Green Desert - Chapter 3.1.6 - Fírí

I crawled across the cement floor, raising to a crouch. Moving kept me warm. I had to save Zhíno. The cop didn’t come to the garage. He went to the front door. I had to get inside first, warn Zhíno.

I pushed open the kitchen door. Bhanar was still standing there like an idiot. He looked at me, slack-jawed and stupid-looking. He hadn’t even finished cleaning up the blood yet. Dumbass.

I hurried past him, turning into the living room to find Pí‘oro, a man in overalls, and the brown dog walking away from me. Towards the front door.

“Stop.”

They did, even the dog, looking back at me.

“Don’t let them in.” I wracked my brain, searching for some pretext. “It’s the bad guys who are chasing me and Zhíno. I saw them from the garage. They’ll kill us all.” I put urgency and anxiety into my voice, or so I hoped. “We got to protect Zhíno. He’s the one they’re really after.”

Pí‘oro nodded. His eyes nearly glowed. “I was just going to check on him. Tamé, don’t open it.” And he turned down the hall, moving faster than he’d ever walked before, the dog having to run to keep up.

I sprinted across the living room. “Do you have any guns?” We had plenty in the boxes outside, but. . .

“Just the two your boyfriend brought in.” He felt the small of his back, paused. “Somewhere.”