Luann leapt to the train. How did she get here, again? Oh right, she joined the special ops thinking it was her lucky chance, missed three meals, missed the last train to home, became a homeless, and missed another 6 meals. Nice job, Luann!

She has tried hijacking cars, but in the off chances that she’d slip through the border patrols, this place is in the middle of nowhere. She’d run out of gas and freeze to death.

She had also tried riding the train. But as soon as they found out she was a stranger, they’d get violent, and she’d had to jump out. It happened thrice – the first within 1 minute, the second within 2 and a half minutes, and the third within 30 seconds.

That leaves jumping onto the train. This had been her ninth try. Let’s see… there should be electrical wires…five…ten…  Luann hopped and landed safely on the slippery arc.

Phew, now the over tunnel.

 She sticks herself flat to the train as the ceiling brushed her back. Getting crushed by this low tunnel seemed scarier than falling off the train.

The train went out of the tunnel. Luann grinned. Now, she just needed to stay balance for the whole journey… she looked down. The river beneath them roared. The sharp wind whipped her face.

Chills ran down Luann’s spine. She could hardly see what was ahead due to the mist and the snowfall, and she didn’t know where the train is going either. Who knows if it would get her farther from home? This ahead will be the last ledge…

Luann hesitated and hopped to the ledge, tumbling. She staggered up.

Stupid, even if she didn’t know where it will go, at least she’s going to get out of this place! That was the longest she had survived on the train, and now her body had gone frozen.

She slipped into a house.

This house hardly doesn’t have an attic for her to spend the night, nor any decent hiding place with a good escape route.

The bed looks… really tempting…She’d probably die anyways, so she better die comfortably, right? Luann smacked herself.

Damn, she can’t even think straight now!

She crawled under the bed. The bed was large and short, leaving shadows if you peek from the side.

She closed her eyes.

The bedroom light lit up, then it lit off. Footsteps came to the side of the bed, then stopped. The bed above her creaked.

It seemed like the person was going to sleep.

Luann pressed her stomach, hoping that it wouldn’t gurgle randomly. The bed above her pressed down.

Luann looked up. What the heck? Is the bed her stomach or something?

The mattress continued to press down.

Agh! She wished she could scream to whoever it is to sleep the hell away. She moved to the side, trying to lay as flat as possible.

Her eyes jolted. It was hard to see in the dark, but the mattress about her started to move strangely, as if someone was probing it. And before she could comprehend, a blade pierced through, narrowly missing her hand.

Did they find out?

The person shouted, calling others, and flung the bed upside down. GOODNESS GRACIOUS, HOW STRONG IS HE??

Luann sprinted to the window, but he threw her against the wall. She coughed. Her head hurts! She scurried to the other side and jumped out, climbing the pipe to the other end of the wall.

Shouts fill the night.

She sprinted past the houses, through the ledges, through the structures. The train is her only way of outrunning these people.

A mob appeared from the front.

Luann skidded to the side.

Too late!

The train was approaching. Please, please, hurry!

They walked towards her swung a hammer.

Luann froze. She’s out of ammunition, she’s outnumbered, and the hammer would be too big for her to dodge.

Just as the hammer touched her forehead, it stopped.

Luann looked behind. The train!

She leapt down and sped off, kneeling to catch her breath.

Why did the hammer stop? Did someone catch it?

Suddenly, the metal behind her thunked.

Her heart missed a beat.

Is she dead now? Really, God?

“Jump onto the next ledge.”

This voice!

“You know how to jump, right?” Cain looked at her. “When I say jump, you should immediately-“

“YEAH, YEAH!!”

“Jump!”

She leapt onto the ledge. Cain leapt behind her. Good thing she didn’t lag like before- Cain flinched.

Luann hugged him. She hated to admit it, and she wasn’t sure why, but she cried. His chest felt warm, and his slow heartbeat felt comforting.

Cain patted her back.

“Everything’s ok, everything’s ok.”

They stood still for a while, until Luann’s consciousness started to kick in. She backed away, her cheeks flushing hard.

Cuddling a Captain? Seriously?? Now everyone’s gonna think she’s a pervert!

Cain handed her a jacket and a mask.

“Wear this. We’ll be staying the night in the village.”

“What? I almost died there!”

“I know someone,” he glanced at her injured leg, “… can you wal-“

“I CAN WALK PERFECTLY FINE, THANK YOU!”

Luann strapped down her mask and walked away. He gently put her hand into his pocket.

“Then at least take care of yourself, Lieutenant. Your gloves are all ripped up- I’m surprised you haven’t lost your fingers yet.”

Luann blushed. Can he stop??

“And I’m sorry for you going through all of this. The extraction was strict because the government wanted to avoid official involvement. The coup itself will be done by the mass and neighbouring countries.”

“The coup?”

“Yes. It will take place tomorrow. That’s why the extraction happened three days ago to prevent any traces of our involvement.”

“Wait, does that mean I could’ve taken the train to escape?”

“Haha, no. It goes to the neighboring countries, yes, but the people on our side will lay low until tomorrow. Most would not know our involvement too, so it’s a good thing you didn’t go there.”

“Ah.”

Cain knocked the door. A man came out and they talked for a while. The man nodded and let them in, showing a room. Cain bowed.

There was a small stove, a bathroom, and a bed.

Cain walked to the stove. Luann plunged to the bed. At last!

He walked over.

“These are some warm clothes… and this is your dinner.”

“You can cook?”

He walked away. Ugh, that aloof asshole!

She stirred the soup. Woah, it actually looked good… but

“You’re not poisoning or drugging me, are you?”

Cain looked at her. There had been military bastards who drug their female comrades. He grabbed a spoon and took a sip.

“There. The usual drug kicked in after 30 minutes, right? You can wait for 30 minutes and see if I faint.”

“W-wait, what are you doing now?”

“Cleaning your wound. Your bandage is good, but you must properly disinfect it if you don’t want to amputate your leg.”

“Hey – no I can do it by myself -AAAHHH!!!!”

Cain blew her ankle gently, soothing the pain. He wrapped it in a new bandage.

“There, done-“

Why is she covering her face?

“Is your face hurt too, Lieutenant?”

“No!”

God, doesn’t he know his face was pretty? Is he doing it on purpose? Her eyes darted through the room. Search for something to say!

“Oh, I just noticed the photo on your wallet! Is that your younger brother?”

“Yes.”

She examined it. This guy!

“Isn’t he the private who led brawls and served jailtime after letting out inmates to join in?”

“…yes.”

“Wait, didn’t you join that one brawl too and got detention after beating up a sergeant?”

“…I didn’t do it on purpose…”

“Oh, he’s the one who won $10k after gambling with the generals too! Man, I also heard he bring back 20 girls from the club one time and had fifty more of his exes reporting him to the commander.”

Cain stared at her.

“Come to think of it, don’t you have a bunch of exes too? You’re like his female version.”

“Excuse me??”

And within minutes, they started arguing.

“YOU DIMWIT SHMUCK!”

“You Coccydynia.”

“HUH?”

“No, actually fopdoodle fits you better.”

“AAAHHH!! STOP WITH THE NERDY TERMS!”

Cain clasped her mouth.

“UHDFSDFJJKK!!”

The door opened.

“Sorry, can you keep your voice down? We’ll also be at risk if they found out about you.”

“Yes, sorry, Sir.”

The door closed. Luann gasped for air.

“30 minutes have passed. Eat.”

“Aye, bossy Captain.”

That night, she couldn’t sleep.

“Can’t I be on nightguard instead?”

“No. You haven’t slept for days.”

Luann groaned. Sleeping in a warzone is hard enough, with the thoughts of the burning bodies popping in her head every time she closed her eyes. Being in the same room with an annoying hot Captain makes it worst – even if he’s just sitting on the floor, leaning against the wall.

“Oh, a guitar.”

“Hmm?”

Melodies flowed as he gently strums the acoustic. Luann’s eyes popped open. Is that really Cain singing?

“Was the music not to your liking?”

“H-huh?”

“Pick a song.”

She thought for a while and grinned. It’d be fun to see him attempting rock.

“Afterlight by Hit Into Pieces.”

He hummed, fiddling the strings.

D-did he rearranged the song into an acoustic? His voice sounded deep and sweet no matter what he sang, huh…

“We are only saints and sinners turn Heaven to Armageddon…”

Luann fell to sleep. Cain smiled, staring at the ceiling. That was an interesting choice of song.