The sun penetrated the hazy cloud of dust obscuring the sky, the golden rays stroking my body with fervent heat.
Adrenaline coursed through my veins like a raging waterfall, sending fire through my blood, igniting my system with the threat of danger and thus death.
Click clack click clack
The monotonous drawl of footsteps continued to resonate from behind us; a sullen, peeling bell. Time was running out. They were faster, stronger...
"Split up! Circle round and meet back here!" Chris hissed, the words interjected by elongated pants. We all exchanged a look, the stolen glance as meaningful and sullen as touch, before haring off in different directions: Robyn to the right, me to the left, Chris carrying on forward.
Apparently the plan worked, for the footsteps behind me quietened - the robots had also split up.
Fearfully looking behind me, I saw a troupe of around four robots impending after me. They reminded me of cyber men from Doctor Who. The TV series had been running forever - what doctor did it go to before it ended? 35th?
From time to time I heeded a look backwards, and the robots were always there. No matter how many corners I took, however much I sprinted and jogged, they always loomed, as threatening as a court sentence.
I progressed in a vague circle in order to make my way back towards the rendez-vous, yet I couldn't out run them...
"Amy Adams, you have been convicted of treason and murder. You will be disposed of imminently."
I swallowed down a scream of fear. They had done their research: they knew my original name and my existing crimes.
As soon as the words registered, a faint whirring joined the sound of footsteps. Quickly, I ducked round another corner, promptly then ducking into a building.
Bang!
Debris landed over the space I had formerly resided, the cloud of shingle and dust blocking the majority of my view. Coughing, I sprinted back onto the side of the street, continuing to run.
Another faint squeal came from behind. I barely had time to move before walls and pavement exploded, scattering on me like deadly arc. Crying out as something hit me in the back, I hobbled forward once again.
I aimed a few haphazard shots behind me, but my plethora of bullets only managed to make one robot malfunction. This brief period of me slowing down had allowed them to catch up. If they tried to shoot much more damage would be done. Thankfully, the gun needed to charge due to the power of it; the minimal sound was always present.
Nearing the meeting point, I felt panic rise in my throat. I could either circle round again or lead the three remaining robots to my friends. I felt my strength and stamina relent, the pain in my back becoming more acute like waking up after an operation. I would have to stop and gave them at the meeting point, or risk suffering from exhaustion and thus having slower reactions.
As I rounded the corner, I could see both Robyn and Chris running down their routes. They both had two robots coming after them - it seemed we had all struggled to evade the devious enemies.
Sweat beaded on my face like morning dew, collecting around my neck like a clammy towel. I was tired, so tired...
Hastily, our three bodies skidded to a halt, the only sounds emitting from us our morose breaths, hoarse inhalations. Our backs went together - mine giving a pained protest - our guns raised with ardent hope.
Hope a beautiful concept, a life saver in dire circumstances such as these. Given in the right amounts, it was glorious, a preserver and home to blossoming, intrepid adventures. Yet too much was disastrous, false. I only wished we were right to be hopeful - I could see the emotion shining in all their eyes like the constellations.
The robots arrived.
"Fire!" Chris drawled, fatigue soaking his tone. We obliged.
Bang bang bang bang bang bang
The torrent of our bullets seemed never ending.
Bang bang bang bang bang bang
Again and again, I earnestly pulled the trigger, not bothering to properly aim.
Bang bang bang click
No more bullets. Lowering my gun, I saw one lone robot facing in my direction. A metallic smirk seemed to twist its aluminium features. With smoke pouring from its body, it threw something - a silver pod that landed at my feet.
"Run!" I screamed as the thing erupted into what looked like a black hole, an abyss of nothingness that sucked and clawed at its surroundings, dragging debris, parts of robots and the like into its gluttonous mouth.
I felt its tug seduce me, the relentless force pulling me. I held on to a windowsill, my nails digging into the grimy surface. More footsteps echoed; reinforcements? This was bad... Thankfully, the other two were safe, sheltered in a building and occasionally firing.
The metal mass progressed closer, my fingers slipped. I was going to fall, die... No. I would not let that happen.
My hands left the windowsill.
As I was enticed toward the dark abyss, I turned my body around, my hands extending toward the weapon with a half-formed idea.
About to be sucked in, I grabbed the solid edge and hurled it in the direction of the looming platoon of robots; my backpack was taken in the process.
That was a close one.
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Monotone | ✔️
Action"If we were so riveted in the spectrum of nature, why did we stand, petrified, as we became corrupted by idle technology, stupefied by glowing screens, stolen from life as we know it from enemies right under our noses? Why did we relent to this obvi...
