here for directions.

Wasn't this where the hill was that we crashed on?

And just as I think that, I feel the truck tilt downwards as we head downhill.

I push on the brake, remembering how rocky it was.

Only instead of slowing down, the truck speeds up.

My eyes widen, alarm running through me.

The brakes!

I push harder on it, nothing happening.

"Alex?" I hear a concerned Polly say.

A bullet must've punctured the brake fluid.

I tense up, preparing for a hard stop.

"Hold on!" I practically shout, the speed showing seventy miles per-hour on the dashboard.

We hit a couple rough bumps, the truck jerking up on each one.

I glance out the mirror again.

"Watch out!" Mack suddenly shouts.

My gaze swings back to the front just in time to spot a large boulder protruding out from the ground.

We hit it at full force, just like the gate. Only this time it's not the object that moves.....It's us.

The flat tire hits the boulder, the right side of the truck flipping up into the air.

For a split second everything slows down.

Everything's suddenly upside down, pieces if loose change floating around with a couple other odd things.

My heart thuds slowly in my chest, each beat an agonizing reminder of what's about to happen.

Sweat trickles up my face, my side stinging with renewed pain.

I close my eyes, body tensing.

I take a breath.

The truck lands upside-down with a bone jarring CRUNCH, the roof caving in like a piece of tin.

My breath gets knocked from me, my head jerking painfully up. My body suddenly swing to the left as the truck rolls over, my head following.

I scrunch my eyes up.

My head cracks into the window at full speed. A bright light ignites inside my brain, a warm substance immediately starting to run down the side of my head.

Everything's gone foggy. The only noises being my obnoxiously loud heartbeat in my ears, the sound of my ragged breathing, and an annoying ringing in my head.

My head swirls with different colors, my eyesight swimming.

I groan as I feel bile rise in my throat.

       I suddenly register something touching me.

Opening my eyes I hadn't noticed I'd shut, I look around.

Polly has the drivers side door open, standing there with her mouth moving as she frantically tries talking to me.

What?

I squeeze my eyes shut again as a terrible pressure builds in my head. Lasting only a second before leaving as quickly as it had come.

"-ex." Polly's voice fills my head, feeling like forks poking my eyes.

I raise a hand up, signaling her to be quiet. Squinting, I try looking around once again.

My eyes widen as I suddenly notice Polly's standing upside down.

.......

Oh wait...

I'm upside down.

I groan as I move my neck to look down...Up?

I'm hanging in my seat upside-down, the seatbelt having kept me from falling on my neck.

Dizziness suddenly assaults me again, the urge to vomit present once more.

I wince, moving my hand over to unlock the seatbelt.

Angling myself, I press down on the button.

I cry out as I land with an uncomfortable PLOP onto the ceiling. My right side giving a painful twist of pain as something grates unpleasantly against a rib.

"Alex!" Polly shouts, reaching inside. "I was going to help you." She gently takes my right arm, helping me out.

I wrap my left arm around my aching side. Frowning as I feel a warm liquid seep between my fingers.

Blood.

Now that I think about it, I think I'm bleeding in multiple places.

The left side of my head has a numbness running through it, warm blood dripping down to my ear.

The bottom of my right leg feels like it's got at-least ten decent sized splinters in it.

Then of course, there's my side.....But, lets just leave that for later shall we?

I crawl out from the overturned truck. trying, but failing to avoid the pieces of glass from the front window that apparently shattered. Nothing left in the frame.

I hiss as the cold rain comes in contact with my fresh wounds, stinging them.

When I'm completely out, I crawl a few feet further. A hammer pounding away in my skull.

I glance to the right.

Mack's on his hands and...knee. His head bowed as he unpleasantly empties his stomach.

I look away, my own sickness returning. I gag, trying to keep it all down.

Polly comes to sit down next to me, eyeing Mack.

She sighs, combing her now loose hair with a trembling hand.

"I-Is everyone alright?" I question once I feel I've controlled my gag reflexes.

Polly nods, wincing as she does it a little too hard. Her other hand coming up to rub the back of her neck.

I think everyone got a little whiplash from that.

Mack finally stops, wiping a hand across his mouth. "Well, we're alive." He pants, his voice sounding scratchy.

"Well I either sprained my wrist, or its broken." Polly adds, looking at Mack with a question in her eyes. "No more broken bones than what I already had." He answers, looking down at his leg. "Those backseats are rather protective if I do say so myself." He gives a small smile.

Polly looks over at me, concern shining in those green eyes. "What about you, Alex?" She places a hand on my arm.

I take a second.

"I'll be fine." I say, trying to sound convincing.

I take a much needed deep breath, wincing as something painfully grates on my rib again.

They stare at me, unconvinced.

I move to stand up, already scanning the surroundings.

"It's just a piece of glass." I mumble out, hoping they won't hear me.

Polly swings her gaze back to me. "I should check it anyway." She urges, moving towards me.

I hold a hand out, standing completely up. "We don't have time for that right now." I tell her.

She raises an eyebrow, her mouth opening to say something.

My ears pick up a noise.

I quickly hold a hand up, my face snapping over towards the top of the hill.

She looks up at me with wide eyes, her mouth falling shut.

I slowly look back over at them, my gaze alternating between the two of them. I stand back up, Polly and Mack following my lead.

I hear it again.

My heartbeat picks back up, head giving a dull thud to each beat.

A engine.

I tense, hands fisting at my sides.

We're being chased.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A/N

Yay! I updated!!👍🏻 I was afraid I wasn't going to have it done before today, let's just say I've had a hectic week- I've been babysitting (again) for the past couple days. Then I've been accidental prone all week: when I was taking Christmas lights down (yes, they were still up😜) a couple days ago, my wrist hit a Stone pot while I was disconnecting one of the plugs (it was stuck, so I had to jerk it out....Hard😑) and the bone right in my left wrist hit the pot, leaving a nice bruised wrist for a couple days. (It's still purple😪) then when I got up one morning to go too the restroom, (it was like four o'clock..A.M.) my left leg hit a little wooden rocking chair (that Someone, left out😒) leaving a bump, And another bruise on my shin. Then this morning I was putting one of our dogs back outside, (they stay in crates in our sunroom during the night) and let's just say he's a bit on the hyper side (understatement) so when I was opening the gate to his fence, he jerked on the leash and my hand went out dragging across the wooden post. So now I have a bunch of missing skin on my right hands middle finger.😕

So yeah, I've had an interesting week lol.🙃

Questions:

1. Are you mad I stopped this chapter at that spot?😜

2. How did I do for this chapter? (This IS my first chapter I've Ever written that has this much...action in it.😏)

3. Ok! So this book only has maybe 2-3 chapters left in it.😁(I'm honestly not sure if I should be happy or sad lol😅) But remember, I'm making a book Two! So no sad faces.😘

Thanks again!!!

Next update: Sunday

Vote/ Comment!! You know the drill.😉

      And just a reminder....My internet isn't working very well here (again😬) So if I don't answer to something, or anything like that, then you know why.

Hopefully I'm not forgetting anything.🙄

Maggy

Edited: 6/23/17