Content Warnings: violence, stabbing
The Strokes had finally sent me their answer and I was to start working for them near the end of the year. I had been so excited, I raced to Simone’s house to tell her the good news. Since Tazina had also been there, we started celebrating immediately. And the way Tazina and Simone had been flirting with each other was a pleasant surprise.
The stars shone brightly down onto the dark streets as I walked home from Simone’s house. Then I heard it.
Crunch. Crunch.
I stopped.
Crunch.
Someone was following me. I stood perfectly still, listening for more footsteps. Silence. Slowly, I turned around, facing the seemingly empty street.
“I know you’re there!” I called. “And I know you’ve been following me for quite some time now!” Then I muttered under my breath, “So come on out, you coward.”
From the shadows a figure emerged, something in his hand glinting in the starlight. “Aetljwskfdmjhuefdijsnth.”
“What?”
He charged right for me. A sharp pain slid across my arm. I kneed him in the gut. He grunted, I ran. My fingers moved as I felt for the strings I needed. I could barely figure out what it was that I wanted.
I cried out as a sudden pressure punched through my leg. Electric jolts ran up my spine. He grabbed the back of my shirt. I thrust my elbow into his throat. The tug on my shirt disappeared. I could hear him coughing behind me as I ran forward, past where the strings were in place. I turned on my heel in time to see him come after me once more and, when he was where I wanted him, I pulled.
Thwack!
“Wh-what?” he sputtered as he looked at the cage I had put him in.
“Why?!” I screamed.
“Because you’re a byte!” he shouted, his voice hoarse. “Anethefdksnerufhjisfct Illagu is to destroy every piece of the System!”
I gaped. Was he serious? I shook my head, limping away from the cage without another word. The streets were starting to tilt, my leg was dead weight. My shoulder was throbbing as well.
“Hey!” he called. “Thetijfdsmnhufreijdsshan get help in time!”
“Watch me!” I cried back.
I passed the square. The edge of my vision was going black. Every heart beat sounded slow in my ears. My breath came in slow bursts, then it felt like I couldn’t breathe at all. My stomach lurched at each step.
The apartment complex loomed before me. I gripped the rail as I lugged myself up the stairs. I couldn’t see beyond the next step. How many were there again? And why did they keep drifting away?
I arrived at the apartment door, slamming it open to find Leslie and Ramona playing cards, drinks by their side.
Ramona dropped her cards as soons as she saw me. “Oh my gods, Dax!”
The chairs clattered. Their figures were blurry as they rushed to my side.
“Who did this?” I heard Leslie ask. They sounded so far away.
“I left the jerk in a cage where he belongs,” I muttered back. “And I need to throw up.”
Then there was only darkness.
To be continued…