"Keep close," Derek whispered through the newly stagnant air. "Stay low. It's just dark enough that they won't see us if we don't move or stand out."
Nell could see his features in the dimness. His dark brown hair--only about an inch long--was standing up and awkwardly pointing in every direction. He also had a five-o'clock shadow, and there were bags under his eyes (but he always had those). He was crouching, but the two of them were on eye level. There was dried blood on his hands and his knuckles were brutally raw. There was a gash on his bicep where a bullet had grazed him, and two more along his ribs.
"What if they shine a light at us?" she murmured fearfully.
"You underestimate me. It takes about a hundred thousand lux to make me drop my shadow, and it's gotta hit me directly," he bragged. Unlike most girls her age (and indeed, many adults) Nell understood what he was saying--that he would need to be hit with light more powerful than that of the sun on an average day in order for his power to stop working. He continued, "That I know of, you can't get flashlights that powerful."
"I could make one," Nell said.
"Don't. Ever."
She nodded. "What if they have nightvision goggles?"
"Then we're fucked," Derek acknowledged. He shifted his weight nervously.
Nell reached into her backpack and withdrew a monkey wrench. Derek looked at her condescendingly, and she said, "I'd rather be armed with a wrench than not armed at all."
Nell could see his features in the dimness. His dark brown hair--only about an inch long--was standing up and awkwardly pointing in every direction. He also had a five-o'clock shadow, and there were bags under his eyes (but he always had those). He was crouching, but the two of them were on eye level. There was dried blood on his hands and his knuckles were brutally raw. There was a gash on his bicep where a bullet had grazed him, and two more along his ribs.
"What if they shine a light at us?" she murmured fearfully.
"You underestimate me. It takes about a hundred thousand lux to make me drop my shadow, and it's gotta hit me directly," he bragged. Unlike most girls her age (and indeed, many adults) Nell understood what he was saying--that he would need to be hit with light more powerful than that of the sun on an average day in order for his power to stop working. He continued, "That I know of, you can't get flashlights that powerful."
"I could make one," Nell said.
"Don't. Ever."
She nodded. "What if they have nightvision goggles?"
"Then we're fucked," Derek acknowledged. He shifted his weight nervously.
Nell reached into her backpack and withdrew a monkey wrench. Derek looked at her condescendingly, and she said, "I'd rather be armed with a wrench than not armed at all."
