Chapter Thirty-Four: Corralled

“Damn,” Coal cursed as she ducked into an alleyway. Guards streamed past them, the streamers now lying in the streets flattened by the scattering crowds. Orders were bellowed from between the buildings. A guardian held her horn in the air and allowed a pulse to flow from it. Coal felt her scales shift and her aura fade. “What cursed magic,” she scoffed hidden by the shadows. The guardian looked around, as if uneasy, then sped back down the street.

They'd already attempted to leave the district and had almost got caught. The only way out was past the magic of those foul guardians. Claw shifted uneasily at her side, Fang cleared the other end of the alley.

As they worked their way down the streets and out of eyeshot it became increasingly apparent they were doing something they should not. Every second they went against the crowd only grew suspicion. They could only shift when not being observed, and now eyes were on them from everywhere.

'I don't remember this many guards,' she thought. Yet the outer yard was almost larger then the city itself, and now they were all crammed into one district. Coal grew uneasy, eyes everywhere and little cover. The citizens were being drawn out of their homes, many already departed to District Six for the coming festivities, but the homes were searched regardless. As the guards swept through the district, closing their box of escape, areas were closed off. There were many entrances into the district itself, but there were enough guards to close all those gaps, and options were running out. As they swept the citizens along they would trail behind and clear the buildings, the alleys and any other hiding place. They traveled in large packs, crossing arcs. Even if they managed to take down a group there would only be another dozen on them, then another.

Dusk seemed to loom on the horizon, it hovered there, but never actually came. Coal kept wishing for the darkness that would give them some cover, any cover, but only the sun hung above. It was as if they were running out of time, but time itself wasn't even moving. The notion almost mocked her.

Those that ran or went against the flow were detained, scanned and brought separately outside the district. To where Coal could only guess. Yet every one was collared and cuffed even after being scanned, there would be no chance of escape. The others they could push back into the crowd, they did.

Her eyes trailed with the flowing crowd that had now merged into them, or had they merged into it? Faces, so many faces, and so many guards. The guardians that seemed to be leading the front marched to the flanks, now guiding the crowd toward a common point, toward a box without exits. Toward a killing ground.