"So where are we running to," Harry asked, slightly out of breath.
"Wood-Side apartments," I said.
The only sound around was our footsteps as we ran. Nothing, not even Walter, broke the silence. A smirk spread across my face as I thought of the thing that awaited us ahead.
"We're here," I wheezed.
I was doubled over, trying to catch my breath, when another set of footsteps broke the pressing silence. Without thinking, I brought my gun to bear and tried to fire but remembered that I was out of ammo. Instead I switched to my trusty pipe and prepared to beat the hell out of whatever was coming. Harry grabbed a two-by-four that was leaning up against a nearby fence and took up a similar stance. A few moments more of footsteps and the figure of a man in a dark green coat stepped through the fog. He looked first at Harry and then at my and lifted a wooden plank he was carrying to defend himself.
"Oh, look at that," I said, "a woman who doesn't know any better."
"What was that," the green-coated man asked, somewhat annoyed.
"You heard me."
He looked pissed now. There was silence a moment, and then...
"Hey, have you seen a little girl? Dark hair, just turned seven," Harry asked, pulling out a picture from his coat pocket.
"No," the newcomer said.
"By, the way, Nathan, you weren't supposed to be running. He was supposed to get to the apartments before~"
"WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?"
"What the hell is what? I thought you said you needed~"
"A SWORD OF OBEDIENCE! I NEEDED A SWORD OF OBEDIENCE! WHY THE HELL DID YOU GIVE ME ANOTHER CHARACTER?"
"My mistake. Well, to late now. Gotta go."
"No wait! NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO," I shouted at, seemingly, nothing.
"Who are you talking to," the newcomer asked.
"He does that sometimes," Harry answered.
"Well, lets get on with it," I mumbled through gritted teeth.
"Um, aren't you going to at least ask my name?"
"It's James, now hurry up."
"How'd you know that," James asked.
"I'm telepathic."
"What."
"Foreshadowing."
"That again," Harry asked.
"Naturally," I replied, "And does anyone have a flashlight?"
"Nope," Harry and James said together.
"Epic," I said, "Then, James, you lead."
"Why do I have to lead?"
"Because you're the new guy and because I have a gun."
"Good point," James straitened at the word gun, "Let's head on then."
"Are you gonna tell him that it's not loaded," Harry whispered.
"Why would I do that?"
"Good point."
After traversing the near-pitch black apartment building, we found a flashlight, which I made James carry.
"Just be sure to duck if we run into anything," I said to him.
We heard a yell to the north and quickly headed that way. By the light of the flashlight, we were able to see a trail of blood leading down the hallway through a set of crudely fashioned metal bars. James tried to run, but Harry and I blocked his path.
"I don't think, Walter's here," I said.
"Who's this Walter and how can you two just stand there," James asked in a panicked tone.
"I can answer one of those two questions," a devious voice said from down the hall behind us.
Without missing a beat, I hefted my pipe and kicked off a full-blown run. I was surprised to hear what sounded like roller skates tearing down the hall. I slowed and in the faint light of James' flashlight, I was able to see a hooded figure slide past Walter from behind. It smacked him across the back of the head with a blunt object that looked faintly like a bat and then continued on its way down the hall. I waited a minute and ran to the end of the hall. Nothing.
"It's too dark to see anything," I said.
I turned to Walter's limp form and knelt. Blood was pouring out of the back of his head.
"James go find some rope."
"Whatever."
"Gun."
"YESSIR!"
"He's a goner," Harry said, "No way he could survive a blow like that for long."
"He's already dead. This probably just pissed him off."
"Here's your rope and I found this sword over there."
"Sword?"
"It's got jewels in the hilt."
"Jewels?"
"And it's got these strange characters on the blade."
"Strange character's on the blade!"
"Should I throw it away," James asked.
"Gimme the sword and your wooden plank."
"Why?"
"Gun."
"YESSIR!"
I handed the plank to Harry and had James lift Walter to his feet.
"Now, when it passes through the plank," I told Harry, "You can let go of it."
I stabbed Walter in the chest with a single thrust. Harry and James both let go and now Walter stood on his own, blood pouring from the back of his head and a sword sticking out of his chest.
"Ow," Walter moaned, "Why does it feel like I was knocked out and stabbed with a sharp weapon of some kind..." He looked down at the hilt protruding from his torso. "Oh crap."
"Sword of Obedience," I smirked," You're mine now."
I tied the rope around his waist and relieved him of his remaining weapons.
"You know how to use this," I asked Harry.
"I know enough," He said, taking the revolver I was handing him.
"What about me," James asked.
"You can have this."
I handed him another wooden plank that Walter had hidden in his coat.
"But I~"
"Alright. Let's get moving. We need to work through two plot lines now."
"What," Harry, Walter, and James asked in unison.
"Just shut up and follow James," I said, grabbing Walters rope.
Author's Note:
Yeah, I know the swords don't work that way.