Chapter 4 - can’t run from responsibility

"I'm sorry but, we're closed-"

A load bang interrupted me. Soon followed was a loud crash from behind, the glass of the the kitchen door shattered.

Suddenly, everything was moving in slow motion. Over fifteen bullets were fired at my face. I ducked down under the table I was cleaning.

I had no clue about what to do. What was going on? My heart was racing, my head was spinning and my blood was pumping. My whole body felt weak, I felt sweat begin to gather at the tip of my head. I ripped the apron from my waist leaving me in the waitress uniform.

Luckily, the blue 'jeans', as Abby called them, were easy to move in and the black shirt was floaty and didn't get in my way. I had never worn trousers, when I was little all females were restricted to only wearing 'proper' ladies clothing, only dresses and skirts.

I quickly manoeuvred myself under a table nearer to the kitchen. Abby had came rushing in, bursting through the doors as if they were merely as thin as the air we breathe. She held a shot-gun to her chest and slid her back along the wall, ducking down being able to crawl under the table a few feet away from me.

The gunshots got louder with every passing second. I couldn't think of what to do, Abby was trying to take action, by peering overhead me firing her gun at the masked duo.

I didn't get a good chance to see them, I assumed they were robbers at the time, they both wore masks and the same outfit. A black and white suit; white polo under the ebony pant suit and blazer with shiny jet black shoes. One thing that struck me the most was their shirt, at the collar they both wore a red pendant. It was ruby red and had wisps of black swirling around, it was framed with gold and pinned onto their chests.

The two moved in sync, it was uncanny.

Their guns weren't fired directly for me or Abby, they were randomly sent in different directions. Abby took that opportunity to move from table to table. She eventually got to me and was panting for breathe.

"Kate you okay?" she said quietly, trying to keep her breathing still.

"Yes, I'm perfectly fine. What about you?" I noticed a small drop of blood, sliding down her cheek.

She wiped it off, seeing her hand painted with red, "not to worry, they only gave me a scratch" she smiled through the pain.

"fine, but we're bandaging you up when this is over!" I insisted, though she just smiled weakly.

"hello?" a shaky voice interrupted us, we peered over the table and saw that the 'suits' were still and their guns were lowered.

"Get out!" Abby stood up and yelled at the suits, pointing her own gun at the one on the right.

"fail!" was all they said, it echoed throughout the restaurant and with that they left. Abby tried racing after them but I stopped her.

"Kate let me go, we need to report this to the police! I at least need one of their faces!" Abby struggled to leave but I pulled myself up and looked her in the eyes.

"Abby, I said we're bandaging you up after this was over!" I stared at her and held her wrist firmly. I wasn't letting her go until we know what was going on. I couldn't do it alone, she was useless dead to this investigation.

I took Abby upstairs and she watched irritated with how long I was taking fixing her up. "Abby, you must sit still, if I don't wrap these tight enough them the pressure onto the wounds won't help heal and conserve the blood!"

Abby smacked her hand away and stood from the bed walking away dramatically. "No Kate, I can't sit still. Some creaton in a mask just destroyed my uncle's restaurant!" Her voice sounded shaky, which was unusual. Her voice was usually loud and held strung. It boomed over everyone else's but she still had a feminine touch. It's what made her a great leader though right now it was holding her back.

"Charlie and I have been working on this business for years!" She began to break down, I felt her voice tremble but she held it back so much she needed to sit on the bed opposite me. Her eyes were puffed up and blood-shot, it was the first time I'd ever got a good enough look in Abby's eyes. She had dark pools for eyes, her brunette bangs covered the corner of her eyes slightly, but she always pushed them back only to have them fall back into place again. The rest of her hair reached past her shoulders, I watched as they fell down her shoulders, hovering around her neck to her chest. Her skin was peachy and had red touched to it in the corners of her curves. She was stunning.

"Is that why you took the archeological investigation? To help your Uncle?" I stayed were I sat, I still kept my levels of empathy high. She seemed like she was holding back her tears for the life of her.

"Yes," She sniffed, "it was only good money if we found something, historians confirmed only a few days ago that it was nothing but an old village dungeon from around the seventh to eighteenth century. It's worth nothing, they've found hundreds of them all over the world."

"I'm sorry Abby," I wasn't only sorry that her archeological investigation was a failure, but that I was thinking about how my village wasn't the only place in the world to have such extreme dungeons, dug into the ground and hidden from the whole of my village. If you were a guard their you were not allowed to ever return to family or friends. If quit, you were executed as to stop the location from ever being known to the public.

I always thought it was a bit harsh on what these people went through, but the village was a cold place with apathetic people who cheered when these men were killed for wanting to go back home. They yelled things like 'coward' as they were thrown away by their neighbours, friends, and worst of all, family.

Disgusting.

If only I had the strength Abby did, this way, though she would never believe a word I said, I could tell her who I truly am, where I am from and when I am from. It could help her and Charlie so much. Maybe even educate people for today, create empathy for these shallow humans that haunt this earth.

If only…