The leaves were slowly getting soaked with blood, but since Yarrow can clot it, I wasn't too worried unless it bled out past the leaves.

I've changed into the clothes provided, granted, it did take me a while as I had to make sure to not reopen something. But it fit me well, almost as though this were preplanned. I feel a stab of guilt as I make sure to check all the folds and pockets for bugs.

She was trying to help, and here I am doubting her.

The sirens have been coming and going, but that's only going to last for a short while before the grid search starts. All those local heroes who want to find the bleeding kid in the woods will jump at the situation. A strand of hair falls into my face and I'm reminded that I don't exactly blend in.

Messy red hair that I'm sure is coated in dirt that goes to between my shoulders, eyes that were blue last I checked - even if one of them is unable to currently open, and freckles that go for miles.

"Hello?" I jump and whirl around as a voice calls out to me, "Wait, wait, calm down. I didn't know someone else came out here." As they speak again, I see a figure come into view and narrow my eyes.

Female, I think, unarmed, seems to have no combat experience, but I could be wrong, young.

I back up as they come closer and they stop moving.

"Wait a minute, aren't you the girl that was called in on the police scanner?" She beams suddenly and claps, "You are! You've changed clothes, but it has to be you!"

Two ways to silence someone, by fear or respect. When it comes to kids, perhaps a lie.

"Have you seen her?" I reply with as much enthusiasm as I can, "The girl, I mean. I know her, and I was hoping that I would be able to find her!" The little girl giddily jumps up and down as she gasps.

"Is she your sister? I don't have a sister, but I've always wanted one. Can we trade? I have a little brother." She looks at me hopefully while batting her eyelashes. A smirk falls across my lips as I raise an eyebrow.

"I don't think so. She means a lot to me, as your brother should to you." She opens her mouth to protest and I hold up a finger, "Not many people get to have siblings, but they would give anything for family. We got lucky, we have someone to lean on and someone who looks up to us. We get to play something vital in their growing up." Her eyes widen as she lowers her head.

"I didn't... I didn't think about it like that." She mummers before snapping to excitement again, "I'm going home to play with my brother, I hope you find your sister!" And she's gone in seconds.

Have fun, Kid.

I turn back to my spot and shove the clothes under the fallen tree I'd been sitting on, this will at least throw off dogs if they have my scent. Then, I head back to town. The going is painfully slow as I maneuver just on the edge of the hidden woods to make sure I end up in a different place than last time.

It's a lot quieter over here, I'm able to actually breath as I slow down and walk along the side walk. Now that my clothes are out of the way, my hair is the next issue I have to face. I calmly walk towards a gas station, avoiding the camera behind the register as I head for the bathroom. It's empty.

I slowly manage to pull my hand out of my pocket, beginning washing off the caked blood that had run down my arm and stuck to my face. My intuition pays off as nobody else enters the bathroom while I do this.

It's a good thing the bullet would is on my higher arm, otherwise this wouldn't have worked.

As I leave, I can feel the guy at the register watching me. I imagine he was thinking that I stole something and is trying to see it to give a probably cause for stopping me. But, I didn't take anything, and it's proven by the alarms remaining quiet. Once outside again without the worry of blood showing, I take a good look around.

   "Let me go! Get your hands off me!"

Don't do it. Don't stop. Keep going, you're hurt, and it'll make things worse.

    "Someone, please, anyone!"

My feet stop as my breathing quickens. Images of a little red headed girl being thrown against the wall flash across my vision, the four men that have her cornered laugh.

Fucking-

I turn and head towards the noise, shoulders hunched as I set my jaw again. Out of everything on my mind, this shouldn't even be a possible outcome. I should keep walking. I should do this, I should do that, but I'm not. I'm walking towards a fight because I can't get over my own, personal bullshit.

   "Oí!" I call out to the alleyway, seeing the girl on her hands and knees in the dirt. There are three of them.

The cliche three, a leader and two followers.

    "Who the hell are you?" The middle, cliche leader, turns as he squares me up. "Grab her, boys."

This is so typical I feel like I'm gagging. This isn't a comic book, people, wake up.

     "Really." I fix him with a bored look, "You aren't good enough to come after me yourself or something? Gotta have your lackies do it for you?" This gets his attention as the woman on the floor is violently shaking her head. I can see tears turning the dirt to mud below her.

    "Alright, little girl." He chuckles as he shoved past the pair, "I'll get you myself."

He's big, but slow. I could read it in his gate. There's no visible wounds, but scar tissue can get sensitive too depending on how it's healed. He's obviously been in fights guessing from the number of various scars, his lip has been busted open too.

Seems like an easy one. Just gotta take him down before he can grab me.

"Are you? With that stance? I don't think so." I smile innocently before shrugging, "But what can I know, I'm just a little girl, right?" My reaction makes him pause as he glances back at his buddies. Obviously, a girl like me is just bluffing, and he needs to look good to gain respect from his followers.

Little do you know, you're about to have your butt handed to you.

He gets within arms reach and swings out for me, aiming to grab my arm and probably pull me back into the depths of the alley. Shame that he never gets the chance. Ignoring the pain that flares through my side, I duck under his arm and blink angelically as I look at his arm.

"You missed?" One of his bro's chuckles behind him, "Come on, man, we haven't even drank yet."

   "She dodged, you idiot!" He snaps in return as his fists clench. I can see the muscles bulging in his neck as he faces me, but I couldn't help edge him further.

If he gets too worked up, he'll loose common sense and this can get over quicker.

"Wait, you haven't drank yet? Are you sure you weren't drugged, then?" The noise he makes can only be described as a strangled cow. I blink as legitimate worry passes through me, "Or perhaps being murdered...?" He snaps and swings at me with the force of a freight train.

I duck again and move to behind him, movements fluid as I try to measure my breathing. With my momentary distraction, his swing hits me square in the chest and I sail into the wall. Breathing techniques move in so that I don't get winded.

My teeth grit together as I push the pain down into a vast pit of nothingness. My fists clench beside me as I lock onto my target.

"The thing that ruins any fight is emotion, you won't think clearly."

The words make me calm myself before I slip between the male's legs when he spins around again. His breathing is raged and uncontrolled as he seems to be swinging wildly. Once I'm sure that his reputation has been ruined with his buddies, I move into my offensive actions.

On his next fist of fury, I duck below it and move closer to him - spinning into my favorite roundhouse kick to his nerve cluster under the armpit. He staggers, but I'm not done. I drop to a squatting position and swing my foot in a circle around me, knocking his ankles out from below him as he slams against the ground. A quick push, and I'm back on my feet with a smile.

"One down..." My eyes lock onto the other two, "Two to go." With their boss coughing and gagging on the ground, they did the smart thing and grabbed him before leaving. I turn my attention to the girl and walk over, kneeling. "Are you okay, Ma'am?"

"Y- Yes, I'm alright now." I help her to her feet as she looks at me, "A- Are you?"

Still shaky, probably going through some sort of shock. If I could get her to safety that would be best, perhaps walking her to the nearest police station would do - she'd be able to give a description.

"I am, do you need help going anywhere? I'm sure there's a safer place for you than an alleyway." I joke as I make my fatal mistake.

I turn my back to her to look for help elsewhere.

"I'm sure you can help me enough." Her voice has taken a dark turn, loosing the fear that I had heard earlier.

What-?!

I whirl around too late as something impacts my stomach and makes me double over. I grab her wrist to keep her from pulling it out. She laughs as I feel the tendon she was using for grip move, meaning she's released it. My lips move for words, but I can't push my voice out as she starts to back up.

I won't let you, I need a way to find you.

As her arm slides out of my grip, I wait until her hand is there before I grab again and snap it. She lets out a scream as her wrist breaks under my hand and a swift hit is delivered to my eye. I fall to the ground as my vision is starting to blur and distort. I see her feet moving to run, but there's like three moving pairs of them, I have no way to tell which ones are actually her. I hear a car screeching as it peels off the asphalt, and know she's gone.

I don't think I can patch this one up.

Moving is hurting, the impact from the wall before definitely opened something, and now I have to worry about two bleeding stomach wounds. However, I need to get up. I have to get moving before I bleed out in an empty alleyway. I shove my hands below me and push myself up off the wall, but I'm leaning heavily.

I ruined her outfit.

Tears begin to sting my dirt filled eyes, making it even harder to see straight through the swelling starting to puff up. I try to keep them from falling as I stagger to the front of the alley. A gurgling noise is beginning to build up each time I inhale, I feel liquid whenever I exhale. She got me good.

Suddenly, a baby blue Pontiac screeches and does a fast U-turn in the street before coming to a stop in front of me.

Oh no no no, I can't fight. I can't defend.

Panic wells as I start scooting back and try to look for a different way to escape this. Four people come out of the car, and tears begin to slide down my cheeks as I know I'll be kidnapped and killed.

    "It's alright, imma police officer!" The blonde one calls as she starts advancing on me, but quickly stops as I fall into a coughing fit. Blood burns my tongue as it rolls out of my mouth, I've doubled over - surprising myself as I'm able to stay upright.

     "Dirty." I cough out, wiping my mouth as I tense for a fight.

     "She's no dirty cop." The male that was with her stands at her defense, "Look, I'm not a cop, I'm not armed-" He holds his hands up and does a little spin, "We just want to help." I shake my head, sending tears off and trying to prevent myself from throwing up.

    "Jake," The blonde puts a hand on his chest to stop him, "We need an ambulance." The name makes me pause as I look back to the male with hope beginning to dull the pain.

    "Doyle?" I gasp as the gurgling is beginning to reach into every breath I take. Thankfully, he nods quickly despite his confusion. "Sloane..." I mummer just before my eyes roll into darkness as I faintly hear shouts, but... it's so calm...

So... warm...