Part-Time Pegacorn

Endurance

Stinging and burning. That's all I feel inside me. My instincts scream for an internal cleansing. Every breath I take is like trying to climb a mountain. My lungs are on fire. Beside me, Diesel is struggling just as much as I am.

I barely comprehend the sound of a nearby shutting door. All I concentrate on is the utter pain I endure with each and every breath. It's only when footsteps near me that I roll over from my fetal position on the cold, hard floor.

Towering over me, a man stares down at me with narrowed eyes. He is absolutely unaffected by the gas. My vision slowly begins to blur with the struggle. Right before I go too out of focus, I see a dark shadow on the man's jawline.

Wait, that's not a shadow. It's a bruise- No, it's a scar.

It's Torgny. It's him. We've gone through all this trouble to find this crazed man. Unfortunately, he has found us.

With gathered energy, I turn to Diesel and my hand extends out towards his crumpled form.

Torgny steps closer, "Nice to finally meet you Diesel Summers. Agnar told me so much about you and your little girlfriend here. It's too bad you poisoned my agent, Syraj, with your philosophies."

He takes another step, purposely stepping on my hand. I hardly feel the pain through the torture and terror already inside me.

The enemy settles his eyes onto me, and I see cold darkness in their depths, "Hm... Olivia. Olivia Linn Davis is your full name. You are a very peculiar girl. A griffin shapeshifter. It's too bad I have no use for you. My scientists could've used your DNA as a bass for my formula. Whatever."

I see him pull something from his hip, and it takes concentration for my blurry eyes to recognize that it's a pistol he holds. My throat tries to swallow some saliva, but it feels as if razors are lining my throat. Torgny gives his pistol a flat emotionless look then he returns his attention to us. We're defenseless in our state.

"I'll be blunt. Who's going to volunteer first?" Torngy's voice is full of venom and mocking.

Diesel rasps beside me, and my heart splits to pieces when Torngy points his pistol at the boy I love so much.

Torgny sneers, "Diesel, the pointless pegacorn with no horn. I see you're willing to die for this pathetic excuse for a girl. Your love for her will mean nothing once you die. No one will care either. You are-"

By now I've been able to grow my fingernails into talons. Right as Torngy cocks the pistol's hammer, I reach out with my free hand and rake my talons down his calve. He jumps away howling and bleeding which ends with him stumbling into the wall. I start to cry as I force myself into an upright position. The pain tears through my lungs. With all my might, I pull Diesel's arm, but all he can do is lie flat on the floor. His hand is limp in my palm.

From the corner of my eye, Torngy starts at me, "You freak of mankind"

I see the barrel of the gun. It's so close. Weeks ago I was shot in the back, but this time I know I won't survive, especially a shot to the head.

At least I'll die with Diesel beside me.

Suddenly, a crashing comes from the opposite end of the hall. The door from the upper deck tumbles down the stairs like a rabid animal in a fit. Not long after that someone follows.

My heart rises in hope when I see Ash bouncing down the stairs with a triumphant grin plastered to his face.

Torgny raises his gun towards my friend. Ash sees this and grabs the unattached door as a shield. Gun fire rings out, and bullets ricochet off the metal and lodge into the nearby walls. Torgny keeps shooting until his clip runs out of bullets. At this moment of weakness, I gather my strength and once again drag my talons across his leg. Ash knows I'm giving him an opening and opportunity.