Short Stories/Sweet Run

To view the synopsis page for this short, click here.

Written by **TheNeutralCard**, December 13, 2019
Canonized December 25, 2019

When Amelia started coughing, Artemis was already forming a plan. Taking care of herself and her sister on the streets was hard enough. When they got sick would be an issue, especially if she got sick. She basically kept them both alive.

So, as a small little surprise, Artemis planned to let Amelia pick whatever treat she wanted before Artemis put her on a strict, healthy diet.

Looking back on it, she wondered if offering her the treat was wrong. After that sweet run, she would have a hard time looking at other people ever again.

Artemis crouched down next to Amelia, who was sitting, cross-legged, as she drew little bunnies and birds on the pavement with white and blue chalk. She smiled inwardly. Watching her sister always relieved tension and fear in her. Living on the streets was no joke. To see Amelia, growing up healthy and joyful, filled her with pride and ease.

Until she started coughing.

Amelia paused, letting her fit of coughs run their course before resuming her little drawing session.

Artemis paused as well, then settled down next to Amelia and said, "So. You're sick apparently."

Amelia just looked up at her with eyes like jewels.

Artemis sighed and continued. "You're gonna have to go on a diet of healthy stuff. No more junk food, sweetie. I mean it this time. You can't convince me."

Amelia opened her mouth to say something, but Artemis held up her hand. "Now, before I do, because it's not as bad as the last time, I'm feeling merciful."

She perked up a little as Artemis continued. "I will let you have one treat tonight, okay?"

Amelia jumped up and fairly screamed, "Will you get me CHOCOLATE?!?!"

Artemis smiled and said, "Alright, alright. Lemme get ready."

Ten minutes later, Artemis was helping Amelia into a trash can. She didn't like having Amelia stay in a trash can while she was gone, but Artemis had no choice. She didn't like the thought of her little sister being alone and exposed. Besides, she could do with a nap.

Amelia looked up at her and said, "When will you be back?"

Artemis put on a brave face and said, "I'll be back when you wake up, okay?"

Amelia just smiled, but the smile vanished when Artemis put the lid on the trash can.

Sighing and pulling down her mask, she turned, picked up her katana, and left the chalk-marked alley behind.

Athens, in contrast to what it first appears as, is actually a rather large town. As proof of such a size, Artemis had to walk two miles to the nearest convenience store. The walk she didn't mind, but her lack of speed annoyed her. People grow suspicious when it's not Halloween and you're walking around with a mask and a sword. Especially when the sword isn't fake.

Walking through downtown, she didn't even notice she passed by someone until a cheerful voice called out, "Hey, Artemis!"

Turning, she saw her red-haired friend, Avery, a fellow homeless woman, heading towards her. Lifting her mask, she said, "Hey, what's up?"

Jogging over, Avery asked, "Have you seen Vivienne around here? I've been looking for her 'cause I wanna show her something."

Nodding, Artemis replied, "She was looking for a new place to live in, and she found a big warehouse about two blocks west of here, I saw her go in yesterday. What did you wanna show her?"

Avery beamed and said, "Don't tell her, but I found the most awesome rooftop to watch the horizon. I want to show her that place in about a week, when the full moon is up. I wanted to tell her to meet me there."

"Neat. Well, you know where she is. See you around."

"See ya!"

Walking off, she had no idea she would never see Avery again.

About three-quarters of the way there, she met another friend of hers.

Another voice, this time distinctly male, said, "What are you doing up so late?"

Turning, she saw her closest friend, Frisk, leaning against a wall.

Smiling, she said, "Amelia's sick, so I'm getting her a treat before I start giving her veggies and stuff for the next week or so."

Taking about a minute or so to absorb this, he said, "You're stealing all this stuff?"

Rolling her eyes, she thought, *Oh boy*. She and Frisk had different opinions on her methods of acquiring supplies. She would argue her case, but twilight was setting in. She wanted to get back to Amelia as soon as possible.

She said, "It works. No one suspects who I am."

"Explains the mask. It's kind of creepy though."

Rolling her eyes again, she pushed up her mask. "Better?"

"Infinitely."

She didn't know why, but her heart started beating faster, and she suddenly had mild difficulty breathing. She felt warmth creeping into her cheeks. Slightly embarrassed, she quickly pulled back down her mask and huffed, "How's the bow coming along?"

She was referring to the bow that they had thought to come up with in order to secure food without much risk. By hunting, to be specific. So far, they had the wood they needed and thinned it out.

He responded, "Just need to find some good string."

"Good luck."

"You too."

With that, the conversation was over. She turned and walked off.

Night had finally set in when she arrived at the convenience store and gas station. Looking around at the lot, she blew out a sigh of relief at the empty sight. She stuffed her katana as best as she could into her jacket and headed into the convenience store.

When she walked in, a short *beep* sounded. She froze in place. She glanced at the counter, where the cashier was fast asleep. At that sight, she sighed with relief once more.

She walked over to the counter and hopped over. She grabbed a small, plastic, recyclable bag, careful not to touch or wake the cashier. She hopped back over and walked to the food.

Walking into the candy aisle, she grabbed a bar of chocolate that wasn't too big or too small. She smiled at the thought of Amelia, a big grin on her face while she bit into the chocolate.

*You know what? I'll treat myself too.*

She walked into the next aisle, filled with crackers and chips. She looked around, then picked out a bag of cheese-flavored chips.

*And, a little bonus.*

She headed over to the freezers and picked out two drinks, a bottle of chocolate milk for Amelia and a bottle of root beer for herself.

As she walked out the door, a shrill *WWEEAOOOOUU* sounded.

*Oh, shit.*

She looked into the store, and saw the cashier waking up, spotting her with a rather angry look upon his face.

Panic shot through her, and gripping the bag and her sword tight, bolted.

A feminine voice shouted, "HEY! GET BACK HERE!" and, looking back, she saw a police officer giving chase, with a police car at the gas pump.

Changing course, she ducked into an alley, her knowledge of the back streets and dark corners of Athens being her only chance at survival.

She ducked down into another alley, and the cop followed suit seconds later.

Artemis wasn’t fast, but she was agile, and she knew Athens like the back of her hand.

Still, though, she would get tired, and slow until the policewoman finally caught up.

She veered out into the street, heading for the other side of the road, when a loud honking noise sounded. She turned to see a car, speeding down the road, towards her.

And just like that, it passed her, narrowly missing her and giving the cop pause, which gave Artemis the chance to duck into another alley.

She ran along, passing a homeless person, trash, a rat or two, and all manner of insects, the cop still behind her all the way.

She ran into another alley, out onto another street, another alley, and yet another alley as they continued the chase.

Panting, lungs hurting, she wondered what kept her going.

*Fear*, she decided. Fear of being caught. Fear of losing her precious bounty. Of suffering the consequences of her crimes.

And, above all else, fear that her little sister will never see her again.

The thought of Amelia spurred her onwards as she and the cop fairly sprinted into alleys, corners, and streets, one time even jumping over a dumpster.

Gaining a short lead thanks to the dumpster, she ran hard.

*If I can just—*

Her thought, and by extension herself, ground to a halt at the mouth of the alley she faced.

Within, a pack of six dogs were staring at her, with eyes like hell.

And blood dripped from their jaws.

Athens had its fair share of stray dogs. One might see one at least once a day. Artemis even let one briefly stay with her and Amelia a long while back.

But the Blood Pack was a pack of strays no one wanted anything to do with. They had a notorious reputation with both the homeless and the dog catchers. The homeless feared them and the catchers hated them. The Pack probably felt that way too, considering they have developed a taste for Human flesh.

Artemis herself had many close-calls with this particular pack. She’s led them on chases spanning the whole of Athens. She would never let them near Amelia, which is why they’ve had such long and dramatic chases. These pursuits are how she has such a knowledge of Athens.

But here and now, out of breath, too much baggage, dogs in front and a cop close behind, Artemis knew she was thoroughly *screwed*.

But, already, she was forming a plan in her head.

A terrible plan, one she knew she would cause severe repercussions.

But she had to risk it, or she was dead.

Moving quickly as the dogs took their sweet time padding over, she held the bag up to her mouth and clamped her teeth down on the handles, the tasteless plastic touching her tongue slightly.

The dogs bared their teeth, and she heard clattering footsteps.

She started whirling-

-the cop ran up behind her-

-she grabbed her katana by the scabbard and hilt-

-she saw the cop-

-the katana flashed out-

-and she sliced the sword across the policewoman's stomach, cutting through fabric, skin, and fat.

The cop looked down at her reddening shirt, a low moan of pain escaping her lips.

Artemis ran, heart pounding as the woman's moans of pain became shrieks of fright as the dogs got to her.

The shrieks were quickly replaced by sounds of tearing flesh.

Artemis didn't look back.

The stars were hidden behind clouds as Artemis entered the alleyway, the whole scene playing out in her head once more.

*Moans of pain.*

*A shirt slightly reddened.*

*The look of sheer disbelief on her hardened features...*

*Then it was all a blur, a blur of lights and stone and screams and gnashing of—*

"Artemis?"

She looked up, snapped out of her nightmare, and she saw Amelia, poking her head out of the trash can.

Amelia said, "Did you get me chocolate?"

Using all her will to focus on Amelia, she smiled and said, "Yes. Come and get it."

Amelia smiled as she grabbed for her treat, her smile flaked with chocolate, and an hour later she was draping a blanket over Amelia as she lay sleeping in their tent.

Artemis sighed, staring at her sleeping face.

*She doesn't deserve a murderer like me.*

She walked out of the tent and sat down, leaning back on a wall. She looked lazily over at the discarded bag and noticed she hadn't even opened her root beer.

Artemis vaguely remembered she always felt strange after she drank root beer, and couldn't really remember the previous day after she felt better.

*Oh well. I need it now.*

She reached over and uncapped the bottle, and started to drink, letting the taste of the root beer wash away her memories of her horrible sweet run.