I was breathing heavily,seeing dark figures sprinting towards me out of the corner of my eye. The night air was frigid,making my skin a pale lifeless color. Heavy footsteps hit the cold pavement as I ran for dear life taking deep breaths,my heart beating out of my chest. “Get over here runt! ”,one of the taller ones of the gang yelled grabbing out for the back of my leather jacket. Before he could grasp the black leather I dodged his strong hand turning into an alleyway. As dark and gloomy as it was in the big city I had more problems then anyone could ever imagine.
Another one of the memembers of Scars hoodlum gang pulled at my dark caramel almost red hair,tugging at it coming up behind me. I cursed struggling as he pulled me back as the gang chanted and cheered pinning me to the ground,the black cement scratching at my skin. “We meet again Katrina”,snickered Scar as he was pulling out a lighter. I glared at him realizing I was being jumped by the baddest gang in the city. “ Scar! I told you to leave me alone! ”,I said my eyes widening as he pressed the unlit lighter against my face,I could hear all the muffled laughter behind me.
You really think you and your good for nothing friends can show Mark and I up at the rumble like that,well you’re wrong Katrina Matrix. ”,he muttered flickering the flame and shoving it against my cheek,I slowly started to feel quickened heat against my face,it starting to sink into my skin. After around a minute of torture I hear quickened footsteps rumbling against the ground. Scar and his friends stood up with a jolt and ran straight ahead while I layed there rubbing my second degree burn.
As soon as my cold fingers slightly touched my cheek I could tell the burn would become an everlasting scar. “Katrina what in the world do you think you’re doing out in the city at night! ”my best friend of the group Brendon scolded as he kneeled next to me,helping me sit up straight his eyes flooded with concern and worry. I looked up at him and sighed,”I was just out for a stroll…” He glared at me playfully and nudged my shoulder,”You went on a walk at three in the morning huh? Do you mind telling me what really happened while we walk back to camp. It’s not like we have anywhere else to go to”
I smiled as I stood up my cheek still burning from the hot touch of the flames,”I guess I should tell you.. you are the only one I truly trust anyways… but the thing is we should be thankful they didn’t pull a blade on me.. not to mention it has happened before”I shivered at the thought of what could had happened that cold fall night if Scar actually brought a switch blade. Brendon stood up cupping his hands and pressing them against his mouth trying to warm them up as he smirked looking at me,”Don’t be so shaken up Kat… it’s not like I would let them hurt you”.
I laughed and gazed at his dark blue intimidating eyes,his light brown hair covering a part of his face as he blowed hot air into his pale hands. While I walked Brendon trailed behind me as we walked through a different alleyway hiding from more protesters rioting the city like lunatics. We both could hear the screaming hoarse shouts of the deranged Rioters fending off a group of Teen Tanglers… well at least that is what everyone in the city calls us rebelled teens and the non mentally stable frenzied.. not exactly what you would consider your average city folk.
You see,when our governemnt collapsed two years ago in 3016 things got out of hand. A bizzare toxin filled our air since we didnt nessicarily put a stop to global warming once we started using new uneffactive fossil fuels. Many of the people living across many states went impractical because of these chemicals.. the only ones who were safe were the young youths with a special type of cellular structure in their blood. Before I could continue pondering my head full of thoughts I heard a small groan as I looked behind me.. ,”Brendon…? ” I said in a small concerned voice.
His head was held down as he leaned back against the hard brick wall of the alleyway with a thump,”It’s not like I could be any better.. just another rave ache.. ”. Rave aches were just like headaches except only teen tanglers got them. I looked over at Brendon and sighed in understanding,”Are you going to make it back to the district without balling your eyes out you little baby? ”. I laughed mockingly. He looked at me and smirked his eyes dull from the extreme pain from the pounding feeling in his head,”For your information I am only seventeen,exactly a month older than you… twerp”.
I laughed and rolled my eyes,Brendon was the kind of guy that could make anyone he met smile. “Well if you’re going to toughen up we should get a move on before the rioters start looking for a full on fight… we both know how those things go down…”,I smiled slightly looking at him. He sighed and stood up straight starting to walk wearily, “You are probably right on that one Kat… we probably wouldn’t be able to start up the commotion without the rest of the unspoken for backup. ” I nodded in agreement steadily but silently keeping my pace for the long walk back to my district.
My district is known as the Unspoken by the way. The reason for this is because we were the first teen tanglers to start a conflict against the… abnormal behavior of the older city folk also phrased as the Rioters. Most of the unspoken have the ability to withstand harsh climates and can withstand most pain.. the downfall of having these abilities is that our scars and wounds last forever or at least a fairly long time. Once again as I contemplated walking down the dark cement path my thoughts were broken by a terrifying screech making everything around Brendon and I dead quiet.
We stood there our eyes wide in panic as we looked at each other frantically. We doubted the scream was from a teen tangler… but that could be a possibility. Brendon being the guy he was forgot all about his rave ache and stood in front of me protectively his eyes narrow. “What in gods name was…”. Before Brendon could finish he heard another deafening scream coming from not to far from the alley way.. we both recognized that scream to well. “Mandy! ”, I yelped shoving Brendon away a terrified determined glance on my face as I rushed out of his reach peaking over the the hard brick wall.
The things I saw over that wall were dramatizing… the unthinkable.. became reality. My panicked eyes soon became welted with hot tears as I screamed Mandy’s name as she was pinned on the impenetrable jagged road being torn apart by inhuman beings. It seemed as my screaming wasn’t enough for the Rioters to even look over the slightest bit to what seemed to be their latest meal. I mumbled in a crackly small voice as Brendon pulled be back from the wall with his broad arm wrapped around me gently, “They were r-right… the rioters are not only changing.. they’re mutating.. evolving.. ”.
I soon began to cry harder even though my wails and tears were silent. Brendon looked down at me his eyes filled with grief and sympathy as he hugged me comfortingly. “Kat.. come on… the Knowing might have been correct about the Rioters mutating but there isn’t anything we can do to prevent what the future has in store for us… we can find another route to our district.. and hopefully avoid what the Rioters have become.. okay? ” Brendon said in a soothing gentle voice as he lifted up my head his hand underneath my chin as I sighed shakily looking into his eyes warmly, my final tear dripping off of my red cold cheeks. .. okay.. ” I muttered half heartedly still pensive over the tragic loss of one of the younger girls from my district’s death.
Brendon sighed trying to keep his grief to himself for my sake as he let go of me grinning a bit. “Come on Katrina! You’re always the one telling me not to be the wimp here. Why don’t we get going before they notice us.. and if they do find us then will end up having I have to pull out my blade on them.. I literally just cleaned this thing! ” he smiled as he grasped the sharpened switchblade in the pocket of his metallic black leather jacket.
I smiled a bit my joyfully as I shook my head, “Don’t worry about a thing pretty boy I think I can handle myself” I scolded a bit mockingly as I pulled out the dagger I had in my back pocket,flipping it once as it landed perfectly in the palm of my chilled hand my stare daring as ever. He sighed and muttered, “You’re such a show off sometimes Katrina.. now hurry up before I have to drag you”. Before I could respond he started to sprint away a determined smile spread across his face the wind starting to pick up as the sky became more and more gloomy.
I was about to start dashing after Brendon until I heard a loud.. screech.. but not the kind you would hear in the movies.. it was a hoarse.. deafening.. terrifying screech.. I paused for a moment unsure of myself as I saw Brendon stop running in an instant and turn around to look at me his dusky blue eyes widening as he slowly pulled out his blade,its shiny reflection glistening out of the corner of my eye.
I froze as I heard slow gaspy shudders of breathe right behind me.. I was able to feel the warm drowsy breathing of what I knew for a fact was non other then a Rioter.. Rioter that was unsure of me.. “Kat.. d-don’t move.. ”Brendon said pleading in a low voice… With wide eyes I didn’t dare to look behind me as I felt cold clammy hands grip my right arm,being able to feel the Rioter stare down the back of my neck. Brendon slowly approached the Rioter and I, his metallic blade clenched in his hand watching the Rioters every move wearily a few long feet away from us.. I inhaled shallowly out of fear.
Soon.. before I could make any sound.. any scream.. I felt something.. warm… wet.. and gruesome run down my neck.. s my eyes glanced down wards towards my collar bone I could see the Rioter’s wide torn up mouth.. a dark blood red liquid from its last feist dripping out of his mouth as it screeched noticing Brendons broad figure. “.. shoot.. ” Brendon muttered under his breathe realizing that this Rioter was more evolved and mutated then the rest as he held up his blade keeping his tough gaze narrowed and his grip firm even though I could tell by his daunting eyes that he was scared out of his wits. Brendon and I have clearly never encountered Rioters such as these.
We have heard rumours from other districts that these type of Rioters were.. cannibal unlike the rest.. but of course we never believed them until now. Many of the citizens of the Knowing think that these type of inhuman rioters were too intoxicated by the odd gases in the air.. even though a majority of us do not believe in the Knowing of district five they are the most intelligent of us.. so in the end do we really have a choice?
I kept on thinking with a blank panicked expression as I froze standing.. aybe barely even breathing as I felt the Rioter shove me away running towards Brendon screeching its lung out. I could have sworn I felt my ears bleeding while I watched anxiously as the Rioter sprung himself at Brendon. Brendon easily dodged the Rioter as he stepped to the side quickly and untouched. The rioter screeched once more out of pure frustration not being able to get a grip on Brendon, the loud beckoning noise of the creature made me snap back into reality which seemed like a nightmare at the moment.
“Brendon don’t!… don’t die! I yelled panicked as my eyes widened at the scene of Brendon struggling to get out of the Rioters way,reaching for the sharp blade in my back pocket. He laughed softly under his breathe as he struck his acuminate blade into the Rioters chest quickly but at the same time very strongly while he talked out of breathe in a gentle tone, “Don’t worry Kat I wasn’t planning on it”. He smirked as he forcefully yanked the sharpened stich blade out of the gruesome flesh of the now non breathing Rioter before it fell limp on the hard concrete, the new scent of decay filling the gelid air.
