Free 29:16:04:59 by Joshua Johnson Page A

to Washington. Take a right, and when you get to Cicero you’ll be almost there. You’ll see that red glare from the numbers after few more blocks. There will be a movie theater on the left side. Move through that movie theater; it’ll get you closest to the tower.” Glasses had removed a pair of brass knuckles and wrapped them around his right hand.
                  “What’s going on?” I asked, worried.
                  “Mobs. We’ve been helping the officers fight them, but you just worry about the part you play, Jackson. I’ll try to keep this place alive long enough for whatever change you can make, if that is what’s supposed to happen,” Glasses said. He moved his arm slowly, laying the hand with the brass knuckles on my shoulder. The brass was slightly discolored with a red tint. “Now get out of here. Please.”
    “But…?” I was cut off as Glasses circled around me. He took off his leather jacket, revealing his bare back. Tattoos covered his torso, and more scars rippled his skin.
                  This isn’t your fight! At least not yet. Move it, Jackson!”
                  Glasses shoved me backwards and pointed. I didn’t need any other suggestions. I took off as fast as I could and managed a few blocks before looking back. I didn’t see Glasses anymore. He had disappeared somewhere beyond the shadows.
    I turned on Washington, running towards whatever I was meant to see.

 
    Chapter 7: Being a Target
     
                 
                  Washington Street was completely empty, void of everything I was used to. There was little damage, as if somehow our great disaster didn’t exist here. That’s not to say it was completely free of harm. The sidewalks on either side of the road were fractured. Weeds and grass burst through the cracks, and automobile wreckage dotted spaces here and there.
                  I wasn’t followed or chased. Whatever happened to Glasses, whatever that was, it didn’t spill over into this part of town.  It used to be common for skirmishes and wars to take place here. This city was broken down into groups that controlled different parts of town, or at least that was how it was when we first started trying to live together. I could hardly believe these people could still be like that, though. Didn’t they understand? We didn’t have forever here. We couldn’t escape it. There was no leaving this town. These petty squabbles were of little use anymore. They should have known this after everything we have discovered about the turning and our twenty-sixth birthday.
                  I held my pistol at the ready as I made my way down the sidewalk. It was going to get more dangerous as I got further into the city, and just knowing I had the ability to defend myself made it easier to keep moving forward. But I vowed only to use the gun as a last resort. Popping off a few rounds meant an entire village of people could hear the sound. Some would come running, wondering, others might come with knives, brinks, and bats after the uncommon display of firepower.
                  “Come on! Where are we?” I said out loud. The directions were simple enough, but as time passed I grew no closer to my destination. It was exasperating. This was taking longer than I needed it to.
                  “Hey you!” a voice shouted from behind.
    Twisting around, I held the gun behind my back. No reason to upset the gentle folk of Downtown. There were twelve of them. They held brinks, bats, knives, shovels, and any means of making an impact in a skull. I should have stuck to the shadows. This was going to get messy.
    I didn’t dare respond. How had so many snuck up on me? I needed to be more careful than this. The urge to aim the gun at them made my finger twitch, but I didn’t dare make such a gesture yet. I took a few steps backwards, maybe instinctually, maybe out of fear.