Arcadia Part One Section Eight

8.

"Please step back! We need to section off this area!" a harsh voice commanded, followed by a pair of hard hands taking hold of my shoulders.
The voice seemed kind of distorted. It came to me in waves. I could hear my heart pounding against my eardrums and an irritating ringing noise made for a horrible combination.
"Step back!" the voice wracked again, but this time I was forcefully shoved.
I almost fell as my feet backed against the curb. I was in the street? The hands had prevented my fall and gripped my arms. I hated it. I felt constrained and I could feel a building pressure push inside my body. It was like if I didn't scream, if I didn't say anything, I would explode.
"Why didn't you stop?" I cried.

I didn't know my own strength. I had ripped myself free from his grasp and shoved him back a couple of inches. By the look on his face I could tell he had underestimated me as well.
"You saw her!"
"Ma'am, calm down!"
"You saw her! I know you did because you honked your horn!" I said as I shoved him again. It felt good to scream, to accuse, to blame. I felt as if I was finally gaining control. "You had time to stop! You could have stopped!" I screamed and shoved him harder, this time sending him flying into his own hum-v, "You killed her! You murdered her!" the words exhilarated me, for they were the truth. He had killed her purposefully and I wouldn't let him escape his fate. He was guilty, "You murderer! You murderer! You killed her!" I screamed again and again. Shoving and hitting him again and again. I reveled in his pain. I was satisfied by his distressed expression. He finally understood the weight of his actions. He finally understood my hurt. "Murderer!"

"Hey!" a deeper, rougher voice called.
Before I could respond I was apprehended again. This time a little more violently. I was slung and slammed up against the hum-v. I couldn't believe it. I was being treated like a criminal!
"Are you alright Matthews?" the man asked.
"Yeah, just a little shaken up." Matthews said with relief.
"Your first time dealing with an irrational citizen?" the man lightheartedly asked.
"Yeah." Matthews chuckled.
"Irrational?" I barked, "I'm not irrational! You know what you did!"
"Hey! Shut up!" the man commanded as he slammed me into the hum-v again.
"You know what you did!" I continued.

"Matthews, I got this. You go finish sectioning off the area."
"Yes sir."
Matthews saluted and went to do as he was told. How could he be so unfazed?
"You know what you did, Matthews!" I called.
"Hey!" the man yelled as he slung me around to face him.
"Matthews!" I cried as I searched for him, but it was too late. He had faded into the military line.
"I said shut up." The man said in a threatening tone. He really was intimidating. He was huge and by the feel of his grip was more muscle instead of the other way round. His eyes held me in a trance. They were sharp and cold. The kind of eyes you'd imagine a jaguar to have before attacking its prey. "You assaulted an officer. That's grounds for arrest." He growled.

"I...I'm sorry." I said carefully. I was scared to speak.
"Sorry isn't going to cut it."
He twisted my arm behind my back, further up than necessary. The pain surged through me and I stifled a scream. His other hand took hold of my shoulder and he forcefully led me away from the scene. He led me away from the crowd to a secluded area where it would be hard to see us from any angle. My heart was pounding. What had I gotten myself into?

"Look, I'm sorry. Please let me go. I was just upset about the woman. I was hysterical. Like you said, I was irrational."
"Now listen to me." He growled as he pushed me into the wall. "You're making the situation worse than it is. People like you make me sick. Crying and screaming like it's the end of the world. There are things far worse going on than some woman losing her life."
"Worse than it is? Some woman losing her life? How could you dismiss-"
A sharp pain shot through my arm. He had taken my arm and began to twist it.
"There are more important things than the death of some woman. You should just stick to worrying about yourself." As he spoke his grip tightened and he continued to twist, "If you keep this up I'll make sure you're charged with your crime."

"My crime?" my voice was meek and broken.
"You pushed the woman out into the street."
"No! I didn't! She walked out there on her own! I swear!"
"You pushed her. You threatened her. Forced her to take off her Shield and end her life." He said a little too convincingly.
"I..." I broke off. I didn't know what to say. By the look in his eyes I could tell he was more than capable of making me disappear. He watched me in a ominous manner, like a cobra waiting to strike. What could I do? I apologized but that didn't seem to be enough. I was going to be arrested and probably executed for a crime I didn't commit.

"Lieutenant Bartholomew, the ambulance has arrived." A man's voice called.
The Lieutenant's grip slackened and he revealed himself to the man.
"Is the area sectioned off?"
"Yes sir, but the masses have grown. It's getting impossible for us to control them."
"Make sure you call for back up. And get me a squad car ready."
"A squad car?"
"Yes, I'm taking someone in for questioning." The Lieutenant said while pulling out a pair of handcuffs.
"Yes sir."
Before he could return his hold I broke free. There was no way I was getting arrested.
"Hey!" I could hear the Lieutenant cry.

I pushed my way through the crowd, taking no time to see if I was being pursued. Once I broke free from the crowd I pushed myself to run as fast as I could. I turned down an alley and my pulse quickened as I heard the sound of boots resonating after me. I just needed to get as far away as possible. Far away enough to lose him, I kept telling myself. The alley opened up to a street. I didn't stop. I would rather take my chances getting hit than being tortured to death in some prison.
"Stop right there!" I heard the Lieutenant command.

My pace accelerated at the sound of his voice. I shot out across the street, ignoring the blaring horns and shouts. I hoped my little stunt in the street would slow the Lieutenant down. I turned down another alley which suddenly opened up in two paths. I took the right. A mistake I soon regretted as it stopped at a dead end. I heard the Lieutenant's steps closing in. I ducked behind a dumpster and fought to gain control of my breathing. The footsteps stopped and I could hear him wheezing. His breathing calmed and he took a step in my direction. I looked around and found nothing to defend myself with. It was impossible to escape.
"You're cornered. You should just come out now." He called.

But I apologized. I admitted my faults, what more did he want? Why was he chasing me?
"You're under arrest, for attacking an officer, murder, and an attempted escape." He announced.
Suddenly, he grabbed my arm violently and ripped me from my seat. I screamed out as he slammed my body against the dumpster. He twisted my arm behind my back and took out his handcuffs.
The sound of the chain made me shake.
"Please! No! I'm sorry! I said I was sorry!" I plead.
"You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of-"

I heard a dull ringing. The Lieutenant's hold slipped and he fell to the ground.
"Stop!" I heard him cry.
When I snatched around the Lieutenant had pulled his gun and cocked back the hammer. A man stood over him with a rusted pipe and swung. The gun was shot and was sent flying to the ground. Before the Lieutenant could stand the man knocked him back to the ground with another swing of the pipe, however it wasn't enough to stop the Lieutenant as he quickly scurried for the gun. The man stepped on the Lieutenant's back and began to beat him in the head with the pipe until he stopped moving. The man fought to catch his breath and wobbled his way towards the gun. He picked it up and aimed it at the Lieutenant. The hammer cocked and the gun sounded. Blood spilled from the wound and pooled around his body.

The man's gaze finally rested on me. I had seen him kill a man so that meant I was next. But he saved my life. He wouldn't kill me after saving me would he? He dropped the pipe and grabbed his shoulder. I didn't realize that the bullet had pierced him until then. We met eyes and my body shivered. I was certain I was next.
"Run." He said.