Be My Eyes

She asked me why I was running, and I asked her the same. What was interesting is that she didn't argue, or question my avoidance. Maybe the girl was still catching up to herself since we were just barely chased out by a mob. Barely. All those men with guns and the shouts, it was fresh on my mind and so was the soot stained on my skin. The girl, on the otherhand, she was running too. For whatever reason she was. It's dark out and it's hard to see anything, seeking refuge for just a little while in this complex could do before the wave dissipates. I don't know her, she doesn't know me- I hope she doesn't- but we're in this together. At least till I ditch her. There's no hard feelings but it would be better this way.

I really don’t see why she bothered sticking around unless its for me to keep dragging her around but after tonight, that’ll be all. I’ve got places to be anyways.

"I was running due to a bad encounter, it's dangerous to be alone at night after all." Granted. I mean considering how many kidnappings have been happening it's really a shame. But I pressed, "How bad of a situation could it be to where you get the cops involved?" And she swayed slightly, the handle of her parasol tight in her grasp as the sharp end of it lulled against the wood floor. It's thankfully not that cold here, but it was awfully dark. At least there was a sofa to sit on for a while. "Those weren't the police." That soft voice corrected, "that was my family." And I blinked.

"Odd, yes, but they were doing... conflicting things, so I did something about it." There was something of a shrug but it was hard to make out in the moonlight, the stranger seemed to understand that I nodded. "Now, correct me if I am wrong but you smell like gunpowder." Was it really that obvious? I looked away, shifting further into the dusty cushions. "Wh-" "I had to do what I had to do." And then there was silence. Was it bad that I didn't feel bad for what I did? It was.... it was granted, he wanted it. He was suffering and nothing was helping him so I had to, why else would he live that way if it was only to keep struggling.

I think I felt bad? But I did what was right. It made sense, it would have made him happy.

That isn't an issue anymore though. The issue now is the realization that I got mixed into something accidentally that I could have gotten out of and now, I've got more of a ways to go. Geez, I saw a girl running and really thought that there was the police. They already don't do jack squat but to presume I was seen and reported, stupid.

"I see." She stirred, after the painful quiet that went shrill in the air. "Unless you plan to do the same to me," a frown pressed to my face as the girl dragged her umbrella "we should get going." "Get going? Why should I go with you?" A hand rose in the light, you could see it if your eyes focused enough. She brought a hand up to her lips, telling me to be quiet. "Listen" was her request, and just faintly there was... the faintest of a thud. Like a rat hitting the wall, you would think it were the boiler acting up if it weren't for the undeniable sounds of chattering. Interesting. 

The building we sought refuge in was a apartment complex, abandoned and left to age alone. There were quite the many doors so it would take the other uninvited guests, asides from me and the girl, to even get here. Then again if you could barely hear them getting up here then thats an issue. You shouldn’t have to hear them at all.

"You can do one of two things: stay here and let my family shoot you in the head," with her dolled shoe she tapped the floor, gesturing, "or you can come with me, and I can help you." Then there was a kick, a heave, something finally fell and it busted through. The girl nodded, directing her attention at the floor like she could see through it, head tracking to the side watching. "You seem adamant on doing things alone, but there are... 20 men. They're searching the floor below us-" Shaking my head, my feet carried me sooner than I decided to get up. "Alright. Where should we go." "It would be best if you told me." She laughed, an airy soft laugh. "I'd really like it if you helped me too you know, don't make me do everything." "Oh heavens, you won't, I just can't see what you see. I'm an oculus."

I've had enough oculus' in my life that I've dealt with already, but maybe this could be useful... and right in the head. Right in the head enough, whatever she did, I can assess later but if she can use her eyes to her advantage then that's what's important.

"I can tell you where they are but you will have to find an escape route- oh we're going!" Grabbing her hand, she was very sure of holding onto that umbrella as I dragged her to her feet and headed towards the window. I couldn't care that she knocked into me when I stopped suddenly at the wall side. "Do you trust me?" "A man who smells like ammunition, of course. Do you trust me?" Sticking my head out the window and searching for something, there was a escape rail but it looked rickety, even in this lighting I knew that it'd hold for so long. There was a car down there but if I jumped and landed it would break my fall but probably break my bones, which is better than looking at the end of gun barrel. We're on the third story of an abandoned building and there is nothing, even the dumpster was empty. 

Looking back in and seeing at how she's starring at the floor, she's as calm as a clam at the bottom of the sea.

"Found the stairwell." She tracked, humming.

Fire escape it is.