I Am a Stray Pt 4

Parts 1 & 2 & 3

The noise was reminiscent of a fire alarm going off. “Time to leave!” I thought, but before I took a step, the man I followed was thrown through the doorway to the living room area. I barely spared him a glance before starting to sprint towards the kitchen. “Look out kid!” the man on the ground screamed out at me. “What are you tal-” I couldn’t finish my thought as I was sent flying across the room next to the bed closest to the kitchen. “I see you brought an accomplice you little shit!” The man wasn’t roaring anymore, but I hardly heard him in the first place. “That really hurt.” Was all I could manage to think. I was struggling back to my feet when the room started shaking. Looking up I saw the huge man coming towards me.

“He is by far the biggest man I have ever seen” I thought as the stars finally cleared from my eyes, giving me a good look at him. He was easily 6’8”, maybe taller, and at least 350 pounds. A beard that made him look like a mountaineer covered his face, and I couldn’t see the top of his bald head. He wore a ripped denim jacket, his arms and legs looked like they could pass as tree trunks. “His ancestors were probably freaking giants”

“I am going to crush you two worthless little insects.” The freak said as he was about to reach me. I looked around for anything to use or anywhere to go. “There is no place to go, I’m cornered!” I could feel the panic setting in. I had maybe five seconds before I was picked up and most likely killed. I started feeling through my jacket trying to find anything I could use, and then I felt it. “The mirror!’ I shouted in my mind. The giant was just about to grab me when I ripped out the knife-like piece of mirror I had taken from the apartment I had slept in. I lunged forward and stabbed him in the foot. He stood up immediately roaring in pain. “Have to get out of here now!” I crawled through his legs and started for the

I just about reached the door when I heard a thud. “Kid wait!” The man I followed called after me. “Just keep going Dante, you have your chance now escape!” I told myself as I turned around. I saw the man standing on the bed next to where I landed with a crowbar in his hands. “I assume you need supplies kid, come on lets grab some before this freak of nature wakes up!” He sounded chipper even after the ordeal he just went through. “You take what you need, and I’ll take what’s left after.” I responded warily. I couldn’t afford to trust him, not after this close call. I almost died because I let my guard down. The man shrugged and went over to a stash of food. It was only then that I realized the alarm had stopped going

I watched the man remove his backpack and was cramming everything he could get his hands on into it. “So kid.” He paused before continuing. “What exactly are you going to carry the supplies in?” he asked, chuckling softly to himself. I was struck then by the realization that I had left my backpack in my old safe house. As I opened my mouth to respond he started talking again. “Look kid, I owe you my life so why don’t you come with me for now and we can split up the supplies once we are safely away from here.”  He suggested standing up the stash of food now three time smaller than it was when he kneeled down. Traveling with some man I knew nothing about who was clearly armed did not strike me as the best idea. I couldn’t afford to keep going without food and water though, so I didn’t really have a choice. “Fine, but let’s get out of here.” I said gesturing towards the kitchen. The man on the floor was starting to move around and I didn’t want to be there when he woke

~~~~~~~~

We were running down the street in an unfamiliar part of the city, but that wasn’t too surprising considering I didn’t really know this area at all. The sun was beginning to get ready to set, and I had no desire to be on the street when it got dark. “Where are we going exactly?” I asked trying to disguise the fact that I needed to stop soon. We had been running for what felt like hours, but we were at most only a few miles from the apartment of the huge man. The debris on the road was so dense here that our progress was not gained easily “We’re here.” He said as he entered a building that, comparatively to the other buildings surrounding it, was more or less still intact. “Well at least it looks to be in good shape.” I thought following him

Despite the promising condition of the outside, the inside was a disaster. Tables were flipped over, chairs were everywhere in the room, many of them were broken, and there was some sort of stain on parts of the wall that I couldn’t quite identify. There was also broken glass bottles everywhere, as this appeared to have once been a bar. None of that was really as much of an issue for me than the fact that we were wide open out here as there were windows lining the entrance to the store – anything or anyone passing by would have no problem looking inside and seeing us. “Isn’t this a bit open for us to spend the night here?” I asked wearily. “Well I wasn’t planning on sleeping in here, but you can go ahead if you feel like sleeping forever.” He said with a smirk. “There’s a backroom, follow me” he gestured towards a door next to bar’s counter that I hadn’t

Following him into the backroom the first thing I noticed was the huge pile of what looked like old newspaper lining the wall opposite the door, and the second thing I noticed was the sleeping bag next to what looked like a makeshift fire pit. “Have you been staying here?” I asked. “Not for long only while I scoped out that big guy’s place we played with today.” He said casually. “By the way thanks for saving my life today kid. And hey what’s your name?” He asked in a rush. I get the feeling he hasn’t had anyone to talk to in a while. I didn’t answer right away, and he grabbed some of the newspapers from the wall and threw them into the pit. “I don’t trust him, but then again I don’t trust anybody.” I thought to myself as he pulled out a lighter and started the fire. “But this is the first time I’ve had anyone to speak to in a while as well. I might as well take advantage of it even if we are going our separate ways tomorrow.” I reasoned it wouldn’t hurt to tell him my name. “My names Dante and yours?” He stood up to take off his backpack before looking at me. “My names Ethan, it’s a pleasure to meet ya Dante.” He said staring at me as if seeing me for the first time. I took a moment to look at him now that he was illuminated by the fire.

He was a fairly tall guy, he looked to be around 6’2. He was clearly in shape, granted most people had to be these days to survive, but as he took his jacket off his muscles were readily visible on his arms. He had dirty blonde hair and what looked like a permanent 5 o’clock shadow.  His green eyes were scrunched up as he examined me like I was him. Overall he looked like he was fit for survival out here. All that aside, what struck me most was that he always had a little smirk on his face. I thought back to when we were leaving that apartment earlier and I’m pretty sure I remember him smiling then, too. Before I could ask him about it, he sat down and leaned back against the newspapers behind him and asked.

“So Dante tell me how you ended up traveling by yourself.” He said after a few minutes. Telling him my name and telling him about my past were two very different things. “I think you should tell me more about you first.” I said trying to sound chipper and eager to hear what he had to say. “Well I’m one of my favorite things to talk about!” He exclaimed as his face lit up in a smile. “I’m from instate, you know? I’ve lived here in Byport all my life, but I’m from upstate. I came down here to Rork for college, and I was here when things went to hell, been here ever since.”  He seemed eager enough to be sharing but his story was missing a lot. “What about your family? Didn’t you try to go and see if they were alright?” I asked genuinely curious. He looked down for a minute before responding. “I did, and they weren’t. So I came back here to Rork” He looked as if he didn’t like talking about all that, and I wasn’t going to push so I changed the subject.

“Well what were you going to college for?” I inquired trying to keep the conversation on him and not me. He started smiling again before looking back up at me. “Mechanical Engineering, but I didn’t really like it honestly.” He must’ve seen my confused expression because he continued. “I’m not the one who chose mechanical engineering as my major.” He said, still smiling. He wasn’t offering up anything more than that, and he looked like he was about to ask me something. “How come you’re by yourself out here Ethan?” I asked hurriedly before he could ask me anything. “Well I wasn’t always by myself.” He said the smile disappearing from his face. “I kind of figured honestly.” I said without thinking. “A bit heartless over there aren’t ya?” He said chuckling but I saw there was no laughter in his eyes. “I think that’s enough conversation for tonight. We’ll figure out how to divvy up the supplies tomorrow? Sound good? Excellent!” He said without giving me a chance to respond. He stomped out the fire and the room went black. “Night kid.” He said and with that I was alone in the room the only company I had was his snores.

“I should just take his bag and leave.” The rational part of me thought. “I can’t bring myself to do it though. The old man would be so pissed at me.” I thought bitterly. Then again the old man had always seemed to be pissed with me, then again I think that was just his nature. “I guess I should try and get some sleep.” I said, shrugging off my thoughts. Tomorrow I’ll be back on my own again.

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