Rebel Young

Part 5

I hurried down the narrow alleyways, hoping the sun was still peeking over the horizon. I'd wasted too much time at the Lab and now I was really paying for it. The last of the sun's rays were slowly disappearing behind the city skyline when I reached the back gate. The curtains of the house were tightly sealed and the door locked.

"Damn it!" I fumed at the flowerbeds.

The confusion and anger of the afternoon was catching up with me and I was about ready to explode. I angrily turned around and grabbed the gate handle, intending to go back through to the alleyway when the sirens started. 

The threat of an attack in no way helped my mood. I reached around into my pack and pulled a gun from the front pocket. Standard protocol stated that all members of the patrols must be armed at all times in case of emergencies. From another pocket I pulled a magazine of ammo. I loaded my pistol and listened for the sounds of an attack. 

The last of the sun's rays finally faded, plunging me into the murky dimness of twilight. An explosion sounded from the city centre and immediately the sirens ceased their wailing. The explosion must have taken out their power supply. Yelling started up at the end of the street, shortly followed by the rhythmic sound of marching footsteps. A door slammed open a few houses down. Glass shattered and immediately the screams started.

I gritted my teeth and hoped that Mum and Annabelle had gone into hiding the minute they heard the first siren. Another explosion sounded near enough that I could feel the shockwaves under my boots. Behind me I heard the front door to my house being forced open and the windows smashed in. A scream followed as a male voice shouted something in an unknown language. 

My mother was being attacked! I didn't think about my next actions, fuelled by pure instinct. I kicked the back door in, snapping the lock.

"Let go of her!" I screamed at the masked man standing in the kitchen.

He had my mother pinned against the wall with the muzzle of his gun pressed to her temple.

"April! Leave me, I'll be fine! Just go, find somewhere safe," Mum yelled back at me.

"Do not move anyone," the masked man commanded in hesitant English.

I responded by raising my gun towards him.

"You move, and I shoot," I deadpanned.

The man turned his head to speak into a microphone on his shoulder, obviously calling for backup. I clicked the safety off of my pistol and aimed at his shoulder. Intending only to take out the mic, not cause any injury. Carefully I lined up the shot and decisively pulled the trigger. The bullet grazed the man's shoulder, destroying his microphone, before firmly wedging itself in the wall behind him. 

Footsteps thundered down the hallway. I turned my head to glance at the oncoming attackers. Automatically the hand that wasn't keeping my gun levelled at the masked man came up to point at the new threat. The attacking party stopped when they saw me. There were altogether six enemy soldiers standing in the kitchen. One man elbowed another and they both started laughing.

I realised how ridiculous the situation seemed. One little, teenage girl against six fully grown men. Oh, how I love when people underestimate my abilities. I smirked and felt a wave of energy rush through my body. Suddenly the floor surrounding the men burst into flames. I built up the blaze until it became a raging inferno, enveloping the men.

A gunshot sounded from my left side. I turned just in time to see my mother's limp body crumple to the ground, a pool of blood forming around her. I pulled the trigger of my own gun and watched the masked man follow my mother's example. Tears pricked my eyes as I looked at my mother's fallen body. My moment of distraction had cost her life.

"April, what's going on?" a sleepy voice asked from behind me.

I turned to see Annabelle, stuffed dog in hand, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"Annabelle, it's not safe here! You need to go!" I commanded.

"Why is Mummy laying on the floor with that man?" Annabelle asked innocently.

"You need to go Annabelle," I commanded with more urgency, denying her the answer to her question.

"Where?" she asked, blinking up at me.

She had inherited our mother's steel blue eyes. Unlike our older brother Ethan and myself, we had the same hazel as Dad. 

"I don't know Annie, outside, just find somewhere to hide," I told her. 

When she had scampered out the back door I turned my attention back to the men I had captured. The inferno wasn't causing them any pain, but none of them wanted to walk through it. 

"April!" a shrill scream sounded from the backyard.

"Annabelle, no," I hissed. 

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A/N - Longer update this time. YAY! Did you like this update? Let me know what you think happens next!