I sprinted across town again, back to the cliffs, and my stash. Hardly slowing I pulled the backpack from its spot, slipped my weapon inside, slung it over my shoulder, and scrambled up the cliff side. The first rays from the morning sun giving me just enough light to see the hand holds.
When I reached the safety of the summit once again the adrenaline had completely worn off. Collapsing with exhaustion onto my hands and knees, I was greeted with the sight of dried blood coating my arms. I threw off my pack and looked down at myself, the blood had also covered the entire front of my clothes. Now that I could think clearer, the sight made me sick. I quickly stripped out of my blood stained clothes down to my underwear. Then using the cleaner spots of the ruined clothes, I scrubbed what blood I could off of my hands and arms. When I was rid of most of the gory substance, I grabbed a spare set from my bag. The stolen clothes were nothing special just a grey T-shirt, dark green zip up hoodie, and black shorts.
Once dressed I found myself looking out over the town. Seeing it now compared to just a couple days ago made my new reality sink in. I used to see it as a safe place, even if most of the people there didn't really care about me. Now it seems more like a graveyard. The only two people that really mattered to me, my father and Jessie, are dead. I don't even know what happened to their bodies. And on top of that, I even created another body for this new graveyard. Those I thought of as allies, or at least employees, for my father are still most likely trying to kill me. I know I wanted to leave to see the world, but I had always planned to come back home.
Tearing my gaze from the town to the brush inhabiting the area with me, I tried to accepted my situation. I am officially homeless and a murderer. Knowing there is nothing left here, I grabbed the map out of my bag, got my things together, and started walking. Focusing on where I was going and pushing aside my welling emotions, I left behind the bloodied clothes and the place I thought was home.
It wasn't until sunset when I realized exactly how exhausted I was. I walked all day just focusing on anything that didn't have to do with the past few days. I followed the cliffs for a few miles where I found an easy slope down into the trees and from there, using the map, started heading to the next closest town. Noticed too late that I was too focused on moving forward. I dropped my things at the base of the closest tree, unrolled the sleeping bag, and practically collapsed. Using the bag as a pillow, I fell asleep on top of the sleeping bag and the tree roots.
In the morning I found myself the second most sore I have ever been, but the added hunger helped to make me very miserable. I had to stop myself from eating an entire box of food, trying to make up for the lack of a real meal recently. While munching away, I realized that in my haste to sleep that I didn't take Grimm into account. I am in the middle of the forest after all, I suppose I was lucky nothing found me, but the last thing I felt was lucky. I wouldn't have been able to defend myself as my weapon was not easily accessible inside the backpack. The only probable reason my emotions didn't attract anything was because I was still relatively close to town, where there would be more people who were most likely upset by all this as well. After my over zealous breakfast and pointing out my own mistakes, I plotted out my path for the day. Before leaving I made sure my weapon was easy to grab by placing it in the outside straps of the backpack, and set off.
Today I made sure to stop for rest as I made my way through the lightly wooded forest. At night I kept my weapon on hand and didn't light a fire so I wouldn't attract Grimm, even if it was chilly and might let normal animals wander close. I still refused to allow myself to think during this time, instead I distracted myself with the nature around me. Later the next day I came across the railroad leading from Utai to Vale. This was a relief, making it easy to walk and I wouldn't get lost. Of course if a train passed through I would hide in the tree line, but that wouldn't be a problem. Before starting down the rails I decided to take a quick rest stop. Off to the side of the tracks, I set my pack down to get a snack and water. When finished, I had my bag in hand and was about to start walking again, but the sound of a gun being cocked stopped me in my tracks.
"Hold it right there," a male voice said sternly behind me. "Turn around slowly and don't try anything or I'll shoot." I turned slowly to face whoever was threatening me. The first thing I noticed was the rifle he was holding and pointing at me. The next thing was the security uniform with my family crest on his chest pocket. "Now hand over your weapon," he demanded, holding out his left hand.
As I gripped the handle, I knew this would be my best and only chance to get away. With my semblance, I put a line through the center ring in my weapon. When it was free from my bag I quickly flung the blade at his chest. He easily leaned out of the way so it just grazed his arm, but it was enough to move where his gun was pointing. Dropping the bag, I turned and sprinted into the trees, pulling my weapon back with my thread.
Just after I passed the first trees shots rang out. The shot just barely missed, grazing my aura. As I ran I kept weaving around the trees to keep out of his gun's line of sight. My legs began to burn all too quickly from my days on the run and his heavy footfalls grew closer and closer. I tried to push myself to go faster, but it was no use. He tackled me, almost knocking the wind out of me, and made me drop my weapon.
"Stop resisting! I am supposed to bring you back alive, but if you keep struggling-" he shouted trying hold me and get his rifle pointed at me. But, didn't get to finish when I used his left arm that was around my neck, to roll him over my shoulder. As he flipped onto the ground his rifle slipped out of his right hand, onto the ground. He rolled over and scrambled on all fours reaching for his weapon. Seeing my opening, I jumped onto his back.
I tried hold him down on his stomach, but he was much larger and kept moving to his gun. Panicking, I did the only thing I could think of to stop him. I made a rope between my hands and pulled it hard around his neck like a garrote. He tried pulling it away from his neck, but when that failed he tried shaking me off or elbow me. I pulled even harder lifting his torso off the ground. This caused him to make a choked, gurgling sound as his struggles became more frantic. I looked away and tried not to listen, but I didn't let up the pressure. I kept my gaze averted as the sound slowly quieted and the jerking from the line began to stop.
I only looked back when he was absolutely still. His torso's dead wight was hanging limp from the garrote. With no struggling, arms hanging limp to his sides, completely lifeless. I dispelled my rope and his body collapsed face first to the ground. My families crest on his back staring back at me. I scrambled backwards away from the scene till I tripped and fell. With my gaze ripped away from the body now, I felt the urge to run away. I quickly searched for Conformer where I was tackled, making sure not to look at the fresh corpse. I found it soon enough and made my way back to the train tracks, which was easy enough as I didn't get very far.
After I got back to the rails and got my backpack, I headed the opposite direction of Utai and the body in the woods. I probably would have ran if my legs could handle it, but walking would have to suffice in getting me away from what happened. Now I have another terrible thing to try and forget. Even if he did try and shoot me I still murdered him, it was either me or him. He could have let me be, but he came after me. This was the argument going through my mind as I continued to escape to somewhere.
