Angels & Demons

Chapter 24 ;P Max ;P

"What do we do!?!?" Beth screamed. I looked around desperately for a place to go. Maybe if we found a store to run into, we could lose the attackers. I risked a quick look back and felt my face go pale. Either my eyes were playing tricks on me, or the objects were moving faster. 

"We need to lose them. NOW!" I yelled. Everybody gave me a "no duh" look. I ignored their stares and searched for an open store. I looked across the street and saw a couple walking into a restaurant. Olive Garden. It would have to work.

"Follow me," I said. I didn't have to ask them twice. We ran across the street, lucky that it wasn't a busy time for cars. I looked back again. There were more and more of the attacking things flying towards us. Out of nervousness, I reached around me and grabbed Logan's hand. One of the objects flew directly over my head and I heard Beth scream. I picked up the pace, dragging Logan with me.

We reached the restaurant before everybody else. Michael, Anne, and Beth burst through the doors a second after us. We were welcomed with annoyed stares of people eating. I ignored their glares and followed everybody towards the back of the restaurant. One of the employees stepped in our way and tried to shoo us out. Michael put Anne on her feet and punched the guy in the face. The man's eyes rolled to the back of his head and he fell flat on his back. Logan and I stared at the unconscious man on the floor.

We weren’t in shock long before Anne and Beth pushed us to follow Michael out of the restaurant. I followed him, carefully searching the room for any exit. I quickly found an emergency exit and directed Michael in the direction of it. We stormed out of the restaurant. I could hear people yelling angrily behind us. We didn't stop.

"Max, we need to stop, now!" Beth screamed. Logan stopped me abruptly and gave me a worried look. I looked back at Beth and Anne. Anne was doubled over, crying. She was grasping her stomach. Michael ran back to her and scooped her off her feet just before she fell over. I didn't know what to do. Logan squeezed my hand. I looked back at her. We need to get to the shelter. She mouthed. I nodded.

"Michael," I said, my voice quavering. "Can you carry Anne for a few more blocks?"

"Yeah, let's go." Michael said and started an easy jog to take the lead. I looked behind me, searching for the attacking objects. I couldn't see any more of them.

"Guys," I said cautiously. "I don't think those things are coming at us anymore. They’re nowhere to be seen!" I couldn't help hiding my excitement. But there was always that little feeling of doubt in the back of my head. I tried to ignore it.

"They're gone for good." We all looked up to see Jake sitting on a low roof top staring at us.

"What happened? How did you stop them?" Beth exclaimed, relief flooding her tone.

Jake jumped of the roof and landed right in front of Beth. "I don't want to talk about it..." he said, almost with regret. I looked over at Anne and Michael to see what they thought about that. It was obvious that neither of them trusted Jake at all.

"Why?" Michael said, doubt oozing from his voice.

"I just don't want to talk about it." Jake said, shooting lasers from his eyes at Michael. "Can we just get somewhere a little more secure?"

"Why? Didn't you stop all the things trying to get us?" Michael said, testing Jake's patience. "Can't we just stay here a little longer?"

"You don't believe me, do you?!" Jake laughed. I could tell things were going to get nasty if someone didn't say something soon.

"Guys, can’t this wait until later? What really matters is getting Anne somewhere safe." Beth said, stepping up to the plate. She shot both boys looks as if daring them to try and continue with their argument.

Jake looked away and started to walk in the direction of the shelter. We all followed behind.

"Max?" Beth came up from behind me after a few minutes of walking behind Jake. "Why are you still holding Logan's hand? I understood that you were worried about her earlier, but why now?"

"Because... Because I..." I stuttered. Why was I holding her hand? Why hasn't she pulled away yet? "I'll get back to you on that."

Beth rolled her eyes and stepped back to walk next to Michael who was encouraging Anne that she'd be okay. She had stopped crying, but whimpered whenever Michael would adjust her in his arms. She had wrapped her arms around his neck and her face had been buried in his shirt the entire time he was holding her. Is she embarrassed about having to be carried? I thought. Oh well, she’ll be thanking him later.

We finally get to the shelter and get situated in the rooms. Girls in one room, boys in the other, obviously. All three of us guys had been pacing back and forth in the room waiting for Beth to come in and tell us how Anne was doing.

We happened to get lucky enough that a doctor had been passing through the shelter when we arrived. He was more than willing to look at Anne. Beth was a little hesitant at first, but was quickly persuaded when Anne let out an ear piercing scream.

There was a knock at the door. "Can I come in?" Beth. Her emotion was hard to figure out, which worried me. Michael rushed to the door and yanked it open. Beth walked silently over to the bed and plopped down on it. We crowded around her. She looked up at us, still no emotion revealed.

"She's okay!" Beth smiled. Michael let out a hoot of approval and I released my breath. Jake smiled, obviously relieved. That's a genuine smile... I realize. How can Anne and Michael not trust him if he was just as worried about Anne as the rest of us?

"Can we see her?" Michael asks. Beth shrugs and the three of us sprint down the hall to the girl's room, almost knocking over a mother and her child on the way. I stopped quickly to apologize, but was then nearly trampled by Jake and Michael.

When we entered the room, Logan jumped off her chair, startled. Then she smiled when she saw our concerned faces. She put a finger to her lips, telling us to be quiet. I gave her a thumbs up. Logan pointed across to the room at a curled up figure on their bed. Michael knocked Jake and me off to the side to get to Anne first. He knelt next to her on the floor and started to talk to her quietly. Jake and I stayed back by the door, worried about what Michael would do to us if we got any closer.

"It's not at all obvious that Michael has a thing for Anne..." Jake whispered sarcastically. "I guess I can't really blame him. She is really pretty..." I nodded my head in agreement. Logan gave us an irritated look. Jake laughed and grasped my shoulder. "Good luck getting out of that one..."

I looked over at him, confused. "What?"

"Never mind..." Jake smiled. I wanted to find out what he was saying, but before I could pursue it, Beth came in. She told us that it was getting late and we would get in trouble if we guys were still in the girl’s room. Jake and I told Logan and Beth goodnight and called Michael over. He gave us an annoyed look, but still came.

"Night, Anne!" I exclaimed before I left. We walked in an awkward silence back to the room.

"So, Max," Jake said as we were getting the beds ready. "You and Logan..."

I felt my face turn a little red. "What about us?"

"You like her?" Michael asked, sitting on the couch he called for his bed. His smile told me it was obvious.

"I guess..." I shrugged. Jake and Michael laughed.

"Well, I'm pretty sure she likes you too," Jake said. "I mean she didn't look grossed out or anything when you two were holding hands." More laughs. I felt my face turn even redder.

"Does she know you like her?" Michael asked. I shook my head. "Why don't you tell her? She likes you, so your chances of getting rejected are pretty low... Just sayin'..."

"I'm not going to tell her, it would be weird, wouldn't it?" I asked. Michael was probably an expert with girls, so why not ask him? "Should I tell her?" 

"I don't know, should you?" Michael smiled. Thanks for the help...