The 5th Hour

My legs kept moving at the same pace as the stranger in front of me. He claims to be a doctor and a saviour of some sort, the only reason as to why he approached me was because I could make it...and Damien couldn't. I'm still trying to process this because if he was 'saving' me then where does he plan to take me.

My dad had his crew and van, they would give people a lift to the nearest safe house and then continue to scavenge the streets for the defenceless.

I don't even know this guy. Who knows where he mig lead me. I'm only following him because he knows my father and his murderer. As soon as I know who to go after then I will ditch him. I'm not here to be saved. I'm here to rightfully avenge my father.

I eyed the stranger, taking in his tall lean build, althought it was similar to Damien, this guy was much taller and the way he composed himself made him out as a sinister threat. Not to mention those icy blue eyes that pierce through you like daggers. I don't trust him. But he's given me enough reasons to leave Damien behind.

Selfish.

But hey, if im going to go to hell, I'd want to make an entrance.

"I don't even know your name." I said to him as we shuffled through the war-torn streets. We've crossed the road in a sprint before two racing cars whizzed by and did burn outs.

The strange grabbed my forearm and urged me on.

"You can call me Hendricks." He replied.

"So that's not your real name?" I asked, suddenly curious. I shrugged off his hold and matched his speed as we jumped fences and reached a quiet street- deathly quiet.

"No," Hendricks said in a cold tone. "A piece of everyone's character sheds as soon as the Purge. It doesn't matter who you were, what you are now is all that counts. So no. I won't tell you my real name because that person no longer exists." He said this without glancing back to me. I gulped. His words struck a chord within me and I wondered if he was right.

Am I Elleanor Crimson? Everyone called me Elle for short since I could walk but am I Elle, anymore? Elle wouldn't have killed a man without remorse. Elle wouldn't have abandoned her severely injured boyfriend. Elle would never embark on a suicide mission to avenge her father.

Elle did die the moment the Purge started.

"What should I call you?" Hendricks asked, probably sensing my thoughts.

I crushed my hands into moulds and decided to acknowledge the person I am now.

"You can call me-"

Gunshots and woof whistles filled the air.

Red bandannas?

"Get down," Hendricks pulled me behind a brick wall and produced a handgun. "Get your gun, ready." He hissed. I fumbled with my bloodied handgun and peeked a glance at the new found gang roaming this part of the streets.

"SkullKeepers." I whispered.

There are the ones in the leather jackets, imprinted with a skull posed with two guns crossed over. They travel on motorbikes and are well know for part taking in the Purge games. The SkullKeepers finish off their victims by using a massive hammer to dement the human skull, it's pretty ugly. Unlike the red bandannas, these guys are much older and aggressive. The red bandannas are horny, greedy misfits who specialise in brothels and armed robberies. These dude however love the blood and gore.

If they see Hendricks and I hidden behind this wall...I don't even want to know.

"You're father was executed at the intersection block away from here. If you want to make it there, we have to think strategically about how to get passed the SkullKeepers." He explained, as he dug deep into his vest and brought two gas balls.

I assume the gas are a sedative.

"As soon as they see the gas, their going to drive away, it's not like we can actually subdue them-"

"We're not aiming to take them down. We just need to cross the road and move on without having our heads dented in." Hendricks watched the SkullKeepers ride around in their motorbikes with a heavy hammer swung over their broad shoulders. Their waists were secured with bullet belts, grenades and handguns. They are definitely better armed than us. We have a few guns and some gas balls.

Hendricks is right, we can't take them down. But are they really going to run away at the sight of a gas ball?

That's when I noticed Hendricks pouring yellow powder into the gas balls with careful hands, like his down this before. I eyed it and realised that I've seen this stuff in the chemistry labs.

"Sulfur?"

"It's poisonous and burns like a bitch. This will definitely clear them out in seconds."

"But how are we going to prevent ourselves from getting burned?" It seemed like a good question.

"I have this other substance that will form a chemical reaction and neutralise the properties of sulfur." He showed me a bag of small glass balls with clear liquid inside them.

"Are you sure you're not a chemistry teacher?" I arched an eyebrow. I mean what kind of doctor is he?

"My wife was." He said. The implication of was meant she no longer was a chemistry teacher. So he's a widow. I felt bad for him. He and my dad are so alike. They have both lost their wives and fight for others because they cannot just sit and watch.

"Okay, let's do this." I prompted him.

Hendricks shook the gas balls in his hands before getting up. I assume he's just going to literally throw it at the SkullKeepers.

"Cover me," he ordered. I nodded and grabbed two handguns, ready to shoot. On the count of three, we emerged from the brick wall and ran out onto the street. Hendricks threw the first one west where most fi the group hung out. They didn't budge until the gas balls exploded.

"FUCK, WHAT THE FUCK IS THAT?" They screamed. "GET THIS SHIT OFF ME. FUCK IT'S BURNING MY EYES!"

The smell was foul and I could see that the sulfur was searing through layers of skin. I began to shoot at their vehicles, prompting them to get the fuck out of here. Satisfied, Hendricks threw the second gas ball east and it exploded on the SkullKeepers. Their engines roared as they skidded away with agonised groans. The gas was making me a little nauseous. Hendricks noticed and told me to back up.

I watched as Hendricks grabbed a handful of a the miniature glass balls, which he said were a substance that neutralised the properties of sulfur. It did have an immediate effect. The foul smell dulled down and the atmosphere appeared less sinister.

"Hurry!" Hendricks beckoned me. I sprinted with him across the road and we kept going without daring a glance back. We were heading for the intersection, the place where my dad was publically executed.

I suddenly felt sick in the stomach.

The closer we neared the intersection the more I was prone to vomiting. I could smell it. The smell of burnt flesh and chaos. He was crufidiced, set alight before having he eyes gauged. The most horrifying death and I witnessed it on the surveillance cameras...the very one that's nationally televised.

I stumbled to my knees when I saw him.

Hendricks stopped but didn't approach me. I just stared at the black crisp body, nailed to a cross with missing eyeballs. The hay had turned to ash and the rest of the intersection was abandoned. A few hours ago gangs surrounded this place and tortured my dad u til death. Now only the eerie silence and gust of cold wind occupied it. I was about thirty metres from my dad. Kneeling, my heart strings detached, mind erupted with fury and betrayal.

Everything inside screamed.

"Let's go." Hendricks nudged me.

I got up a little to fast and the first step I took meant bend over and spilling my guts out. I puked on the sidewalk and felt a hand pat my back. When I emptied myself, I slid down to my knees agains and burst out into hysterical tears.

"Look at what they did to him!" I yelled out.

"We have to go, there's cameras everywhere. We need to hide." Hendricks kept his calm but calculating tone and prodded me to move.

"Hide?!"

"If you want to live another second." Now he was stern.

"I don't care about what happens to me!" I threw my hands up in defeat. I don't give a shit about myself! I just wanted to kill the bastard that did this to my dad! thats when it hit me. Hendricks said he knew the culprit. I launched myself on him and tugged his collar, hard. "
You said you know who killed him! Who is he?"

"They all killed him!" He spat back at me.

"I need a name, a face, anything!" My face was red with anger. I was going insane. "He was wearing a white mask!"

"Are you seriously going to risk your life after everything you father did to save it?" Hendricks shoved me off.

"I have lost...everyone." I said, almost solemnly.

Realisation dawned on me. I have no parents. I lost them all to the purge. I'm an orphan now.

"So have I. I recognise that anger within you. I had it too. I still do! But its not about revenge! If you go after that man, it never ends! Vengeance lives on....and that's what they want!" Hendricks slapped me and my body lost coordination so I stumbled on the gravel and grazed the side of my face.

He wasn't kidding when he said he wasn't kind.

I glared at him, about to attack when we both jumped at the electronic government announcement.

"This is an announcement to all purgers and gangs. There will be another public execution on George St as a warning to those who interfere with our nation's annual purge. There are no heroes."

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A/N

5th Hour - throwing gas balls at SkullKeepers, witnessing Keiran's mutilated body and hearing that there's another public execution. Shit.

Super late update but it's here, tell me what you think okay!