The Caged Bird Sings

[Annette Carter]

Annette tried to remain as still as possible, and not breathe too loud. As the man moved around downstairs she saw Casey cocking her pistol.

After an unfruitful search it sounded like footsteps moving toward the exit, and Casey, who’d had her eyes glued to a hole in the floor watching the man, gave Annette a thumbs up signing that yes he was leaving.

Her head bumped her chest in relief as a soft sneeze reverberated in the quiet space alerting the man downstairs, who was now running up the stairs to where the two were hiding.

As Annette focused on the footsteps coming towards them and the space just ahead of the doorway, out of the corner of her eye she saw Casey aim her pistol at the door.

Within seconds the man came through the door, and Annette swung her makeshift bat as a shot rang out.

[Casey Carter]

Casey watched as Annette prepared herself for combat. Gripping her “bat” tightly, she waited for the footsteps to come closer. Sighing, Casey raised her pistol, nodding to her friend across the doorway.

Within seconds the man came through the door, and Annette swung her makeshift bat as a shot rang out. The swing hit him squarely in the jaw, and out of surprise more than skill, the man fired his gun. In the confusion Casey froze, stunned by Annette’s act of bravery.

The man immediately went down, and in a crumpled heap, laid unconscious. The girls stared down at him for a few seconds.

“Remind me to never get you angry…” Casey joked, and ushered her companion to the stairs. “C’mon. Someone would’ve heard that shot. You’ve got me caught up in all this mess and I’m just not in the mood to make any more friends; especially big hairy ones named Ivan” she added, this time with a smirk.

The two quickly made it out of the building and ran blindly away from the cluster of abandoned buildings. They managed to escape without further incident. After running for a few minutes, the girls made it to the edge of the spaceport area, and stopped for breath.

Casey threw back her head and laughed, patting Annette on the back. “Looks like we’re gonna be alright after all” she said.

That’s when she noticed the warm sensation on her left hip. She touched it and pulled her hand to face, revealing blood all over her fingers.

“Oh crap. I knew that escape was too easy…” Casey muttered. The adrenaline wearing off, she suddenly became very dizzy and fell into Annette’s arms. The two simultaneously fell to the ground.

“Get…help…” Casey whispered, a bit more dazed.

OC: basically in this next turn, Annette should be calling for help/finding help. Then she bumps into Tristram, and Tristram comes to help, and he then becomes part of the story, etc etc etc

[Annette Carter]

Gasping for breath Annette slouched against the wall as Casey started laughing. “Looks like we’re going to be all right after all” ,she said before she suddenly stopped laughing.

Annette looked up in time to see Casey touch her hand to her hip before bringing it to her face “ oh crap. I knew that escape was far too easy” she whispered as her knees started to give out. Annette pushed herself up off the wall she had been leaning on to catch Casey, but the sudden arm full caused them both to hit the ground.

“Get…help…” Casey whispered brokenly, jerking Annette into action.

“Ok. Spaceport-there has got to be a medic employed on one of these ships. But if there isn’t, can I get to the local hospital? Goramit! I don’t even know what planet I’m on!” She muttered to herself, a sure sign that she was about to lose it. If she didn’t find help soon she wasn’t going to be much help to anybody.

She was paying less attention to what was happing in front of her, and more to what was happening in her head that she didn’t realize that she was on a collision course until she ran right into someone’s back.

[Tristram Kelly]

Story continues here.