Filipendulous (adjective)
Hanging by a thread.
Chapter 17
(Mako's P.O.V)
"Ghoul detected." The robotic voice repeats, penetrating in the air; making sure everyone hears it.
Now blinded by the red light, I can't see the two ahead... they're gone... did they make it offshore safely?
The light stops flashing and the loud beam stops as well. My heart calms down for a second as everything goes still and I let out a sigh as the ringing echoes in my ears. Squinting my eyes; I watch as a boat launches into life from near the huge wall gates in front of the shore, coming my way. Shaking at the numbing pain through my whole body; I jump forward.
Don't mind them, keep going... keep running. It's all a misunderstanding anyway and I'm not in trouble... maybe for bringing ghouls along but I can explain my way out of that. I jump from pole to another, finally able to see Ana and Arin laying at the shore on the dark sand. I glance back and watch as the boat changes course and heads to us. I step off the last pole, half-submerged; water wetting me whole again.
After heaving my way out of the salty water, I stumble on my knees next to them, gulping loud breaths as foam water submerges my hands beneath me.
"What's going on? they're going to catch us!" Ana blurts nervously. The boat roars stopping at the shore. My head spinning; I will my eyes to adjust as I squint toward the sound and those rushing forward. At first, all I could see is shifting shadows, but they soon turn into the shapes of bodies; three people in armored suits come before us, stomping at the water aggressively. I stand up shaking,
"Stay down!" They shout, pointing their circular weapons at us.
"This is a misu..." I'm cut off by one of the guards, screaming at me to stand down again. I fall back on my knees like Arin and Ana.
Two stand guard, pointing their weapons at us; the other pulls something out of his pocket and jabs it into Arin's neck against his skin. It beeps, Ana next. Same beep. He steps before me; mask hiding his face. He jabs the thing at my neck and I wince at the needle-like pain. The man hesitates, staring down at his device that creates the same type of beep. He presses it again giving me the same needle jab. I peek right at the two ghouls, their faces struck with fear.
"Oh ****!" The man swears backing away from me; he flings his circler weapon at my face.
"Stay down!" He screams in a threatening voice at me. I barely even took in a breath, let alone move.
"What's wrong, Jin?" His fellow partner comes forward. The guard shares his device screen... I glance behind me, looking for a way out. The enormous stone wall stands before them, seeming to defy every known law of physics, looming towards the city; a huge solar panel covers it from top to bottom.
Glancing further, separate similar walls covered in solar panels surround the edges of the city with empty openings in between; around a twenty-meter gap.
"Hit her with the stabilizer!" I glance back at the guards; stiffly keeping a distance.
"I know they're ghouls... but they're not bad," I utter pointing at Arin and Ana.
"Shut up and don't you dare move!" They shout back.
"Hit her now!" One of the guards shouts. I fall back at the weapon in my direction, lighting up slowly; giving off a buzzing sound.
"I can't! we have orders not to!" They begin to argue.
"Please! this is a misunderstanding! I don't even know how I made it to the dot, I'm human!" I plead honestly.
"I was even bitten!" I call out bringing my arm up to show them the wound. They stare down at me, at my blood smudged ripped sleeve.
"I swear it was a ghoul..." I utter; glancing at Ana and Arin for confirmation but they just stare cluelessly.
"Wait... I received orders!" One of the guards saunters from the far right side; pressing down at a gadget on his upper right arm.
"They'll be escorted back by team zero!" He hollers in confirmation to his teammates in a high-pitched optimistic tone. Escorted back!? after all that!?
I glance back at the wall behind us... if we run further around the city, we can get in from the openings.
"Mako..." Arin questions as if I'm the one who's supposed to do something. I wipe at my thumping forehead, brain empty of solutions.
Ana stands on both of her feet, her head leans right as she glares at the guards' hands into fists; face grimacing into a hard expression. She jumps forward, grabbing the closest guard; placing her hands on him and he scatters back in fear; he begins to scream and his fellow guards dart away baffled as if they weren't prepared for this type of situation; leaving their teammate behind. The guard begins to scream, his legs sway like jelly beneath him, his hand dropping his weapon as he begins to sway like jelly pudding; falling to his side. Ana stands back letting go of him as the others flee the scene in fear.
Arin scatters up; sand flying as he pulls me away from the arm hurriedly. I stumble at first as he sprints along the sand pulling me behind him. Ana follows beside us. An odd moment of complete silence hung over us as we run forward; the only thing my buzzing ears make out is the sound of heavy steps on the dragging sand.
We jerk at the loud beckon shriek behind us as we flee the scene. After a few steps, I stabilize myself and keep the pace. We head to an opening between two mega walls...
Panting uncontrollably we stand firm, glancing back at our pursuers coming our way; shouting at the top of their lungs. The space we thought was empty between the two stone walls, is divided by a huge hole in the ground, no ground leading to the city. Just a big hollow hole, water of sewage flowing in it from the city opening. Looking at the sides of the walls; the layer of what I thought was solar panel... is layered. Looking at it from an angle, the stone wall thickness seems to be thinner than I thought, with five layers of the thin solar panels on each other... why are there layers? does it open or something?
"Shloking hole!" Arin spits glaring at it.
"CATCH THEM!" The guards shout as they stand before us. We shuffle our feet until we stand scrunching up together in front of the drop-off hole, facing the bigger group of guards. Our heels are only inches from the edge of the cliff behind us, nothing but air and dirty water waiting after that.
The guards stop in their tracks, holding their speaking devices near their heads, listening to an order. They all glance up at the huge wall to our right, light shining from the top at the huge light panel. A figure comes jumping from far up, and we fall back as sand flies our way, the person landing right in front of us. I shake pushing myself up... what happened!?
Brushing the sand out of my face, I glance up. Mouth gaped at the figure who just landed, perfectly fine standing straight.... how is that even...
Arin curses placing his mask back up and so does Ana. I glance up at the figure in the mask, pursing my lips I stand up on my feet.
"Who let you ghouls out?" The person mocks; in a slight satiric teasing tone, placing a hand on the hip. A man speaks.
"We thought group zero was supposed to come for supp...." A guard pitches from the back but is cut off by the suicidal man.
"That won't be necessary." He brushes them off; voice thin and sharp.
"But only group zero can..." they get cut off again.
"Group zero this group zero that. I'm from group one, isn't that good enough for two and a half escapee!?" He hollers reprimanding them... I glance at Ana as she shrugs at his remark.
"Now..." He utters placing his attention back at us; eyes thin glimmering.
"We must take you back." He tells us. I shake my head,
"This is a misunderstanding... they don't want to harm anyone, right guys?" I glance at them, they violently nod their heads, peeking at the man. The man just stands there, hands tangled in each other.
"Darling, ghouls are just as good liars as humans. I can't trust anything you say." A sigh escapes my lips.
"I'm not strong! I'm 106! going into the city I won't harm anyone! please let me in! just me!" Arin begs; falling to the ground, rubbing his hands pleading. Did he just abandon us..!?
"Remind me to kill you, please." I hear myself say through gritted teeth; glaring at him. I shake my head looking back at the man.
"Fine, let's say they're bad. What about me? can I go home? I'm from inside the city... I just somehow ended up on the wrong side." I run on. He leans his head to the side.
"You don't just somehow end up in places." He runs on.
"Listen, I'm saying the truth. Also, back there, they make them eat... each other. They don't even want to do it." I say trying to convince him. The guy looks away, glancing back at the guards. He walks forward, standing before me, eyes glued on mine.
His eyes land on my left ear and glances back at me. I shake my head slightly; frustration growing as I let out a snort.
"What's the point of this anyways.... you probably know everything. You're a ghoul yourself." I utter now quietly, hoping I won't pop a nerve in him.
"Mako right...." He presses, eyes narrowing at me. My eyes widen... I don't remember meeting this man before... well he's under a mask but I still barely met strangers...
"You need my help right... how abou...." He spits looking up and down.
"I don't need your help, I need you to leave us alone." I cut him off. He glares silently, studying me.
"Besides, what's the point of putting us back in the dot? we'll tell everyone about the way out. Instead of dealing with just the three of us, you'll have to deal with all the other ghouls.!" I run on.
"So you want us to let the three of you room in the city?" He asks, humor penetrating his voice again. I nod,
"You let Tora and Seiji out, why can't we?" I prod. He utters a laugh now; ending it with gritted teeth. I glance back at the guards in the back,
"What about you? you're a ghoul, how come you're considered a model citizen and working with the force?" I say now.
"You better stop." He prods eyebrows rising.
"Let us go and I'll stop, you'll be surprised at how well I can forget all this and keep my lips shut." I rail.
"Don't think because you're from group zero I won't hurt you." He threatens.
"Yeah right, as if I'm supposed to know what group zero means. Can't we speak English?" I prick. He grabs at my collar; a panic breath escapes my lips.
"You arrogant little..." He says under his breath. After a few seconds, he lets go, finding his composure back.
"Take them to the headquarters." He hollers stepping away, holding at my shoulder tightly.
"Headquarters? what's in there?" I ask him. He glances back,
"A place we make sure you won't escape." He puts in.
"What...why... I told you; I'm human. Why are you treating me like a criminal!?" I retort trying to get out of his grasp.
"Stabilize them!" The guards step forward towards Arin and Ana, weapons up. I glance behind me, at the strong pull of water running down the hole.
I slap at the man's arm, grunting as I pull away. I slip from his grasp; he tries to land his hand back on me but I kick at his face as he tries to grab my leg and I stand up, hurriedly.
"Let's go!" I holler at Arin and Ana. I grab hold of Ana's hand and we jump down the hole, wasting no time to think. Arin following us as he screams as we fall into the darkness, water roaring as we dive at high speed. We splash into the water, slapping against me so hard pain flashes through my whole body.
I push my head out of the water, taking in a deep breath. Breathing heavily I glance around trying to spot the two, but the water falling keeps splashing on my eyes.
"Ana!?..." I call out...
"I'm here! I'm okay... Arin... I can't see Arin!" She shouts from a distance. Still glancing around, I see a little of a fight under the water. I take a deep breath and swim down, taking a few seconds to open my eyes under the water, the installed lights above us help me see a figure, swooshing at the water.
Swimming towards him, slapping me a few times as I get hold of him and pull him to the surface. We sunk a few times because of his weight being greater than mine. I pull at his arms again, now his head out as he takes in a couple of breaths. He splashes at the water violently,
"It's okay, you're okay!" I shout at him; bitter water making its way through my mouth. After calming down, I pull him heavily towards Ana; who's gripping tightly at an edge. Arin grabs at it and I let go. He shakes, water dripping from his hair as he takes in deep loud breaths.
"I can't jump up!" Ana says trying to pull herself up the edge. Arin puts his hand forward,
"Step on my hand and pull yourself up." He tells her through gritted teeth. She does as he says, sewer water falling on us. She throws her hand down to help us up and Arin grabs at it. With much effort, he pulls himself up into the dry ground.
I throw my hand out and Arin grabs at it, pulling me up. I grunt as my stomach squeezes as I collide with the edge. I pull my legs up and lay there, heaving in the stinky air.
"I hate water," Arin moans through shallow breaths.
"But we made it out, we're free," Ana says beaming. I push myself up, glancing at the hole entrance, we sure did come a long way down. I stand up on my feet; the sound of dripping water like a lullaby.
"They're not following us... " I point out,
"In my whole lifetime, I never saw anyone being that easy-going on us.." He pricks. I glance at him in question,
"It's like they were helping us leave or something... trust me, they were shlocking nice... a normal situation would have been us with a couple of limbs cut off at best." He goes on shrugging, seemingly excited by his line of thinking.
I do think he's right... I thought the dot would have been more brutal as well... from everything I heard, that was heaven back there. It's odd... it's like we're getting... special treatment.
"Where are we heading now?" Arin asks me, pulling at his mask off his neck in annoyance.
"I'm going home, I got some... situation to discuss," I say letting out a breath.
"Yay! I'll get to see where you live!" Ana beams standing up. I pull off her jacket, squeezing the water out of it. They don't seem ready to eat humans off, and it's better if I keep an eye on them maybe...
"You want to come to see my house?" I ask stalling really... I don't even feel like going myself... She nods beaming.
"Okay... let's go." I press; a heavy weight on my chest. I have been avoiding it, denying it to myself all this time... but I'm sure... my family is somehow interwound with all this.