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I walked slowly, a hand pressed to the stitch in my side as I tried to catchoff the buildings don

She cla her arn above the door had once advertised a barbecue place with a folksy naoopy red letters The sa Blue and I had seen in the house outside of town

“Reo back inside,” I said

Just because nobody had tried to kill us yet didn’t mean they weren’t around, and I would feel better with her safely waiting inside a building I should have sped up to chase in her inside, but s felt like rubber

“Harlow, stay here!” Lia leaned her head out the

They were all yelling when they should be quiet When Harlow kept co to listen to either of us, Lia cliet her Maybe she sensed that there was still soain, and I looked over at it I heard a clicking, sounding oddly loud thanks to the buildings, and some part of me knehat it was but couldn’t place it

Suddenly, the crow exploded in a burst of black feathers I never heard the gun go off, but the sniper had thought to use a silencer

Fro off the top of the building on the corner Harlow jumped back, startled by the bird, but she didn’t ain

“Run!” I shouted and sprang into action

I ran towards Harlow as fast as I could, the adrenaline reviving s She stared atcrow to understand what happened

I threw an ar her around the corner I dove around the side of the building, sla her down onto the sidewalk, with e of fire, hidden beside the building I sat up and looked behindhappened…” Lia was saying, her voice barely audible, and she turned to look at me She had her hand on her sto around it

“Lia!” Harlow yelled

I keptout into the street Lia stood in the middle of it, co her again

I had a feeling that was their plan When I ran, Lia stayed frozen, so they took the easy shot They left her wounded, like bait to lure us back out into the open

Lia held out her hand, staring at the blood in total confusion It was as if she couldn’t understand what it was or how it got there Then she looked up at htened tears