Page 55 of Ghosted in Arkadia
919 Front St
I hope the message comes out legible, but I can’t exactly tell in the dark. I hold my small knife in my hand and slowly make my way toward the doorway.
Hopefully, my dark knight comes to my rescue.
I'd Die for You, But I'd Rather Kill
Istay low to the ground and make my way through the door of the lab. At least I’m not locked inside. The music is louder the moment I step into the open section of the warehouse. A large lump sits on the floor in front of me and I creep toward it. It’s a body.
Alarm bells sound inside my body, a hot prickling sensation. I hope it’s not someone on my side. The body is still warm, but at least isn’t someone I know. I search it quickly, finding a gun, along with a few extra magazines of ammo.
It’s not like it’s going to be useful to them anymore.
The music is louder in the open space, bouncing off the walls and coming back with twice the force. Even the ground seems to thud in time with the beat, covering the sound of my erratic heart.
I need to find the exit.
I need to get out of here alive.
That’s it.
My palm squeezes around the grip of the gun, hard enough to make my knuckles scream, but it helps to focus my mind.
I don’t know who to trust anymore. Not Killian, that’s for sure.
I pick a direction, hoping it leads me toward an exit, and creep inside the shadows as I make slow movements. Occasionally, I can make out the sound of a shot over the blaring music, but I try not to think about that.
A shadow moves up ahead. I freeze; my breath caught sharply between my teeth. The light flashes as he turns, giving me a glimpse of the guard and the automatic rifle in his arms. He’s not looking my way.
I need to move. Now.
I dip into the darker shadowed area, but the guard’s head whips my way. The barrel of his gun points toward me, but he’s unsure. I’m not.
Before my mind catches up, my finger acts. Squeezing the trigger like today is merely another day at the range. A single shot fires from the gun, the sound splitting the music with a heavy crack. The guard drops to the ground, a tangle of messy limbs that remain motionless.
I can hear my heart above the sound of the music now. It seems to pulse in my ears. My chest heaves with my breaths while I cradle the gun. It feels heavier now.
Get up Kira. Get the fuck up and get to the door.
The words beat against my skull like a war drum.
My feet start me forward, and I creep silently until I come across another figure. Just up ahead, near a set of stacked crates. His gaze swings my way the moment the light turns red. I see his eyes widen, then his mouth opens as if to call out my location.
I don’t hesitate.
Bang.
Smoke leaks from the barrel of my gun and the man falls to the ground. It was easier this time.
I don’t feel proud. I don’t feel safe. I don’t feel anything.
I just have to make it out of here alive.
I start moving again, quicker this time. Corridors blur past while I stay in the shadows. I’m entirely lost, turned around from where I started, but that can’t matter right now. The space flashes red at regular intervals, guiding my steps before plunging me back into uncertainty.
I hear a shot up ahead. The sound cracks through the music. Someone screams, or maybe it’s just the music. It’s hard to tell. I peer around the corner, gun held high, and spot another figure.
My finger is poised, ready to curl, but in the flash of red, I notice a familiar shape. A skull painted on the mask, only this time it shines red in the light.
