Al Drin Hoshizora: Hopefully so.
Baird Engineer of Delta Squad: Annis may not react the way you think to Riley.
Rsbaird: Thanks, I'll keep updating.
Js: That would be the most likely option.
The 379th Hero: What is it?
Korrasami 88: Riley is still being controlled by her fear (figuratively and literally). She may be too scared to try and challenge Annis.
Boy Jav: So many people want a twelve year old dead.
I am a burglar: Seriously? You're still looking for money.
There was an uncomfortable silence as Riley stared down at Annis. The only noise either could hear was the howling of the wind.
Annis bright eyes stared up at Riley in confusion, glistening in the darkness. Her face shown brightly in the nightlight, while the rest of her body was obscured in darkness.
"L-Leaving?" Annis asked, looking like a little child about to be put on timeout. Her eyes slightly darted at Riley, then at the dresser, then back at Riley.
"I can't be here any longer," Riley confessed, her face a look of total confusion and despair. "This has been going disastrous. You killed that little girl today."
Annis lay up on her bed, now up to Riley's eye level. "It was an accident," She pointed out. "How was I supposed to know that kick would kill her?"
"You snapped her neck!" Riley said, her voice rising towards a yell. "What did you expect? She was Caroline's age!"
Annis bit her lip and closed her eyes. When she reopened them, her eyes had a stone-y look in them.
"You said you'd help me," Annis reminded, getting out of the bed and standing up, an inch taller than Riley. Even though Annis was in her pink nightgown, Riley couldn't help but feel a little intimidated.
"You can't go back on your word," Annis said, straightening up.
In spite of her fears, Riley briefly removed her insecurities and straightened up herself, though she was still shorter than Annis. "It doesn't matter now," She said. "Caroline does."
The moment those words left Riley's mouth, Annis' hand whipped out like a rubber band and struck Riley's cheek. The force of the blow was so sudden and so unexpected that Riley collapsed onto the dresser. Annis' lamp was knocked off the dresser as Riley's head smashed against it.
Using one hand to stay aloft on the dresser, Riley used to other to rub her reddening cheek. Her eyes looked up at Annis, who stared down at her sternly. She looked like she had proved a point to Riley.
Her arms and body trembling, Riley got up off the dresser. She stood up, trying to look defiant in response, and said, "I'm leaving now."
Annis' expression changed. One eyebrow rose in shock, and her mouth dropped open an inch. Riley didn't plan to stick around to wait to see how Annis would react now, so she turned away from her gaze and started to walk towards the door.
"You can't leave me, Riley!" Annis shouted at her as she left. "Where will you go? To one of those other towns, where there is no order I have yet established? You want Caroline to live in a place where she has no guaranteed protection?!"
Riley tried her best to ignore Annis' words, but they continued to eat away her. She felt more uncomfortable as she neared the door. Every second, she expected Annis to lunge at her and attack her to force her to stay.
"...Riley."
It wasn't a shout. It wasn't a scream, or a threat. Yet, Riley heard it clearer than Annis' hoarse threats. As if unwillingly, Riley found herself turning to face Annis.
Annis didn't look normal. She seemed smaller now, confused and meek. Her large eyes filled with helplessness, Annis looked at Riley, wringing her hands.
"I'm... sorry," Annis said, tears beginning to stream from her eyes. "You don't know how this has affected me. When that girl died... I didn't know what to do. I felt lost."
Riley turned to face Annis fully. Everyone fiber in her brain was telling her she needed to leave, and fast, but some unseen force seemed to force her to stay where she was.
"Being the leader of this city was such a big job, that it affected me," Annis said, pulling at her hair. "I acted out, not knowing what to do. You're my best friend, you should understand that I would never hurt you."
Riley stared at Annis, conflicted. It was true; she was Annis' best friend. Weren't friends supposed to side with each other no matter what?
"I don't know what I'd do without you," Annis said miserably, going on her knees and sobbing openly, burying her face in her hands. "If you leave me, I'll be lost. Without you, I just don't know what to do."
Annis continued to sob to herself, covering her face. However, she opened her eyes when she felt the feeling of Riley wrapping her arms around her in a comforting hug.
Riley was secretly asking herself why she was doing this. She should be leaving now, with Caroline. But, despite this, she just couldn't find it in herself to abandon her best friend.
"I'm sorry," Riley apologized, crying herself. Annis brought her hands to Riley's cheek and caressed her face.
"Was this where I hit you?" Annis asked, her voice filled with concern, as she slid her hands over Riley's cheek. Before Riley could answer, Annis placed a soft kiss on Riley's cheek.
"Don't worry, you're like a little sister to me," Annis whispered as she buried Riley's head in her chest. "I would never hurt you. I love you."
Riley silently wondered if it was true.
Riley entered her room again. Caroline was fast asleep on their bed, oblivious to all that had transpired beforehand.
Riley lay on the bed and took out her laptop. Going on Skype, she contacted Meg.
"Oh, hey Riley," Meg said, sounding somewhat tired, as her face appeared on the screen. "What is it?"
"Meg, there are some big changes happening at the city," Riley confessed. "Dangerous things. I want you never to go to San Francisco. Stay where you are. You'll be safe."
"Riley, what's happening?" Meg asked, sounding increasingly concerned. "You've been worrying me these past few days."
"I can't explain," Riley said, her voice cracking. "Goodbye, Meg." With that, she shut off her laptop and placed it back on her bed.
Riley lay down on the bed, tears still glistening in her eyes. She faced the sleeping Caroline, and slowly placed a hand on the girl's shoulder to comfort herself. Her eyes closed, and she drifted off to sleep.
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