Dawn's POV

"I'll ask you again," spit the man as he licked his lips with a smirk on his face. "Where the hell do you think you're going sweetheart?" he repeated in a sickly sweet voice.

It was hard to tell what he looked like In the darkness, but I could see the man had an intimidating look plastered on his face.

"I....I... was just leaving." I managed to say while slowly lowering my arms down until they were level with my sides.

The guy was staring at me intensely, not blinking, not risking missing any move i'd make.

"Why would that be sweetheart?" he said with a smirk on his face. "I'm sure the Blood Diamonds could use a pretty lady like you."

I felt a lump form in my throat and my eyes got wide. Just my luck, I ran into a man from the most powerful gang in Gainsville.

"I'm sure you're good without me," I managed to say with confidence. "Being the all mighty and powerful Blood Diamonds."

I took a step backwards, closer towards the fence, and I heard another click along with a chuckle.

"Buttering me up won't work sweetheart. You move again and I'll blow your brains out," he said with a wicked smile. "Now you're going to come back to headquarters with me, whether it's willingly or by force." He took a step forward towards me, the gun still pointed at my forehead. "And we'll see which one of the boys can put you to use."

I swallowed the lump in my throat and felt chills go up my spine.There were few woman allowed into the Blood Diamonds, and they weren't used as extra reinforcements.

Slowly moving my right hand behind my back, I was planning to grab the gun I had in my back pocket. I wasn't going to let him take me, it just wasn't an option at this point.

"How about you let me leave, and I won't shoot you and mess up your face even more?" I said with the last drop of confidence I could conjure up.

I really hoped he would buy it, I was running out of options.

He angrily growled at me and then smirked. "Now sweetheart, what makes you think I'd be scared of you? I'm part of one of the most powerful gangs in Gainsville and I've....."

He was cut of by a gunshot slicing through the air. I watched as the man in front of me  crumpled to the ground screaming in pain as blood started to flow out of his upper arm. His gun flew to the ground, and I was about to grab it when I was pulled back behind the fence and someone's hand covered my mouth.

I started to scream and I squirmed around, trying to escape my captors grasp.

"Relax, I'm not going to hurt you, I'm here to help," said a male voice forcefully whispering from the lips pressed next to my ear. "Calm down and I'll let go of you."

I stopped squirming and started taking deep breathes in and out, trying to calm down.For some reason, my gut told me to trust this mysterious person.

My captor let me go and I scooted backwards until my backpack was flushed up against the fence. I brought my knees into my chest, wrapping my arms around them. I slowly looked up to see who grabbed me.

My eyes met a very attractive guy about my age. He had short hair that was spiked up in the front. He was wearing a leather jacket, a tight midnight blue t-shirt, and skinny jeans. He was crouched down beside me, looking me up and down searching for something.

"Are you okay?" he asked me in a concerned tone.

"Uh....yeah I'm fine." I said quietly. I wasn't quiet sure if I could trust him yet, I wanted to make sure he wasn't like the other guy trying to shoot me.

"The bastard didn't shoot you or anything? " He asked looking at my arms and legs. "Did he?"

"N...No I'm fine," I said slightly confused. Who was this mystery guy?

I jumped when I heard gunshots firing off from behind me. One after another. I could hear shouting in the distance, far enough away to where It was distant mumbling. My adrenaline started to spike up until the guy put his hands on my shoulders, leaning in and making me look him straight in the eyes.

"Okay look, we don't have much time here." The guy quickly looked around as the gunshots and shouting got closer. "My name is Jake Whitmore, and I'm a member of the Midnight Mafia." he said proudly.

My mouth dropped. The Midnight Mafia? Not only did I encounter someone from the Blood Diamonds, but someone from the Midnight Mafia?I never thought I'd actually meet someone from any of the three gangs fighting for control of Gainsville, I knew they always did border checks of their territories, but never thought they'd come into a neighborhood like this.

Jake laughed a little at my reaction. It was a deep laugh that made goosebumps raise up on my arms.

"Anyways I'm sorry you got caught up in all of this," He said with a returning seriousness. " The way you stood up to Keaton was really brave, not many people can do that. I need to speak to you again but not here." He paused to listen to the noises and quickly survey the surroundings again before looking back at me." What's your name?" he asked.

I tried to process everything he was saying but my mind started to get fuzzy.

"I..I'm Dawn." I managed to say. "Dawn Duplain." I took a moment and glanced around the side of the fence to see the man still laying in the grass shifting around and groaning in pain. I looked back at Jake and he was staring intently at me."You knew that guy?" I asked curiously.

He laughed. "Yes, I know all the members from the other gangs, except for the new recruits. Keaton's a real asshole, completely full of himself. He thinks he's the best at everything. That's why Karla didn't have a problem shooting him."

I was utterly confused. I hadn't seen another person, or heard anyone when this Keaton guy was about to shoot me. I guess it might've been because my heart was pounding so loud in my ears.

"Karla?" I asked completely lost.

Jake smiled. "She's one of the best snipers in Gainsville. She's even better than most of the guys." He ran his hand through his hair making the falling spikes stand straight up. "But don't tell them I said that," he joked with a smile.

I started to try to sort through my thoughts and all the information i was taking in but it wasn't working, it was just so much at once.

The shouts and gunshots were practically on the other side of the fence now and Jake stiffened up, and quickly looked around once again before focusing on me again.

"Alright Dawn, listen to me carefully," he had a look of importance in his eyes. "There's a full out fight happening on the other side of the fence so you have to be careful. Do you understand?" he questioned me.

I quickly nodded, eager for him to continue.

He nodded back at me. "Good. Now like I said I need to talk to you again. Meet me tomorrow around 7:00 p.m. in the ally between the old bowling alley and pizza place over on Barkley Avenue, okay? " He put his hands on my shoulders. "Do You know where that is?" he asked, shaking me a little trying to get me to focus.

I thought about it and quickly made a mental map before I nodded, not being able to find words to say in this situation.

He nodded then scooted back and removed his hands from my shoulders, still crouching. "Alright, up on your feet then."

I obeyed and got up from the dirt and crouched down in front of him. I brushed the dirt off of my butt and watched Jake scoot his way over to the side of the fence. He slowly looked around it and then quickly whipped his head back around to our side of the fence.

Jake quietly scooted back over next to me on my right and pressed his body up against the fence. He motioned for me to do the same, so I did.

We waited quietly in shadow of the fence, the darkness casted over us. A moment later a guy with a fedora and a pistol in hand walked around to our side of the fence.

All the shouts and gunshots were literally behind us now, making me want to get up and sprint away as fast as I could in the opposite direction, but I was glued to the spot.

The man started walking towards us, and my breath hitched in my throat. Jake slowly turned his head toward me, and he put his finger up to his lips motioning for me to be quiet, keeping his eyes locked on mine. I just stared into his eyes and nodded.

The man started walking closer and closer to us, so close that I could see a scar on his face right through his left eye. His eye was white with no pupil and it was obviously a scar from some kind of messed up event.

He was about to get to the point where he was standing right in front of us, when another voice caused him to stop and turn around.

"John! Get your ass over here! Stay in formation!" yelled a man from the other side of the fence.

The man grunted and retreated back to the other side of the fence and I let out the breath I was holding in.

Luckily Jake and I were both wearing black so we blended in. Not to mention it was completely dark now, only the light of the moon shining on the ground in front of us. The fence still casting its shadow over us.

Jake scooted away from the fence so he was squatting directly in front of me. He looked me right in the eyes and nodded.

"See what I mean?" he asked. "Now your going to head along this fence towards that tree way down there." He explained as he pointed, and I looked down the fence at an old oak tree.

"Then your going to hide behind it until you can make a run for it across the next road."

I looked again and saw the road he was talking about, it looked like a silver river in the moonlight.

"Then you need to cross through the yard of that yellow house way over there and it will bring you to Cedar street. Then take a left onto it and you can follow it all the way to Barkley Avenue. Can you find your way home from there?" he explained everything with such intensity and ease it gave me courage to be able to do it.

"Yes," I said. "But what about you? will you be okay?" I asked in a moment of emotion.

He chuckled. "Babe, I'm part of The Midnight Mafia, not only am I fully capable of winning a street fight, but I can hide in the shadows like your worst Nightmares."

When he said 'worst nightmares' I shivered. It definitely felt like I was in a nightmare right now.

Jake quickly looked around then back at me. "Now you better get going before another buffoon walks around to this side of the fence," He stood up, but with his head still below the fence. "Remember to meet me at 7:00 p.m. tomorrow in the ally by the old bowling alley and pizza place, alright?"

"Alright," I said as I started my way along the fence, still in a crouching position. I turned around and Jake was peeking around the other side of the fence.

"Jake?" I asked quietly, making sure no one else would hear.

"Yeah?" he replied with a confused look on his face as he turned back around and looked at me.

"Thank you for all your help," I said truthfully.

He smiled at me and laughed quietly. "No problem Dawn. Now get your ass moving before one of us gets killed. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Tomorrow," I said with a nod before I made my way farther down the fence. It scared me that he could make jokes about getting killed so easily,but then again he's in a gang.

When I got all the way to the the oak tree I turned around to see if Jake was still crouched by the fence, but he was gone. Probably gone to find Karla and shoot some other guy from the Blood Diamonds in the arm. I had no real idea where he went, but I was glad he wasn't a dead lump in front of the old rotted wooden fence.

Now I could see a bunch of men in the road fighting with knives and guns, shouting at each other. If Jake and I were still crouching by the fence, we would've been spotted, and probably killed. I shivered at the thought and turned away. At least now I had a chance to make it home.

*******

I hid behind the oak tree for what felt like ages, but I finally gathered enough bravery to make a break for it and sprint across the empty silvery road into the yard of the yellow house.

Stopping for a moment to catch my breath, I then carefully picked my way across the yard, making sure I wasn't caught and held up again by any gang members straggling from the fight behind me. I was lucky that all the soup cans in my pack weren't jingling around, then I would've been really afraid about being caught again.

I successfully made it across the backyard of the house and I found myself on Cedar Street just like Jake had said. I don't know why, but it made me trust him more, and it scared me a little. I don't give trust out easily, yet I had some for the guy I barely knew for five minutes.

Shaking my head to focus on my current task, I took a left onto the road. I moved quickly into the brush and trees that covered both sides of the road. It was quiet here, almost too quiet compared to all the gunshots and yelling I heard earlier and it was making me nervous. There was only the soft sound of the wind blowing through the trees.

I had to get home as soon as possible.

I jogged through the trees and brush on high alert for any noise or sighting of someone. In about five minutes I had made it to Barkley Avenue.

Peaking out from behind the treeline, I tried to see where I was. I realized I was traveling on the outskirts of the park in the middle of the city, and I saw the old post office across the street and realized how close I actually was to the apartment.

Quickly running across Cedar Street to the right, and onto Barkley Avenue, I was completely out in the open. With no more trees I put my black hood up and started quickly walking down the deserted sidewalk. I passed all kinds of old shops. Shoe stores, restaurants, dress shops, barber shops, you name it. Everything was nice around here, before the plague hit that is.

I passed several alleyways with the typical homeless people who had made little tent cities. They were always gathered around a big fire, even now when it wasn't cold outside.

We were some of the lucky ones who had an almost apartment to go back to. I mean it didn't have electricity or water, and It wasn't that clean, but it had four walls that kept Julia, Asher and I safe from the weather, creeps, and thieves.

"Crap," I muttered. Julia and Asher must be fuming and worried sick by now because I wasn't back yet.

I picked up my pace to a run until I could see our abandoned apartment building towering up above the  crumbled street.

We were the only people to occupy the whole building. The apartment that Julia, Asher and I shared was on the 7th floor. It was the very top floor and had a great view. Miraculously, our floor is the least damaged, and being high up gave us somewhat of an advantage on the people below.

I ran to the building and I unlocked the glass door with the key I always carried. I quietly opened up the door and slipped into the lobby. The windows were boarded up so  technically no one could get in unless they had a key, or they knocked the door down. The only other way would be by tearing down the wooden boards,

 In the lobby there was a small desk in the back of the room with a door to an office behind it. Paper was scattered everywhere and the lights hung by their wires from the ceiling. There was an elevator on the right side of the room and stairs on the left.

I quickly made my way across the room and opened the door to the stairwell and started running up the steps two at a time.

All I can say is that I'm glad I'm not fat, because it would've taken me forever to get up those stairs.

Once I was at the top of the stairwell, I pushed open the door to the 7th floor and quietly walked down the hall, breathing heavily from the climb. The soft carpet muffling my steps.

I walked almost to the very end of the hall, and stopped at apartment C3. I knocked on the right side of the door three times and once at the top.

I breathed a sigh of relief when the door swung open and I saw Julia standing there with Asher a few feet behind her.

"And where the hell have you been?" she asked, her eyebrows furrowed up. I could tell how worried she was because she had mascara stains on her cheeks most likely from crying.

"We thought you were dead Dawn!" she wailed.

Julia flung open the door all the way and enveloped me in a bone crushing hug.

"Julia! I'm fine!" I wheezed out. "You overreact sometimes," I squeaked out. She was squeezing me so hard it made it difficult to breathe.

"Never do that again okay?" she cried out as she squeezed me tighter if it was even possible. "I don't think I can go through that again!"

I looked at Asher and he just shrugged. I mouthed, "get her off me!" and he nodded.

"Julia, let the girl breathe. She still hasn't told us where she's been." Asher said while pulling Julia off me.

Asher dragged her into the apartment and I followed, closing and locking the door behind me.

We walked into the kitchen and I slung my bag onto the white counter top.

"So where have you been Dawn?" asked Asher. "You were supposed to be back a little after the sun went down."

I smiled a little but frowned a little at the same time. "I was on a scavenge and I sort of ran into some trouble." I paused as I leaned on the counter top with my hands. "You'll never guess what happened to me you guys."

"What?" they both asked in unison.

I looked down at the pattern running through the counters trying to distract myself. "I ran into some people from the gangs." I said looking back up at them.

There was nothing but looks of sheer horror on their faces.

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Hi everyone! Dawn had her first encounter with the gangs.

Thanks so much for reading! I hope you're enjoying the story so far. 

Please consider giving this chapter a vote if you enjoyed it, and feel free to leave me a comment if you have any thoughts or feedback!

-Delaney :)