Fifth Avenue

Fifth Avenue all sat in a small room on the top floor of an apartment building. No one spoke, but everyone sat together. Fear, worry, anger and hurt could be sensed throughout the room.

The war was soon to come; nobody expected to come out unscathed or alive.

Justin sat in the corner of the room tossing a ball from one hand to another, Hartley sat on the windowsill doing nothing but looking out to the empty streets. Bullet and Shooter sat beside each other cleaning their guns and Doc sat in the corner not saying anything to the group but instead muttering something to himself.

Doc stood up, his tall frame towering over everyone as they sat “Let’s get to work then” he says feigning bravery, he knew he needed to take everyone’s mind occupied before everyone was driven mad.

Everyone got up and Doc led them outside where five boxes sat “We need to set up traps and sensors to capture and warn up of The Association he says passing everyone a box “Justin you will do roof tops and then help Hartley do the outskirts of the town, Bullet and Shooter you guys can do the buildings you think are most likely to be taken over and I will do the main streets” he orders.

Justin moves his box to his left arm and grabs Hartley’s shoulder, immediately they are on the roof of the tallest building in the town, Hartley breaths out and Justin opens his box placing to large wired machines onto the roof and pressing the red button on the top which Hartley assumed activated them.

The pair quickly finished the roof tops and the outskirts of the city and they found themselves to be the first ones back to the apartment. Justin hurriedly walked into the spare bedroom which Doc set up as the make-shift prison.

Candii sat on the floor with chained hands, although she sat up her head hung low, her normally bright pink hair was dark and oiled, her skin was a mixture of dirt and blood. Hartley felt sympathy every time she saw her, as she knew how it felt to be in the position.

Candii looks up showing her sunken eyes, she smiles showing her yellow teeth “Hello boy toy, miss me, did you?” she taunts and Justin grunts, avoiding her eye contact.

Hartley walks in and brings Justin out of the room, Candii screaming as they leave. She didn’t want to give into Candii’s thirst for attention.

A loud crash came echoing from the streets, both Hartley and Justin go sprinting to the window to investigate, to their surprise it was Doc and Bullet fighting. Justin grabbed Hartley’s arm and they teleport down to the street.

“What’s going on?” Justin asks Shooter who was sitting comfortably on the side of the road.

“Doc made a statement about Bullet’s fighting technique becoming sloppy, she didn’t take it all that well” he laughs. Justin looks to Hartley and they shrug taking a seat beside Shooter “I bet my girl is going to win” Shooter says.

“We’ll go Doc, you’re on” Justin challenges, Shooter smirks at him and holds out his hand. Both men shook and then looked back to the fight ahead of them.

Bullet goes to hit Doc across the head but he dodges knocking her off her feet, she catches herself before falling and flips trying to kick him but once again he stealthily dodges out of the way “Very predictable” Doc yells to Bullet causing her to get further angered.

She lunges forward and lands a punch into Doc’s stomach making him stumble back, he quickly moves his hand to the wounded area and heals it before striking Bullet across the face as she goes in for another attack.

The shock of the attack causes Bullet to lose her footing and fall onto the hard rubble floor, doc quickly moves in as he leans over her placing a shiny knife over her neck “Mercy?” she says, repeating her husband’s words and raising her hands.

Doc stays there for a second before getting up “Pay up” Justin says turning to Shooter with an open hand, Shooter rolls his eyes and hands Justin twenty dollars he smiles victoriously. “I win” Justin cheers and Hartley chuckles at his ridiculous attitude.

That night while everyone was sleeping Hartley snuck out of the window and crawled onto the roof, the familiar cold breeze and smell of salt met her as she sat down. Looking out she couldn’t help but smile she needed this, a distraction.

The water hit against the destroyed boats and the bright moon left little to the shadows, Hartley looks up as she hears a small noise and looks over seeing Justin trying to climb up with her but failing horribly.

“Are you okay?” Hartley asks and Justin grunts pulling himself onto the roof completely.

“Thought I could join you” he says strained “if you were okay with that?” Hartley nods and taps the spot beside her; he quickly sits down his hand lightly grazing and sitting beside hers.

Justin looks out to the view and releases a breath “This is really beautiful” he says in awe, Hartley nods but doesn’t say anything. “Hey, I was thinking, I mean after this is all finished I could finish teaching you to read” he asks and she looks to him with a smile.

“I would really like that, thank you” Justin nods and looks at her smiling. The teens lean back, both of their eyes glistening in the light of the moon and stars neither knowing when they had ever seen a sight so breath taking.

In that small moment, for Hartley, she felt normal and at peace, the fear of what she knew was coming slowly fading away and she did something she hadn’t done in a very long time…she enjoyed herself in the moment.