Chapter one:
The smell, rising from the crowded street of the dilapidated village, was enough to make even pig farmers gag. But the girl jumping from roof top to roof top, running on support beams with ease did not seem to even register the smell at all. Mostly because this girl was running for her life. Bullets bounced off the building seconds after the girl left the spot, another group of them whizzed past her right side one grazing her arm leaving behind a small trail of blood. The girl, mentally cursed she was not supposed to kill them but it they fire one- seconds later as the girl jumped a 10ft gap a bullet hit her full on in the thigh. She going to kill me. She skidded to a halt and turned to face the group running after her, the wound in her thigh barely even fazing her. As the men approached screaming in the native language, the girl pondered the best way, throwing off the buildings won't work the streets are crowded. So she just tilted her head to the side as the men neared the gap and gave a small flick of her wrist. They just drop like flies she mussed. Leaving the men lying on the ground, the girl turned looking over the edge of the building. It was a good 20ft fall, but this was one of the few empty allies. Glancing around one last time she dropped, curling her legs in to lessen the fall and rolling once when she hit the ground. The girl got up dusted her off her pants and entered the street blending instantly into the crowed.
Once among the crowed Beca was allowed to relax. She pressed her hand to her side pocket making sure the package she took a bullet for was still there. Beca adjusted her stride so she did not look like she was limping and continued walking towards the safe house. No one noticed the blood seeping down her leg or her sweat face. But it was normal in Fury, the village was poor. Most of the time it was around 80 degrees during the day and dropped to below 40 at night. But it was still the 4th largest village by the lakes. To Beca's amazement and has been there hideout for the past 3 months. Today had been the closet call they have had to being caught. As she neared the safe house Beca made sure she was not being followed, you always make sure seconds before it to late, thats when who ever is following you least expect it. But like always, the only people behind her were workers and sellers. Ducking under the arch the stood in front of the door, Beca leaned against it knocking twice, waiting 5 seconds and knocking 6 times.
The door creaked open showing the curly brown hair of Benji.
"Your late." He said letting her in triple locking the door behind her.
"Hello to you to" Beca said finally tacking the wait of her injured leg.
"Shit." Benji said once he caught set of the blood drenched pant leg. "those are ruined now, Aubrey defiantly going to kill you now."
Beca dropped on the a dusty sofa, and glared at Benji.
"Aubrey always want's to kill me and I have another pair of pants."
"There your last pair though." Came the blonds voice from the hallway door.
"I can just take yours." Beca said flashing her a grin.
"Your to short to. " Aubrey said walking into the light that shown through the border up window. "You would not be able to walk."
Beca humfed, resting back into the sofa and slowly taking off her boots.
"I won't kill you, but Chloe might once she see's your wound." Aubrey perched on a the crowded table and examined her nails.
"Don't you dare-" Beca started pouting a boot at Aubrey. But was interrupted by her girlfriend walking in.
"Don't you dare what?" Chloe said brushing her red hair out of her face. But her question was answered when her eyes fell on her sheepish girlfriend. "BECA!"
"I can explain."
"Oh do, I'd love to see this." Aubrey said looking up from he nails.
"I got the food, like all you asked. I even got more then normal." Beca said gesturing to a bag by the door. "But I got caught getting something else."
Chloe crossed her arms, Beca could tell she was not really mad just worried, like a normal girlfriend. If we where ever going to be normal. Beca glanced at around the room, before continuing. "I got this." She pulled the package out of the pants pocket and tossed it to Aubrey. Who starred at it with suspicion.
"It's not drugs is it?" Aubrey asked gingerly holding the package.
"Just open it Bree." Chloe said, moving to sit next to her girlfriend. Benji got up form his spot on a small chair and walked over to Aubrey.
"No fucking way.." Aubrey breathed. "Is?…this like real?" She asked looking up at Beca.
"Better be, cost me a bullet to the thigh."
Aubrey held out the package for Chloe to see, inside the canvas wrappings was bark brown grounds. When you don't have much, even a little makes you feel like a king and to the four of them sitting in the tiny room. The small handful of coffee grounds, was the best thing they had seen in months.
"Who died?" Came a male voice form the doorway.
Jesse walked into the room form the door adjacent to them that held there "weapons."
"Beca brought coffee." Chloe said breaking the silence.
"Is it real, or the shit we always drink?" Jesse said, sitting down next to Aubrey and placing this hand on her thigh.
"Just make some and we will find out." Beca said getting up carefully. "I'm going to go clean up." Chloe got up with her and supported her to another room.
Once inside Chloe shut the door.
"Did you kill them? The people that did this." Chloe asked quietly. Beca sat on the bed and starred up at Chloe.
"I'm sorry. I…" But Beca did not know how to finish.
"I'm not mad, you know that. You had to…but I just hate you having to be like them." Chloe said gently, reaching out to help Beca take of her brown leather jacket, leaving Beca in a red tank top and her bloodied pants. Beca hissed as she stretched the area where the bullet had grazed her arm. Beca knew who Chloe was talking about. The ANARCK. a group who killed without a second thought even people just in there way.
"I don't kill the innocent." Beca said "These men where smugglers and thefts. They, almost deserved it."
"But almost." Chloe said getting a bowl of water and a rag form off the empty dresser to wash the blood of Beca's arm. "How many." She asked as she whipped the reaming blood off.
"6"
Chloe let out a small sigh, and placed the rag into the now lightly pink water. Chloe bush a brown curl from Beca's sticky forehead and kissed her neck. "I love you no matter what."
Beca turned to look at her. "and I you."
Once her arm was cleaned and wrapped, Chloe helped her out of her ruined pants. "These where your best." She said with a smile.
"Now there my bloodiest." Beca said, bitting her lip as Chloe started cleaning the wound.
"Thank God, the bullets come out on there own." Chloe said with a disgusted expression as she run out the rag. "I would leave you to do that yourself if it was still in." Beca giggled.
"Thanks Chlo."
"No problem." She wrapped Beca's thigh and dried her hands on the ruined pants. Beca hobbled over to the bag that help there clothes and pulled out her last, usable pair of pant. Slowly she pulled them on careful not the disturb the wound on her leg, and looked into the cracked mirror. A small, skinny 19-year-old looked back. Her face was pale even thought she was always in the sun. The tank top clung to the top part of her body, showing just how skinny she actually was. But the all where, even Jesse and Benji even thought the ever fit. The pants did not help hide just how skinny she actually was, the hugged her legs. The only thing about her that showed she was not just another starving child was her eyes, the were bright, clear and alert a dark shade of blue that Chloe said reminded her of the night sky. She wiggled into her boots and turned back to stair at Chloe.
Chloe, her beloved Chloe. Beca loved her so much, Chloe with her bright red hair, long legs and eyes that would amaze Beca overtime they locked with hers. Chloe, the person the who had kept Beca going, kept her fighting, kept her alive.
"Hey, the coffee is ready." came Jesse voice from the room.
"Lets go short stack." Chloe said handing Beca her jacket. "And see if the bullet was worth it."
Beca and Chloe we greater by the smell of coffee and the ecstatic look of Aubrey.
"It's real, real coffee." Benji said handing them both chipped mugs. "Thanks for actually taking a bullet for this, Becs."
Beca smiled, taking a sip of the black liquid. Jesus, I actually forgot the taste. Chloe went into their makeshift kitchen and gather the usually dinner. Hard crackers (soldiers would have eaten during the war) and a dried green fruit that tasted like pear. As the 5 of them ate, Aubrey leaning against Jesse, while Chloe and Beca where pressed close together with Benji at Beca's feet, they talk not about survival or their next move. But about the village, there pasts and books mostly read by Benji. By the time they where done eating it was dark and the cold had entered the room. They then settled down for the night, with everything by their sides in case the needed to leave at a moments notice. Everyone slowly one by one drifting of the sleep, Jesse perched on the balcony his sword by his side taking the first of the night watches.