Page 64 of Claymore
“Hallie, what’s wrong?”
“Ella, I’m in trouble. I need you to come. I need you to come right now,” she murmured, barely able to get her words out.
“Where are you, Ella? I’ll call Claymore and we’ll—”
“No! No. I need you to come alone. Please.”
“Hallie, you need to tell me what’s going on. Where are you?”
My cell phone pinged in my ear, and I glanced down at the screen to see that she just dropped me her location. She breathed heavily into the phone speaker and I could sense just how afraid she was. I heard the sound of glasses clinking in the background, the soft hum of voices and music that made it seem like she was at a bar.
“Hurry, please.”
“Don’t worry, Hallie. I’m on my way,” I said.
The line went dead before I could ask her anything else. I took a deep breath, swallowing hard when I realized I had no choice but to sneak out.I have to be careful. If anyone sees me, there’s no way they’d let me go alone.I tapped my fingers on the back of my phone, begging my body to jump into action, but the fear held me back. I slowed my racing heart, tiptoeing down the creaky stairs to see where Archer was.
I zipped up my black jacket, sticking my hands into my pockets, trying to ignore the bead of sweat that trickled down the back of my neck. I was never a good liar. I knew that if I had to face any of the Rebels right now, they’d be able to see right through me. The television played blaring advertisements, flashing bright colors on the back wall behind Archer’s head. He was still fast asleep in the reclining chair, clutching his beer bottle like a baby cradling their favorite toy. He groaned, snoring so loudly it echoed through the empty halls. Razor was long gone now and I finally had my chance to slip out.
I thought about Hallie holed up in some bar frantically clinging to what little strength she had left, begging me to come to her rescue. It was a dangerous feat to even leave the clubhouse this late at night, but I wasn’t about to see any more of my friends get hurt. I wandered into the kitchen quickly, grabbing a small knife from the block, slipping it under my sleeve. I approached the front door, glancing over my shoulder once to make sure Archer hadn’t woken up, and moments later, I was out in the cool darkness.
The leaves and branches under my boots crunched, the trees rustling in the evening breeze while I looked for the main road. I shone my phone’s flashlight, trying to illuminate my path, but I could only see a few feet in front of me. Crickets chirped, the wind howled in my ear, sending my blonde curls up into a whirlwind while I kept trudging on. I angled the light down at my feet, noticing the bike tracks that had left imprints in the sand and dirt. I followed them all the way out to the main road, which was as empty as I expected it to be. My heart started racing because I knew that any of the Rebels could return at any time, running into me on their way back. I walked along the road, hoping that I’d find a bright green sign that could tell me where I was headed.
My phone pinged again. When I checked, I realized my battery had started to run low. My connection had slipped and all I had pulled up was the address that Hallie sent me. The evening chill sunk beneath my bones as my feet carried me along the gravel. I heard a car horn honk loudly, erupting in the darkness and I glanced over my shoulder to see a few cars whizzing right past me. They didn’t stop. They didn’t even slow down, and if I hadn’t moved out of the way, I probably would’ve been roadkill. My mind wandered off to Hallie, wondering what she could be doing all the way out in Mascid, and I feared the worst. I knew what my brother and his new girlfriend were capable of. I’d seen them tear into the people I cared about, destroy my home and everything I loved, but I wasn’t going to let them touch a hair on Hallie’s head. I pictured her freckled face, the bright smile that always made me feel better even when I was sure my entire world had been falling apart.
I halted in my tracks, looking down at my phone screen to see thefive percent battery remainingalert appear. I gripped the device tightly, holding it up high so that the next car I passed could see it clearly. The fear had rattled me completely, being out here all alone, but I desperately tried to focus on making sure Hallie was okay. I promised myself that I’d get to her no matter how long it may take. A car engine whirred, slowly approaching me, and its headlights shone directly into my eyes.Please. Please stop.I shut my eyes, hoping this wouldn’t be another wasted opportunity, but to my surprise, the car came to a screeching halt. I noticed the slight yellow tint of the car paint and the little block that shone with advertisements on its roof.Oh my god. A cab.
The driver rolled down the window, and I got a good look at his face. His graying eyebrows were close together, his eyes wide, and his wrinkles settled back into his skin as he glanced around concernedly.
“Excuse me, ma’am, are you all right?”
“No, I’m not. I really need to be back in town right now, but uh… my car broke down a few miles back. Do you think that you could take me to this address?” I asked, holding my phone out so he could see.
His eyes flitted around like he was considering it and I rummaged through my pockets, pulling out enough cash to cover the ride.
“Please,” I begged, pointing to his meter that was shut off for the night.
“I’m not working right now, but I could maybe call for help,” he said.
“Please, I really need this. I don’t have any other options,” I explained.
He sighed, giving me a nod, turning his meter back on. I slipped into the back seat, giving him the address, and we were off. I shuddered, hugging myself tightly, rubbing my arms to keep myself warm. The closer we got to town, the more I began to worry. I felt the knife I’d been holding nearly fall right out from underneath my sleeve, but I held it close, hoping that I wouldn’t have to use it. The eerie evening streets disappeared into the distance and soon, we were right back among the late-night businesses, clubs, and bars. There were still people walking down the sidewalks, some from parties they just attended, others with lanyards from small-venue concerts that just concluded.
The cab slowed down in front of theRowdy Owl.Its large brick building and bright neon sign instantly caught my attention. The cab driver glanced back at me through his rearview mirror and I could see the confusion in his eyes. I checked the meter, handing him enough cash to cover the fare.
“You needed a drink this badly?”
“No, but I’m meeting a friend of mine here. It’s a little too much to explain. Thank you. Thank you for bringing me all this way,” I said, and he smiled.
“Have a nice night. Be safe.”
I hopped out of the back seat, shutting the door, and the cab drove off into the night. I scrolled through my recent call list, hitting Hallie’s number, listening to it ring while I headed inside. It went straight to voicemail, and I started to panic. I scanned the entire room, hoping that I’d see her familiar face tucked into one of the booths, but there was no sign of her. I checked the address she sent again, mapping it to see that I was in the right place.Where the hell are you?
I wandered over to the bar, sliding onto the stool, just as the bright-eyed bartender came over to take my order. Her dark hair laid in curls over her chest, her warm skin glistening under the bar lighting.
“What can I get for you?” she asked, sliding the drink menu over to me.
“You pick.”
