TORN FLESH

CHAPTER FIVE: RUNNING

"WHAT the hell is that supposed to mean?"

Violet shrugged her shoulders having ridden herself of her bag and machete, both of which were stashed atop the table. "It's a city full of horror, I'm just calling it by its nickname." they'd seated themselves on the kitchen floor with their weapons set off to the side.

In between the two of them, Violet had placed a road map out on the floor with the candle beside it so they could at least see what they were looking at.

The small blonde pointed to a red circle on the map looking up at Margo to make sure she was paying attention, "that's where we are." she stated moving her finger along a line that ran past the circle, "that's how we get out, we start on that road."

Margo frowned setting her finger down on the map, "it would be smarter to use the woods, if they use the road to try and find us we're out in plain sight, they're not gonna check the woods, and if they do, it'll take them a while." Violet sighed resting her hands on her knees, "whatever. As long as we get out of here I don't care."

She looked up to watch as the girl's eyes began to close the child fighting off the urge to close them and fall asleep on the floor. "If we're going to try and get out tomorrow, then we should probably get some sleep, we're not going to stand a chance if we're tired." Violet nodded her head happy that she hadn't had to suggest sleep, she didn't need to sound like a whiny child.

She rubbed her eyes before reaching out and grabbing the candle from where she'd set it, "you can sleep in the guest room." she mumbled standing to walk in the direction of the hallway, going on a wild guess, Margo followed after the girl almost ninety percent sure that the bedrooms were located in the hall.

Violet twisted a doorknob opening it for her to peer inside. The room contained a bed, a bookshelf, and a small desk, she didn't question it but quietly thanked her before heading inside. Closing the door behind her, she set her things down beside the desk allowing her eyes to take in everything around her, it wasn't much, but it was a place to sleep, and that was all that mattered in that moment.

The child made her way down the hallway stopping two doors down from Margo's room, she opened the door and slipped inside the smell of wilted roses filling the air she was currently breathing in.

Margo listened for a few quiet moments, waiting to hear another noise, any noise at all. When she didn't, she relaxed.

She waited a few more moments before she sat on the edge of the bed in the room, she just sat there unsure of what she should do, while sleep seemed the most obvious of choices, she felt restless, as if trying to sleep would only feed her reserve of energy.

She fumbled with her hands for a few seconds before deciding on what she was going to do, she stood from her spot on the bed making way for the door. She gripped the knob turning the cold metal in her palm before she stepped out and walked down the hall to the door of Violets room, gently knocking on the door, she waited her eyes flicking down as she opened the door.

Violet stood her eyes squinted against the dark to try and make out Margo's figure, "do you mind grabbing the jacket from your bag?" she opened her eyes just the slightest bit wider before disappearing into the room, after a couple of minutes, she returned, jacket in hand.

The child held it out to her letting her arm lazily fall to her side once she'd taken it, "thanks." she mumbled already beginning down the hall as Violet closed the door behind her. She returned to her room the air sparking with the chill of night, she wondered how Violet felt, sleeping in her bed, in her home, while her parents were dead.

Sorrow coursed through her veins once more as she began to pity the child, she hadn't done anything to deserve the occurrence of those awful events, but, it was the universes way of keeping the balance, without it, the world would be in utter chaos, despite the fact it currently was.

Margo pulled the jacket over her arms the insulation in the article of clothing providing her with more warmth than she'd expected, she let out a sigh as she zipped it up the darkness around her swallowing the sound as if it was nothing but a cricket outdoors, a sound that didn't matter, one that had no meaning.

She thought about the events that had taken place that night, killing the man- his name being Joseph according to the people who'd discovered him- the escaping the hospital and the fighting that had taken place against the Lurkers.

It wasn't until the next morning that she would realize the severity of her actions.

Violet awoke her with a violent shake, her eyes shot open to glare at the girl, she returned it just as quickly. "Get up, we have a problem." without bothering to further elaborate, Violet climbed off the bed and exited the bedroom making her way down the hall towards the kitchen and dining room. Margo let out a groan cursing the fact that she'd even bothered to accompany the girl from the hospital to her home.

She slipped out of bed cursing beneath her breath when she almost tripped over a board that had lifted in the floor after years of mistreatment. Continuing down the hall, she joined Violet in the kitchen where she was stirring a dark mixture, she glanced back at Margo for a split second before returning her attention to her odd concoction.

"Hot chocolate?" she shook her head with an apologetic smile, "I prefer coffee, but thanks." Violet rolled her eyes, what was it with adults and coffee? The drink alone was disgusting, even if you did add sugar, milk, creamer, or whatever the hell it was they put into the nauseating hot drink. For once in her life, she'd never been happier to be a child, at least that didn't hold her to a standard as high as adults, she could do whatever she wanted and deflect the blame onto someone else.

"So" Margo began leaning against the counter, "what's our problem?" Violet glanced over her shoulder almost finished with completing her drink, "our problem is that you drew too much attention tonight, they're checking houses tonight." the older girl's eyes widened at the words unsure of how else to react. "Until they do their rounds, we're not allowed to leave our homes, meaning we're both screwed."

Margo bit her lip before giving an absent nod of the head, "I can hide on the roof if I have too." the child shrugged her shoulders shifting her mug into her slightly warm hands as she turned around, "or, we could sneak out through the back, we'd just have to wait for when they switch posts, there's a small five-minute window between them, if we hurry, we can make it through."

"Okay, and when's that?" Violet took a long sip of her hot chocolate careful to make sure it wouldn't singe her tongue before doing so, she let out a sigh upon swallowing the brown liquid before she replied.

"Twelve, so..." she trailed off glancing to look at the small blue watch wrapped around her left wrist, "an hour and a half." Margo nodded her head tapping her fingers along the countertop, "are you coming with, or am I on my own?"

Violet chuckled taking another sip of her drink as the older girl watched on. "There's not much here for me, it's not like my parents are going to magically come back." she didn't reply to the statement besides a silent nod, she didn't want to upset her but she also didn't want to come off as rude by making her think she'd ignored her.

"Alright, I'll go start packing up my stuff, chances are we're not coming back, I'd pack anything you wouldn't want to leave behind." Violet set her mug down quietly disappearing down the hall and into her room. When she didn't come back, Margo took it as her own cue to go to the guest room and pack up her things as well.

She found the silence comforting despite the fact that they were about to make an escape that if gone wrong could result in the loss of their lives, she could hear Violet humming down the hall as they'd both left their doors open so they could easily go back and forth throughout the house.

Violet continously moved from room to room grabbing a few things before she stopped altogether, "Violet?" Margo called out, her humming halted and she peeked out into the hall to see where she was, "what?" she backed out into the hallway sticking her head out to look at Violet, "you almost ready?" the clock was nearing the time they needed to leave and she didn't want to miss their small window.

She nodded her head gesturing into the room, "I just have a few more things and then I'll be ready to go." she stated ducking back into the room and out of sight, Margo let out a sigh returning to her spot in the guest room. She gave the room a quick glance her eyes landing on an old backpack, finally, something she could put to use.

Scooping the bag up, she set it on the bed before she stripped the jacket from her torso and shoved it inside along with a small pack of matches and tea light candles she'd found in the kitchen, she settled the binoculars at the bottom finding it unnecessary to keep them out as they didn't have any current use.

As for the rifle, she slid the strap over her shoulder once she'd pulled the bag onto her back. Turning to face the doorway, she took a half step back when she saw Violet waiting for her, she had her machete in hand and a small handgun strapped into a holster on her right. She had a small bag settled on her back as Margo did making her want to smile just the slightest.

Violet gestured down the hall, "we should probably head out into the backyard and get ready to make a run for it, once we pass the fence they'll be able to see us." she nodded her head the worry in her stomach making her feel sick, ignoring the feeling, she stepped out of the room and followed Violet down the hall to the backdoor.

The small girl glanced over her shoulder giving a small nod, "we got this." she let out a sigh as she pulled the door open more than likely trying to calm her nerves, she was smaller, and that set her further on edge than Margo. And for some odd reason, even though she hardly knew her, she trusted the older girl.

They quietly exited out onto the back porch the silence coating them like tar. Violet slowly shut the door wincing at the small click it made as it slid into place, they carefully navigated through the yard avoiding dead leaves and sticks. Approaching the fence, Margo cupped her hands together holding them out for Violet to step into, when she understood what she was supposed to do, she settled her foot into the girl's hands holding onto the fence for support as Margo lifted her up.

Once she was over, Margo used her surroundings to help her up using an old tire to help her reach the top easier as she stood atop it. Violet quietly whispered directions as to where to put her feet as she slipped down the other side both girls letting out a sigh of relief when she met the ground with unscathed.

"What time is it?" Margo questioned glancing around the two of them to check for other people.

"Time to go."

TORN FLESH

CHAPTER FIVE: HORROR CITY