Red Georgia Hills

Annabelle trailed behind Becky and Emit as they followed Seymour and his men through the Preschool. She helped Zach walk along, It seemed everyone had been sleeping inside. Annabelle’s eyes shifted this way and that. Making sure nothing unforeseen was going to happen.

“We can patch up your friend in here” Seymour stated holding the door open for the four students to walk inside. “Fry was an EMT before the break out, he can help” Seymour instructed. Annabelle watched as the door closed after them. She aided Emit in setting Zach down in a chair that was two times too small for an adult. “Sorry about the chairs, after all they are made for shorter bodies” Fry said with a kindly smile.

Emit and Annabelle were not charmed. “Ah tough crowd” Fry muttered, “So where were you guys headed?” Fry asked “we were looking for a camp we had heard about on the radio, before the transmissions all died out” Becky piped in, “Becky!” Emit hissed “what it’s not top secret, these people are helping us Emit!” she called. Emit shook his head and fry chuckled “It’s alright I don’t mean to follow you or nothing, I’m happy with this small camp here, Seymour’s doing right by us” Fry said, Texas, he had to be from Texas, Annabelle knew that kind of drawl anywhere.

“Yeah well we’ve yet to be proven of that” Annabelle murmured, watching Fry intently as he worked on Zach. Fry looked up at Zach and snickered pointing back at Annabelle “I take it she’s yours” He said, Zach’s eyes went wide and his mouth went ajar “oh no, no, no. Annie’s just my friend. We found her knocked out, after jumping out a window” He spoke hastily almost nervously “Annie?” Fry said with a smirk. “I thought you said you’re name was Annabelle?” Fry asked not bothering to turn and face her.

Annabelle grimaced “it is” she stated flatly. “Don’t sound like a nickname given to a friend to me” Fry said as he pinned the wrapping around Zach’s waist “you’re good now for a few days” Fry said proudly. Zach stood up and examined Fry’s work. “Huh you really must have been an EMT” Zach said. Fry nodded “I’m surprised, the Bullet was taken out very clean” Fry said. Annabelle smirked “well Allison taught me something” she thought to herself. Zach looked at Annabelle and smiled, Fry turned around “so you did it kid?” he asked Annabelle’s smile fell “if I did?” Annabelle asked Fry chuckled and shook his head and looked down at Zach. “Good luck with that one man” He said Zach blanched “it’s not like that!” He called. Fry merely chuckled and left.

Annabelle followed behind Emit who followed Behind Colin. “Should we trust them?” Zach whispered over to Becky and Annabelle “no” she said quickly “oh come on this place doesn’t seem bad…maybe we should give them a chance” Becky said “we’re better on our own” Annabelle said, Zach stopped walking with wide eyes, he watched Annabelle and his gaze softened “We” He echoed, Annabelle stopped and looked back at him “what’s up?” she asked Zach shook his head and walked fast to catch up with her.

Annabelle looked out the windows to the class room Colin allowed the four of them to sleep in. “I cannot stay here, If they decide they want to stay with this camp I’ll have no choice but to leave them” Annabelle thought, a heavy feeling pinched at her heart. “I’ve been alone up till now it won’t be any different” she told herself.

“if these people turn out to be serious, we might not have to go to that other camp, we can stay her as long as we can” Emit said reasoning things out. Becky beamed at this prospect. “Colin claims we will meet everyone in the morning.” She said with a grin “I don’t know” Zach sighed his eyes flowing over to Annabelle “she doesn’t seem to trust these guys” He said turning back to Emit “her hunches…are pretty good” He muttered. “And trust her? She’s strange as I said before and possibly messed up in the head” Emit scoffed. Zach leered at him and Emit shrunk back a bit “well hell if you want your girlfriend around you figure out how to get her to stay!” Emit barked. Becky lowered her head “I-I don’t want her to leave either…I really like Annabelle…If it means she’d leave, I’d leave this place behind” Becky stated.

Emit watched his friends dumbfounded “really?” he asked incredulously, “it’s hard to explain…But It’s just something about her” Zach murmured and Becky nodded “she’s like gravity, she pulls you in” Becky added looking up at Emit with fire in her eyes “you have to admit you feel something when around her” she said Emit lowered his head and looked away from them into the dark.

“I know you want to leave,”

Zach chimed taking a seat in the undersized chairs next to wear Annabelle stood. She glanced down at him “something isn’t right about this place, and as I said…I’ve got a mission I need to handle” she muttered. “What do you feels wrong with this place?” Zach asked Annabelle turned to look down at him “I’m not sure” she said pausing her eyes went to the door “Seymour…something is” she paused for a longer time “off, about him.” She finished turning her eyes back to Zach. “And the way he looked at Becky” Zach nodded “yeah I saw that too” he admitted. “Look just give it until morning, and don’t try to leave in the night…if it still seems fishy we’ll leave” he reasoned. Annabelle nodded and made sure that her crossbow was near.

She didn’t recall when it happened, it just did. No that wasn’t a good enough answer.

Annabelle’s eyes stared baffled at two arms wrapped around her, and legs at either side of her body. “How” she asked herself, she could feel his familiar breathing pattern on her neck and his hair brushed against her cheek. “Ok you gotta get out of this before anyone wakes up” She thought sliding his arms over her head, but they fell into place “you don’t have to worry” Zach mumbled half asleep. Annabelle’s heart stopped. “You were whimpering…in your sleep” He spoke hesitantly whispering. Annabelle’s heart beat even faster.

That’s right you did always talk in your sleep when you dreamed.

Zach leaned over her shoulder puller her closer, he looked at her face “who’s Allison?” He asked lowly, Annabelle flinched and glanced at him. “Is she your sister?” He asked. Annabelle bit her lip “you were whimpering…Annie tell me” Zach pried, Annabelle’s eye darted around thinking of a way away from his questions and then….

“Rise and shine young bloods” Colin called busting into the room.

Emit awoke quickly and unbothered, Becky stirred and rose groggily. Annabelle broke from Zach’s grip but as she went to get to her feet stumbled forward a bit. Colin’s onyx eyes sparkled in amusement at this. “Cute, but I saw that” He said, he had a sharply cold voice, it was a shock to the system every time he opened his mouth. “Seymour wants to speak with you” with that he turned and exited the room, the four students looked between one another “come one, you’re wasting daylight” Colin moaned back to them in irritation, Emit was the first to exit, then Becky and Annabelle took the rear after Zach.

“why does this feel like the start of a very bad movie” Zach whispered to Annabelle who nodded as Colin lead them out the back of the preschool to the portables, extra classroom outside of the main building, wooden mobile rooms that would be torn down and rebuilt else were at any time.

“Emit!” Annabelle called jogging to the read head’s side

“Emit I don’t like this” Annabelle whispered, Emit never took his eyes off of Colin “Didn’t they say last night we’d meet the others in the morning?” Annabelle called. “Did you notice not a soul was back in the building? Surely they couldn’t have all been sleeping” she whispered. “Stop all that mumbling would ya? You’re giving me a headache” Colin called back to them, lighting up a cigarette. Annabelle eyed him and turned her attention back to Emit. “It’s very possible that they are few in numbers and are all in those portables isn’t it?” Emit reasoned. “Or it’s a trap” Annabelle said darkly “why so defensive?” Emit asked. Annabelle became quite and fell back to Zach’s side.

She had a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach, and to make things worse, she had felt it before.

Colin led them up the stairs to the Portable, and held the door open for them. “Now he’s a gentleman” Emit mused bitterly. Colin scowled “shut up ginger boy and hurry along!” Colin barked, Emit smiled having gotten under Colin’s skin. Annabelle stood in the room, the desks were even still in here. Ahead at the front of the class near a big scribbled and painted on chalk board stood Seymour. Next to him sitting on the desk stood Fry, he was talking animatedly with another Blonde man, they looked related. On the other side of them standing next to Seymour was a woman, she had cold dark eyes, and curly auburn hair, she had to be in her 50s, she looked tough. Real tough.

Annabelle narrowed her eyes as the woman watched her as if examining her. “Hey Zach” she muttered stepping back a bit towards him, “I know why I had a bad feeling” she said looking over them all once more.

The Blonde whom had been speaking with Fry looked up and gave a goofy grin, with then turned into a smirk of a street thug brat. “Miss McBonney” The woman spoke, her voice was low and very smooth flowing like whipped butter over warm bread. Annabelle froze her heart thumped wildly in her chest, she clenched her fists and willed herself not to show her fear. “You don’t remember my face, do you?” The woman asked in mocked pity, Annabelle bit her lip. “I bet you remember my Name, Agent Barlow” She mused with a faint wrinkled smile. Annabelle’s eyes narrowed and she grunted a bit stepping back “You!” She coughed in surprise.

“What a stroke of Luck” Barlow said flipping back her hair casually. “Of course not on your end” she stated. “This can’t be the girl, she doesn’t even look the part look at her, and she looks like she needs to be on someone’s softball team!” The Blonde man said holding out his arms to her. Annabelle growled “Shut up Daisy!” Barlow barked “uh” Becky blinked “Daisy?” She asked the Blonde man seemed to get mad “Hey! No! It’s Jude! Jude!” He said pointing at Becky and then Pointing at Barlow.

“Hush your mouth” Barlow sighed “you cry like a child” she added.

“That’s quite enough from all of you” Seymour ordered, his voice hadn’t one hint of emotion. And it Bothered Annabelle greatly. “Well you seem to all know me…but I can’t remember any of you, what’s the deal?” Annabelle asked pulling back her bravery. “Of course you don’t we worked for the man who you all thought worked for your father” Jude said with a smug closed mouthed grin. “The man we all thought…” Annabelle’s mind flashed to a ban with dark hair dark eyes and a cold face. Her eyes narrowed “Senator” She growled Barlow chuckled a bit “yes, but no not that one” she said, Annabelle looked up in shock. “Who else!” she cried out. Emit, Zach, and Becky watched her silently. “It’s not for you know” Seymour stated, Annabelle turned her gaze on him. “What do you want?” she asked. Seymour crossed his arms and leaded against the wall.

“Allison” He stated, Annabelle’s blood ran cold in her veins she stood up straight and her face became stone. “Well that’s too bad because I don’t know where she is.” Annabelle rumbled “and even if I did…you’d have to lop my head clean off before you get it out of me, and then it’d be too late” She growled.

Colin who was standing in the back of the room lowered his head a bit, his eyes went to Fry, who glanced at Jude. Emit spotted this and raised a brow. “What’s going on?” he thought to himself. “I can do that, with pleasure, I hate little brats like you!” Barlow said with a grin you might see in a horror movie, the insane slasher going in for the kill. Emit and Zach pushed their way in front of her. “Don’t you try it” Emit said raising his gun and Zach followed suit. Barlow stepped back in amusement lowering her machete “oh how cute, miniature body guards” she mused, Becky trembled as she pulled Annabelle close to her, holding her as if she could be a shield. “Laugh all you want, when we light you up it won’t be so funny anymore!” Zach called. Barlow smiled chirpily “oh really, are you so sure?” she asked nodding to the guns. Emit growled and pulled the trigger.

Click.Click.

Emit dropped his gun and watched it fall to the ground in shock. “E-Empty!” he gasped, “I got her “Zach muttered pulling his trigger.

Click.

Blank, Zach examined his gun, “you four sleep like rocks” Barlow sighed cleaning out her ear with her pinky and flicking the wax away “it’s not hard to slip in and out” She added “as the president’s daughter you should know better” she went on her face became cruel and hateful “then again, you were always the prissy one, weren’t you, nothing like that time bomb of a sister of yours!” Barlow growled. Annabelle growled “Now listen here you old!”

BAM

Annabelle stopped in her tracks as Barlow dove to the ground, narrowly missing a bullet, Fry Knocked Seymour in the back of his head with his automatic, and Seymour fell to the floor. “Sorry about that man, I am thankful for all the help” Fry said quickly before running over to Jude who was firing at Barlow, who was firing at Colin. Colin ushered the four students to the door “Come on! We gotta move fast or we’re toast!” He called pushing them out the door, Fry and Jude following after them running down the steps as the portable door exploded with a barrage of bullets.