Only Herself to Blame...

Chapter 6 - The Memory

I was running as fast as I could. They would never catch us. We were too fast for them. Though my heart was pounding and swear was dripping down my neck, I didn't stop. I couldn't stop.

If stopped, I was dead. Simple.

I reached out and grabbed Jai's hand, whilst still keeping the speed. He squose my hand and threw me a quick glance before concentrating back on the door ahead.

"We're gonna make it!" He yelled over the rush of wind in out ears.

I just nodded and let go of his hand. It was easier to run when both our hands were free.

I couldn't beleive that the men will still chasing us, even when we were running towards the doors that would shut in about 30 seconds. They had no hope of catching us, yet they were trying their best.

We were still too far away though. I put an another spurt of speed and I felt Jai do the same. If we ran like this the rest of the way, we could make it. We had to make it. If we didn't, we were dead. I had to keep reminding myself.

We ran for what seemed like an eternity, until we heard the gears turn and the doors began to decend from the ceiling.

Jai was ahead now, and he skidded onto his knees as he rolled under the door. With the momentum he had created whislt running, the roll had taken him under and beyond the door, which was still decending. I wasn't going to make it. The men were closing in behind me as I slowed down. My breathing was slowing, and my vision was narrowing. I couldn't do it. I was going to die.

"RUN!" Jai screamed. He was trying to hold the door open, but it was no use.

I ran, ignoring the pain in my chest, and rolled, just as the door slammed onto the floor with a loud bang.

I tried to sit up, but something was holding me back. I turned my head to see my jacket had been trapped under the door. That was close. Too close.

I managed to pry it out, but it left a huge hole in the back. It didn't matter. We were alive and out.

I looked at Jai and reached for his hand again. He took it and pulled me into a hug. We stayed there for a while, catching out breath and waiting for the pain to subside.

"We better get moving." He finally said, pulling away. "We don't want them to catch us again."

I nodded and got to my feet. We took off running again. We ran down hallway after hallway, until we finally found the main door way.

We crept along, but it was silent.

It always was at night. No one ever came out into this sector at night because of the Cranks.

Everyone thought they were safe behind these doors, but that was before they captured us.

I had managed to get a thob from one of the scientists pockets, which opened any door. I had attained it when she was chalking into my room. I asked her got a hug. Whilst taken aback, she agreed, and I slipped the thob from her pocket.

I pressed it against the lock and after the green light flashed, the door clicked open.

Suddenly a fist burst through. I jumped a little but regained myself. The fist was scabby and pale, with rugged, burnt skin and blisters coating it. Fingernails had been ripped off, and there were huge gashes that had been infected on the hand, but I placed the thob it it and shouted through the crack.

"Terrorise them. Scare them. Destroy their equipment."

The door had finally opened enough for the cranks to pile through. They all looked the same as the fist, with horrible skin and sad, sunken eyes, hidden awat by an insane madness. Jai grabbed me and we pinned ourselves against the wall, waiting as Crank after Crank poured through.

Finally, there was enough of a pause for Jai and I to run outside, and into the real world. The one the Flare had destroyed so long ago. The one where our homes used to be, but was now just a place full of wildfires, Cranks and fights...