A Special Announcement

I am going to be taking the rest of the month of October off, to relax prepare for my wedding that is coming up on the 23rd.  I will return in November with brand new stories!

#55 - The Riot (Exerpt from A Mechanical Heart)

I fired twice more as Randal wordlessly charged for me. I watched him expertly duck from my gunfire while pushing off the ground and grabbing at my middle. I let out an involuntary shout as I was lifted and thrown painfully into the wall of my home. He was on me then, his figure dominating my vision and shadow falling upon me as he snatched at my neck. I retaliated before his grip became too tight; pushing my bare foot into his chest and kicking. He faltered just enough for me to grab at his slackened hand. A loud cry ensued as I quickly gripped at Randal's index finger and twisted backward. I clamored to my feet, my breath shallow from the harsh blow to my abdomen. I watched as Randal clutched at his bent finger. His piercing eyes were upon me as he cracked the digit down. The next moment he was charging me again. I ducked backward as he had swung something at my face. I sidestepped another swinging motion, my eyes taking in the familiar glint of sharpened metal now cradled in Randal's uninjured hand.

Again and again, he swung the blade at any exposed part of me he could manage. I cringed as a light sting grazed against my chin. I let out a pained cry, attempting to feign a damaging blow. I clutched at my face in mock horror, my eyes gazing through my fingers toward Randal. He seemed excessively pleased with himself; a large grin decorated his aged face. I waited as he made his way toward me, the shimmering blade at the ready. He stepped directly in front of me, the knife bearing downward at my slumped frame. I acted instantly. I gripped at his armed wrist and twisted away while pushing the end of my pistol into the meaty flesh and pulling the trigger. I heard a cry of pain and surprise amidst the deafening boom of my gun. I kicked at his chest a second time, his body falling easily away from me.

“Citizens of Tech, you are under arrest!” I heard a voice sound from somewhere, “Surrender all weapons and lie down with your arms at your sides!”

I gazed upward at the many speakers that clung to poles throughout the street to hear the same two sentences being repeated a second time. Had the message been repeating all this time? My eyes whipped back to Randal, his back severely hunched as he clawed at his bleeding arm with a broken hand. Wordlessly, he rose and began sprinting down the dark street, his figure instantly lost in the soupy night.

I turned my attention to the burning houses beside my own. It had quieted down considerably, save for the blaring announcement that likely filled the entire city. Several bodies littered the street on both sides of me, a few ragged Engineers training weapons upon the masses now settled into the ground. I jogged to the nearest one; an older man with a silver pistol with similar attributes to my own.

“Antoinette, is it?” he asked while shoving his foot into the nearest cowering rioter, “What the hell happened here?”

I watched him for a few moments, his gaze never meeting with my own.

“Not sure,” came my response.

The man's name escaped me.

“Patrol should be here to pick them up soon,” I added quickly, my pistol now focused and poised for any sudden movements.

I began slowly patrolling the soon-to-be-prisoners, my gun pointed at each of them. Most were impossible to discern from alive or dead; the only indication coming from a rise and fall in back muscles to breathe.