“My name is Karen,” the woman added, satisfied with Hugo’s silence. “And we are here to ensure that the aliens will not have any spies in this town. Once we’re done here, we’ll leave a few members behind and continue on. If you would like to become a member, we’ll reward you greatly. We will find the aliens hiding here, and then we’ll make sure to eradicate them from every town until we have enough members to fight back. Don’t mess with the Red Hand.”
Logan went stiff, watching. This woman…I understand why, I understand that. I just…this isn't the way to do it. There are easier ways to figure out if someone is like me.
“And aliens,” Karen added, taking a sweeping glance all around, “don’t think you can hide from me. I will find you.” With that, she glared at one of the people in the circle. “Where can the members of the Red Hand stay while in your city?”
Logan backed away again, silently leaving to go and warn Allie. He had to leave. He had to figure out a way to get out of here, or he would be killed.
Meanwhile, Allie was wondering what on earth could be happening, anxiously. After a few minutes she got out of her bed, looking around for a weapon, just in case.
Logan made it back, running upstairs. "I have to go." He said quickly, looking at her. "I…there's a group called the Red Hand, they're killing everyone they think is an Alien."
Allie’s eyes widened. “Oh my goodness! Where are you going to go?” She didn’t want him to leave her, but more importantly, she didn’t want him to die.
Logan grabbed his bag, checking that his gun was loaded. "I don't know." He replied. "The woods, maybe? I don't know."
“Wait, we have to think about this logically,” she said, pulling her hair into a ponytail. “Do you know where they’ve already been? Maybe if we go that way, they won’t think to look for us there, assuming all of the aliens in those areas are gone.”
"No, I don't. And what's this about we? No, you're staying here to rest and get better." Logan replied.
“No way, I’m going with you,” Allie argued, putting her hands on her hips. “Two is definitely better than one here. I’ve got your back, and if I go too they have no way of knowing where we went.”
Logan sighed. "Fine. Bring your meds, lets go." He replied, shouldering his bag. "Come on, I need to get out of here before the Red Hand gets here."
She was glad and a bit surprised that he had given in so easily, but she quickly got out a bag and put her meds and a few other things into it, not that she really owned much. “Okay, I’m ready. Let’s go.”
He had given in because he knew she wouldn't just drop it, and he was more concerned with getting out than with arguing with her. "Okay. Come on." He replied, heading for the house's back door
Allie followed him quickly, glancing around in case someone was coming. She heard voices that sounded like they were coming up the drive, though whoever it was wasn’t close enough for Allie to make out the individual words. She glanced at Logan, eyes wide. They had to get out of there—and fast!
Logan's eyes flashed, and he opened the door, holding it for her. "To the woods." He hissed between his teeth, body tense and tight, ready to run.
Allie nodded, hurrying out the door as fast as she could. The voices were drawing closer; they’d probably be at the door soon.
Logan hurried her into the woods, casting backwards glances as they went. "Allie. If they find us, pretend I'm holding you captive and will shoot you if they come too close." He whispered.
She frowned, looking like she wanted to argue, but she held her tongue and nodded. She tried to be as quick and quiet as possible as she slipped through the trees. A loud knock at the door sounded, and she knew that they had to be far from the house when the people at the door realized that they had left.
Logan led her into the woods, going deeper and deeper without a care as to if they could get out easily again.
Allie glanced around as they went, trying to spot anything conspicuous or different so as to find her way back again should she need to. However she was not the best at navigation, so she trusted that Logan knew what he was doing. Her mind wandered as she followed him through the forest. If whoever was at her house had figured out their departure, they hadn’t come after them yet, at least that was how it sounded to Allie, but she was still cautious, just in case.
Logan kept moving quickly, guided purely by survival instinct, at this point. He kept walking, not making a sound when thorns tore into his skin. He just knew he needed to move.
Allie kept following behind him, fear seeping into her mind as the initial adrenaline faded away. She still felt that sticking with Logan was the right thing to do. The only noises she could hear were either her, Logan, or the remaining wildlife.
Logan kept moving. We have to be as deep in the woods as possible. It's safer. He clutched his gun on a white knuckled grip, shoulders tense.
Allie continued to follow him, unsure exactly where they were going. She wondered how much longer they would keep walking through the forest like this. It felt like forever to her, but she wasn’t about to admit anything.