Hide and Seek : Redemption 4

N / B : Hello, Hikari's. How're ya guys doing? I want to thank all my 19 fans for their support. Your powerstone goes a long way in supporting me. However, it still won't be enough. This author will like to plead for gifts and golden tickets. Creation is hard. Please cheer me up.

(Author's POV)

Levi and Dominic face each other, their eyes burning with determination. The air around them crackled with tension as they slowly circled each other, muscles tensed and ready for an imminent clash.

With a sudden surge of adrenaline, Dominic leapt forward, his fist thirsty for blood but Levi swiftly countered. Soon, they engaged in an arm-lock. Fighting a fierce struggle for dominance.

The fights got more intense when each of them grabbed a weapon. Levi, a cake knife and Dominic, a kitchen knife. The pair fight with sheer brute force scaring whoever wanted to interfere.

Levi knew he was getting tired as the fight had taken his strength but if he had to win, he had to win with wit. With a roar, he slowly pushes back his opponent. Before Dominic would recover from the shove, Levi flung his knife at his leg, earning himself victory.

'Aargh!' Dominic screams in pain and collapsed to the floor.

'Eat that, motherfucker.' Levi cursed softly.

The students had dispersed to the far lunchroom.

'Stay back!' Levi shuffled to the door for escape. Thankfully, it slid open and he ran outside.

'It's up to me to see to Charlotte's safety and God help anyone who'll try to interfere!' He cursed.

******

(Gracie's POV)

Each time I try to pull away from Adolph, he keeps holding into me like I was gonna disappear. My eyes fell on our interwinned hands. This was not meant to be.

'Can you please let go off me?' I told him.

There was a lot of background noise and my voice drowned in the uproar.

I try to let go off my hand he turns his attention to me finally.

From where we hid in the prop room, we could see students moving behind the windows. The corridor erupted with a loud bang and all went quiet.

I gasped out loud but no sound came out.

'Shh.' Adolph engulfed me in his arms and we stayed still.

'Gracie!' The voice called.

I'd recognise that voice anywhere. Coming out from behind the closet, I see it's Levi.

'Boss, you okay?' The bloody bruises on his face and neck were going to hurt.

'I'm fine.' His breathing came in huffs. He was tired. 'Who's that?'

I pinch my eyelids. 'Seriously? We're gonna do this right now? He's our classmate for Pete's sake.'

'I didn't notice.' Levi exhaled sharply. 'How're you holding up, kid?' He asked Adolph.

I roll my eyes. 'Leave him be. The prick doesn't have the backbone to say the truth. I've got the tools.'

'Give 'em to me.' Levi nods.

I motion to the dresser and kneel to the floor. With my pocketknife, I lift a board off the wooden floor and reveal iron baseball bats and a knife.

'Woah. That was here the whole time?' Adolph asked in surprise.

I shrug it off. 'You're not the only one with secrets.'

Levi's turned up in an uncommon attractive smile. 'Let's smoke those fools.'

*****

(Lin's POV)

I know Lenin's after Levi. But why? Levi never tells me anything. I'm worried he'll get hurt. As a humanist, what I hate the most is infliction of pain. It's wrong for people to hurt others. Who am I kidding? Charlotte's getting hurt and God knows what'll happen after this? She might tell on me. I should tell Lenin to get rid of her.

I push open the door only to find Charlotte on the floor hyperventilating.

'Shit! What the fuck is wrong with her?!' I turn to one of Lenin's friends who watched the poor girl struggle to breath.

'The hell should I know?' The ash-blonde said.

I clenched my first so hard, I could feel my nails sink into my skin. 'You're all psychopaths!'

I hear a beeping and rush to her aide.

'Shit. What do I do?' I fiddle with the beeping thing. Turns out it was a wrist watch. The device looks exactly like grandpa's. Does Charlotte have a heart disease?

The door flew open.

'The hell are you doing?!' said Lenin in an intimidating voice.

Finding courage, I take to my feet. 'She's dying! Do you know she's having a heart attack?! Do something!'

'No!' Lenin's reply sent a shiver down my spine.

'What?' My voice becomes a whisper.

To his friends, he orders. 'Go find Levi and those pussies. You know what to do.'

'Of course.' They left the room.

Derek joined us, reeking of alcohol and cigar. Still drunk enough to be an asshole. 'That's what you want, right? To end Charlotte.'

"No. That's not what I said." I knew what to say but there were no words in my mouth.

Tears ran down my cheeks; my throat was frozen in fear.

'You said you'd do anything if Levi is taught a lesson and Charlotte is gotten rid of. Right, Lenin?' Derek collapsed on the red couch, giving a sickening smile.

'No!' I found my voice even though it was breaking.

'No?' Derek scoffed. 'Shut her up, Lenin. I ain't got time for this.'

Lenin approached me slowly. There was nowhere to run. I knew I was screwed. Before his clenched fist met my face, a blarring noise interrupted. A police siren. The police are here?

'Run!' Charlotte yells.

The next minute, I was running along side Charlotte.

'I thought you were dead.' We both turn left.

'No. That was a crazy plan I came up with. Thank God for movies.' Charlotte turned right and I followed her.

'You're not gonna get away from us that easy.' Lenin and Derek were behind us.

'No. No.' Charlotte was slowing down.

'Hey, are you okay?' I asked.

I hear a thud behind me. Charlotte collapsed.

'Oh come on. Now's not the time to play dead. You've done it before.' When I saw that she wasn't moving, I gave her a shake. She had passed out. For real this time. Shit.

'Get back here, Lin.' Derek yelled.

'Fuck!' I hurried out of there. But before I could take another step, pain lanced through my body. Each breath I took only made it worse. There was a metallic taste in my mouth and I begin to splutter. It was a crimson liquid. Blood.

My breath is becoming hitched as I collapse to the floor, a knife potruding from my stomach. My sight becomes blurry as I hear footsteps. A hand grabbed both my cheeks. The words. I couldn't hear it. Dots fill my vision and I gave into the darkness.

****

(Jacob's POV)

I'm running down the hall. And I'm not alone. Scottie and Matty are tagging along.

'I told you this plan was nuts.' Matty runs ahead of me. Well, he has to. He has the beatbox blaring the police sound.

Scottie agrees but I counter it. 'It was a long shot.'

'Long shot? Jesus! It's the fucking M1 Motorway, Jacob!' Matty cursed as we ran.

We stop dead in our tracks. The gang was here and we knew that we were unsafe.