Get Lost by Xavier Neal Page B

need you to use that thing in your    hands.”
    “What do you expect me to do? Throw it? I’ve never used let alone even seen anything like this before! I mean, I—”
    Suddenly, the sound of bullets pinging off the outside of the boat assails us. Surprised they aren’t penetrating through, Justin asks, “Did you bulletproof this one?”
    Jimmy proudly nods. “A little bit.”
    “Nice.” Justin’s approval is followed by my highpitched scream as a bullet hits the wall beside me.
    “Um, can we focus here?” I yell, the weapon quivering in my hands.
    “Peyton, you ever played a video game?”
    “Once or twice.”
    “It’s just like that, except instead of bonus points when you hit several in a row, you get to enjoy having a few more moments to live.” The attempt at comforting me fails as he rambos his way up the stairs.
    Giving my hair a ruffle, I ask Jimmy, “Was that seriously supposed to be motivational? Because, if so, I think he’s losing his touch.” Jimmy barks a small laugh, and I whine.“How exactly are we supposed to help him from down here?”
    “Easy.” Jimmy pushes a big, red button on the wall next to the door. Small peepholes pop up around the ship, giving us access to view Dark Watchers falling from the vents in the ceiling as well as strolling down the hall. “Installed these along with a few other things I knew would come in handy to anyone on this ship.”
    “Oh yeah? Like what?”
    Jimmy slides a wood panel over and pulls a small lever, and compartments below the peepholes  fall open full of swords, daggers, and rows of small, colorful arrows.
    The sound of Justin’s bolts hitting the attackers draw my attention back to the problem at hand. Nervous, I raise my weapon to the window, slide the glass open, look through the scope, and pinpoint my sights on the ones falling from the ceiling. With a lucky shot, my first bolt flies through the air and lands right in one’s heart. However, instead of disappearing into thin  air, the character’s face, which isn’t covered by a mask this time, turns a bright blue color before dropping off the rope and to the ground, where it dashes into the now familiar thick, gray smoke.
    “Why did it turn blue?” A panic hits my heart as more projectiles fly back and forth.
    “Because those are freezing bolts. They froze its insides, and when it fell, it shattered like ice.” Jimmy smiles proudly.
    “Why would you make something like that?”
    Jimmy pauses, throwing his golf ball out the window before answering. “For fun.” The crazy dwarf cackles, while the white ball rolls to the middle of the crowd, expands, and shoots small bullets all around, destroying several of the Dark Watchers.
    Another creature pops its face, which has a gaping scar down the side, in the window. Reacting instantly, I turn the bow, shove it in its face, and pull the trigger. The Dark Watcher freezes before falling backward and shattering the moment Justin travels down the stairs.
    “Impressive!” The word sends tingles down my spine. Justin sighs. “We can’t stay here. We’re like sitting ducks in this ship. Where are the keys?”
    “Office.” Jimmy nods the direction of a small, closed off area. The three of us peek through the windows to see a few more Dark Watchers falling from the ceiling right in our way.
    Justin asks calmly, “And the keys to office?”
    “In the front seat of the truck.”
    The words make Justin thunk his head into the wall fiercely. Mildly frustrated, he repeats to himself. “So, we’re in a boat that doesn’t move because the keys are in your office, but the keys to your office are in a truck, which we can’t get to without likely being massacred.”
    “You’ve been in worse.” Jimmy’s retort puts a small smirk on Justin’s beautiful face.
    “It’s true.” He grumbles, tapping the side of the wall. Leaning down, Justin stares at the enemies, who for the vast majority, are pouring from the ceiling through three vent