Thanks to Saerphe, WhispertheWolf, Katie and alicat259 for their reviews. This chapter goes out to you!
WARNING: this chapter contains violence
Disclaimer: I do not own the Storm Hawks, nor the song "Hide and Seek" by Imogen Heap.
Chapter 3: Hold Their Heads Heavy
This can't be happening
It seemed like eternity before they reached their home. They snuck in through the back door, Grace closing it quickly behind them.
"Grace, what's happening?" Finn asked again, his eyes filled with fearful tears.
She didn't answer him, just rushed around, grabbing chairs, tables, and anything else she could carry, to block the door. Finn tried to help, pushing over a tall chair that was twice his height. It took all the strength he had to make it slide across the floor and lean it against the door.
Once the back door was barded, Grace rushed to the front door, doing the same.
"Go up to your room, Finn." she ordered, not stopping to look at her brother.
For the first time in his life, Finn obeyed his sister's wishes and ran up to his room.
The racket outside had only intensified. Finn could hear everything from his open window. He was scared out of his wits, but his curiosity, as always, won over.
Climbing up onto his bed, slipping a bit on the blankets, he stood to look down into the street below.
When busy streets a mess with people
It was chaos. Nothing stood untouched. Parts of the market stalls had made it all the way down the street, along with their contents. Pieces of wood, broken shards of clay and glass, and smashed fruits and vegetables were scattered all over. Skimmers still flew overhead, swooping down occasionally to knock down or hit an unsuspecting victim. Others zoomed up and down the streets, people dived right and left in an attempt to avoid the large, deathly wheels.
As Finn watched, a young girl, not much older them himself, was being chased down by one of the Talon driven machines. She looked back to check how close the sneering man was getting and didn't see the splintery piece of wood that lay in her path. She tripped and fell, the skimmer coming up right behind her and running over her leg. The child screamed in pain. Tires screeching, the Talon turned his skimmer around and drove back towards the crying little girl. However, he never made it, as a long metal rode connected soundly with his head and the machine crashed into a nearby building. The rode wielder was a young man. He ran to the girl and began to drag her into a side road. The pair didn't get far. A glowing stone shot out from the shadows of the ally, going into the young man's back and coming out of his chest. The young man's eyes opened wide in surprise, and then he fell lifeless to the ground. The Talon pulled his weapon from the body and turned to the whimpering girl. Raising the rode above his head, the Talon let it fall towards the cowering child.
"Finn!" Grace pulled him from the window, slamming it shout.
He looked up at the older girl with worried eyes, "Why did the Talon man hurt them? Will they be okay?"
"Yes, they'll be fine." Grace said, but there was a sadness in her eyes she could not hide from her younger brother.
Would stop to hold their heads heavy
Piper's father reentered. He came from the kitchen, arms laden with food. The little girl didn't move from her position. Her gaze followed her father as he walked with heavy steps towards the small, wooden side table that still stood. He laid the food on the table haphazardly, some items falling unceremoniously to the dirt floor.
Her father sighed sadly, bending to pick up the fallen food. After arranging the items so they balanced atop the small surface, he stood and walked towards the closed door that led to the room her and his wife shared.
Upon opening the door, Piper saw her father's body stiffen. Without even a glance back at his daughter, he abruptly closed the door behind him. Piper was once again left, scared and confused, in the demolished front room of what used to be her home.
Her father wasn't gone long. He soon emerged from the bedroom, a large canvas bag in hand. Piper caught a glimpse of the room behind her father before he shut the door. On the floor, there lay been a hand. It was tanned and delicate, its long fingers stiff and lifeless. Her eyes continued from the fingers, to the slim wrist and arm that appeared to continue on behind the dresser that hid the rest of the body the young girl assumed was attached. Piper took a sharp intake of breath when she recognized the simple, gold, chain-link bracelet that hung around the beautiful, tanned wrist. Her father had given it to her mother on her last birthday.
Piper's eyes shot up to look at her father as the wooden door hid the scene within. His face was emotionless. His eyes red from hidden tears. Not able to hold his daughter's questioning, teary gaze, he turned to the side table and began to stuff the provisions into the canvas bag.
Hide and seek
Opening the door of Finn's closet, Grace beckoned him.
"We're going to play a game, Finn." she told him, "Hide and seek."
"Really?" Finn asked excitedly, it had been a long time since Grace wanted to play with him.
"Yes." Grace sighed sadly.
"Am I hiding or seeking?" Finn asked, looking up at his sister, who he now stood by.
"Hiding." Grace said, then pointed to the closet, "In here."
Finn was confused, "But, then you'll know were I'm hiding."
"You're not hiding from me, Finn." Grace said, guiding the little boy into the small closet space, "You're going to hide from the Talons."
"Okay." Finn said, sitting down on the floor.
Grace grabbed a blanket from the bed and placed it around her brother, "Now, when you hear them come in, you have to cover yourself with the blanket and not move or make a sound. It not, they'll find you and you'll lose."
"I don't like losing." Finn commented.
"Then you'll have to be a very good hider, okay?" Grace responded.
"Okay." Finn nodded.
"You can't come out." Grace warned, "No matter what you hear."
"I won't." Finn promised.
"Are you going to listen to me Finn, just this once?" Grace asked, looking at the boy wearily.
"I will Grace, I promise!" Finn assured.
"Okay." Grace said, giving her brother a quick kiss on the check.
She laughed as the little boy brought a hand to rub the spot where her lips at touched his skin, his face twisted in disgust.
"Love you." Grace whispered before standing and closing the closet door.
Trains and sewing machines
The muffled, destructive sounds from the street continued. Finn soon grew bored. He wanted to know what was going on. But he'd promised Grace he'd do what she said and stay hidden.
Sighing, he moved to lie on the floor. He could see out, just a little, through the space between the door and the floor. A teddy lay on its side not too far away. Finn could make out a hand, leg, and an eye staring at him, unblinking. There were a pile of odd socks in the middle of the room. Grace had given up trying to sort his socks long ago, saying he didn't appear to own an actual pair anyway. His toy train was in the corner. He could see its black metal wheels, shining in the sunlight coming in through the window. How he wanted to run out for just a second and grab his train to bring in with him. That would relieve his boredom. But he'd promised Grace.
A loud crash could be heard below, followed by two sets of heavy footsteps.
"These ones aren't totally stupid." came an unfamiliar voice, "Look, they made a barricade. Not that it did them much good."
Another laughed as Finn heard two pairs of feet ascend the stairs.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are!" one man called in a singsong voice.
"We know you're here somewhere!" the other man said gruffly.
There were some more bangs and thuds, and then a shriek.
"Ah, what do we have here?" came a teasing voice, "Well, aren't you a pretty one."
"Not too smart though, hiding under a bed." the other said in monotone.
"Let go of me!" Grace shouted furiously.
"Ah, she's feisty too." the first Talon commented.
"Where are the others?" asked the second, more blunt Talon.
"There are no others." Grace answered.
There was a loud crack, "Don't lie to me!"
"Hey, calm down bud." came the sickeningly sweet voice of the first, "That's no way to treat a lady. Let me see if I can get her to talk."
"Fine."said the other, his voice sounding closer.
Finn held in a gasp as he saw the Talon's boots stomp into his room. He quickly flung the blanket over his head. Closing his eyes and covering his ears, he tucked himself up into a ball, willing himself to stay perfectly still.
The little boy allowed himself to fade into his thoughts. He let his mind drift to better times and good memories. Back before the accident. When mommy would make chocolate chip cookies and let him lick the bowl. When daddy would ride him around on his shoulders. When all four of them would go for walks, just enjoying each others company.
Finn lost track of time, encased in his little bubble. It may have been minutes or hours or days. He didn't know. He just knew that it was the sweet talking Talon's voice that brought him out of it.
"Maybe she was telling the truth. It don't think there's anyone else here."
"I just can't believe that one girl moved all that stuff in front of the door by herself."
"She's stronger then she looks," the other retorted, "I've got some bruises to prove it."
"Well, sorry she messed up your face, pretty boy." the second responded as the sound of footsteps descending the stairs came to Finn's ears.
"What did you just call me?" the first Talon asked angrily, his footsteps thumping down the stairs after his partner.
Finn didn't hear much after that, just the continual dull roar of the happenings in the street below. He lay in complete silence, shivering uncontrollably for reasons he knew not of. He wanted to get up and see what was going on. But he'd promised Grace.
All those years
Aerrow and Radarr had fallen asleep happily next to each other near the edge of the fresh water pool they'd discovered. With full stomachs and quenched thirsts, they felt quite comfortable sleeping on the cool, rock floor.
They're coming!
Run!
Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!
Please! Don't hurt me!
Fire! Fire! Someone, get some water!
Aerrow!?!
Mommy, what's happening?
Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Run Aerrow!
But mommy, you have to come too!
Fire! Isn't anyone going to help?
I'll be right behind you Aerrow. I need to find the others.
Get out of here!
Mommy!?!
Aerrow, I said GO! Take Radarr and GO!
But –
Aaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhh!
Look after him, Radarr.
Chirp.
Wait, Radarr! Let go! No, I don't wanna go without mommy!
Run! Get out of here you fools!
Don't worry Aerrow, I'll be right there.
Mommy!
I love you Aerrow.
Aaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh!
Aerrow jolted awake. The memories kept swirling around in his head. It was a mess of screams and shouts and words he could hardly remember. He concentrated, trying to recall the images that went with the sounds.
Closing his eyes, Aerrow could see the fires blazing around him. There were people everywhere. They were running, screaming... dying. Radarr was pulling his arm, leading him towards the door of their home. His mom was watching him, a smile on her face, but sadness in her emerald eyes.
Try as he might, Aerrow couldn't bring any more images to his mind. Opening his eyes to the sun's light, coming from the opening above, he turned to find Radarr once again attacking a berry bush.
Smiling at his friend, Aerrow stood. His legs seized and his knees buckled. He'd forgotten about the ordeal of the previous day. Steadying himself, Aerrow made his way to the cave's opening.
Leaning against the cool rock wall, Aerrow tried again to piece together his memories. But he could not understand how he had gotten from the living hell to this mini paradise. What had happened to everyone? Were his mom and siblings okay? What about the rest of his family? Did their house burn down like the others? Was everything gone? All those years, gone like that?
Well, that was a lot at once, wasn't it? Did you guys keep it all straight? As I said before, if requested, I'll post the three storylines as three seperate chapters at the end, if you want to read them spererately.
Thanks for reading, and keep reviewing!