Ruby Redfort: try not to scream

Ruby awoke slowly to a gentle lick on her cheek. Bug had pushed open her door and jumped onto her bed. The time on her clock read 6.18 am. Ruby rolled out of bed, hitting the floor with a clunk. She stood up, fell over and got back up again. She groaned as she pulled on her clothes and brushed her hair. It was a Monday morning. Oh joy. That meant she was five days away from the weekend and another full week of torture from Mrs Drisco. Once she was ready she walked down the stairs to find a very droopy looking Hitch sat at the table.

"You look like hell," Ruby was known for saying things as they were.
"Glad to see that fear of death doesn't take away your blunt tongue, kid," replied Hitch.

Soon Dan and Ruby were out the door and on their way to Twinford Junior High. They spotted Clancy, Del and Red by the gates and ran over to greet them. Ruby and Clancy had decided not to inform the others about their relationship just yet, so they just hugged as a greeting. All through the day, Ruby could think of nothing else but how awfully tired Hitch had looked that morning. What had he been doing that night? The day passed by fast enough and soon Clancy was walking Ruby home. Dan had gone to the library for some quiet reading and left the two of them alone.

A message flashed up on Ruby's watch.
I won't be back till late. I left pizza on the table. See you in the morning - H.
"Looks like it's just going to be us two then," said Clancy reading the message. He smiled down at Ruby who darted her gaze to the floor, awkwardly. He pulled Ruby into a back alley where nobody would see them and took her hand.
"You're so beautiful Ruby," he said staring at the golden specks in her eyes. "It's like every time I look at you I flap mentally,"
Ruby giggled and looked at her feet. Clancy tucked her hair behind her ear and tilted her head up. As he leaned down, Ruby put a finger in front of his mouth.
"Not here," She grabbed his hand and ran further down the alley until they reached a wall. All of a sudden, every one of Ruby's nightmares became her reality. Painted on the wall were the words: For Bubblegum Girl, and laying on the floor surrounded by blood was a lifeless Kekoa.

Ruby screamed and fell to her knees. She checked for a pulse but there was none. Kekoa was dead and there was no chance she could save her. Tears fell from Ruby's eyes onto the agent's cold, pale face. Soon, the scene was surrounded by all the agents Ruby could name. Nobody could get Ruby to leave Kekoa's side, not even Hitch. Clancy had been escorted home by Blacker.
"Please forgive me, Kekoa. I'm so sorry," whispered Ruby through her tears. She was holding the dead agent's hand close to her heart and muttering inaudible apologies.

"Who could have done this?" mumbled Dan as he went to kneel with Ruby, LB and Hitch.
"Lorelei," whispered Ruby, her voice breaking.
"You think so?" Asked Hitch.
"Bubblegum girl is what she calls me. I have no doubt her and The Count sent someone to kill Kekoa to get at me," Ruby's eyes were bright red.
They sat there for a few more minutes until Blacker spotted someone.

"Guys," he said pointing up high towards the huge building surrounding them. There was a figure standing in one of the windows waving sinisterly at them all. Before anyone could think Ruby had jumped up and started to climb the building.
"Redfort," screamed Hitch trying to go after her. LB placed her hand on his shoulder.
"Let her go," she said. "There is no point in all three of you dying on the same day,"

Ruby was fast; Hitch had trained her well. She used what strength she had and the anger in her heart to drive her. No matter who this person was, she would terminate them. For Kekoa.

She burst through one of the windows to see a man, about Hitch's height, staring back at her. There was blood on his hands. Kekoa's blood. Ruby ran at him at full speed. She was an excellent fighter and soon she had the man in a deadly grip. Only as she held him in a headlock did she realise he was probably there to kill her as well meaning he would do his job. He thrust himself at the window sending glass everywhere and the two people, man and child, floating through air. This was nothing Ruby hadn't experienced before but this time she had no wings to save her. She let go of the man and he fell to his death like a stone into a pond. Ruby saw her only chance. A pole that if she made it to, she could swing on and make a safe landing. Ruby was gliding on air and directed her travel to the pole. She only caught hold of it by a few inches. Any further away and she would have died. She clasped onto the pole and swung like a gymnast until she reached the ground. She saw the man's body on the floor. She walked over to it and out of spite and revenge stepped on his face, breaking his nose. One last piece of justice for Kekoa.

Hitch ran over to her.
"Kid," he half yelled, half cried. "You are extremely reckless and stupid for what you just did,"
"It's part of our deal," said Ruby, wiping her tears. "You don't stop me from doing dangerous things," She fell into his arms and cried. He decided it was best that she didn't face LB just yet and so he led her away from the crowd of agents and took both her and Dan home.

That night was yet another sleepless night for Ruby Redfort. Any time she even started to doze off, an image of Kekoa flashed into her head. It got to the point where sleep was no longer an option. Ruby trudged downstairs and knocked on Hitch's door. He opened it, still wearing his suit. His heart broke into tiny fragments of glass when he saw her. Her eyelashes, wet and droopy from crying. Her eyes were lifeless and broken. Neither of them spoke, they just sat down on Hitch's bed. He put his arms around her shoulders. As they sat there, Ruby suddenly did the only thing she could think of. She started to sing. The lullaby, created by Martha Fairbank, softly poured out from Ruby's mouth. Her sweet and beautiful voice was somehow uplifting to Hitch. They both fell asleep in each other's arms a few moments later.

I'm so sorry 😐 I really didn't want to do this but it adds to the storyline later xxx