Buried Secrets

chapter 10

Still Avery's pov

I feel ruff hands yank me back above the surface. I gasp for air and then try to exhale but all that comes out is violent coughs that shake my body as Master Cameron holds me up. He pulls my head up so I'm facing Dr Neiman.

"Deep breath now" he signs, and Master Cameron pushes me back under the water. I fight with everything I have, thrashing my arms and legs against Master Cameron practically sitting on top of me, keeping me below the surface of the bathtub. I am running out of air, my lungs burn as I struggle to get up, to breathe. The water is icy cold and feels like a thousand needles slamming into my skin as I'm pushed into a half-frozen bath. I shoot up but grunt as someone's fist lands on my cheek, my head snaps to the side. I have no time to dodge as Master Cameron already grabs me by the shoulders and kicks me at the ankles, forcing me back underwater. Once I come back up he puts a metal trap around my calf and throws me to the ground. 

A few days later

Heat flares up my leg, pulsing in sickening throbs that echo my sluggish heartbeat in disconnecting rhythms. I lean forward, resting my aching head against the slightly cooler ground. I was cold moments ago, but now my body burns. My legs feel like a different entity entirely, latching onto my body and draining my strength to feed the spectre of infection that latches into my bloodstream from the rusted jaws of the trap closed around my calf. My skin is hot and swollen around the metal teeth embedded in me, and congealed blood sticks to my skin and my clothes only adding another small layer of discomfort. Mindlessly, I lean away from the trap, tugging in a futile attempt to free myself. Agony, hot and sharp, stabs down to my bone, making me fall back, gasping on the edge of a pained cry. As the pain deepens I try again and again, but the night closes around me, still trapped.

I wake up with a loud groan, my leg still throbbing viciously.  I let my eyes adjust to the blaring light then I gradually sit up. Master Neiman storms in with a few doctors. I hate being deaf as I can't hear anyone walk in. My eyes widen when a doctor walks swiftly over to my leg. I don't have time to react when he tugs on the trap. I clench my teeth trying not to scream. Once the cruel trap is of me someone grabs me roughly and drags my sore body into a dull room. The guard pushes me to the ground when we reach our destination. I stay on all fours, not daring to lift my head to put a face to the people I can sense all around me. Instead, I stare at the filth on the back of my own hands. I see in the corner of my eye the boots of at least three or four other people walk up to me and the guard. Someone wrenches my head up and also sticks something in my ear.

"Well look who it is," a new person says.

Wait how did I hear I think. They all see my confused face and all laugh but then get silenced by Master Cameron.

I'm so broken down and exhausted by the torture that I can't bring myself to show any more fear when the person threatens me. When a knife presses onto my throat, I rest my chin against it and close my eyes, accepting that he could kill me for it. At this moment, I really don't care if I die. He nods at the other people in the room making them all leave.

“Master Cameron and Dr Neiman did a really good job on you,” the person says a bit distractingly as he watches the last person walk out the door.

I know what I have to do. A nearly impossible task, it's the only way of me escaping this hell hole. I also know that what I have to do is insanely risky and it will probably end up with me dying. I grab the guy's knife trusting it towards my neck while yelling "Don't step closer".

The guy froze on the spot.

"Don't be stupid" he says softly.

"Put it down. You don't want to die, do you?".

Well yeah, I do I think, making me laugh in my head.

"Yeah but I don't think you're going to make me go that far. You can't have me dead".

I catch the guys frightened look, making me smirk.

"But I can have you dead," I say before slitting his throat.

I watch as the blood pours out of his neck like a waterfall. Then I turn around and bolt out the door. I run to the mission room, grab the few things I own and try to find a motorcycle. I look desperately for one as I can hear that the alarms are blaring and everyone is rushing around trying to find me. I make my way to another room when I hear a loud bang. Ducking I whirl around with one leg out knocking a guard down. I then jump onto a guards shoulders, then using all my strength in my thighs to pull him to the ground. 

Avery is getting injured badly. Shot, stabbed, a random pain, you name it. 

The first few seconds when my mouth falls open, unable to release any sound. Looking down in realization, I grit my teeth and scrunch my eyes shut with the sudden burst of pain. One hand attaches to the wound, while the other reaches out to hold onto something for support. Whether that be a wall or a table I just have to stop and hold on to catch myself, stifling a broken groan. 

I let out a terrible scream as I get lifted up then thrown to the ground. Broken bones grinding together, aching limbs begging for relief. Master Cameron smiles at me menacingly.

"I'm going to kill you because you thought you could escape".

I smile back, swallowing my fear.

"Hate to break this to you pal, but I'm not going to drown in a foot and a half of water. I'm also not going to do you the favor of sticking my head under even if you ask nicely".

I see the anger flaring up inside of him making me instinctively take a step back. I smirk making Master Cameron eye me with a confused look. I pull out a self destruct button earning him to flee I grab a gun off someone's dead body aiming it at his head as he runs. I pull the trigger he falls to the ground blood running out of the wound. I press the button. Five minutes till self-destruction a loud voice comes over the speakers. I make a run for it desperately stumbling, crawling and lurching towards escape. I cling to my wound, my breath coming in short, hitching gasps because I can't be too loud or I may get caught. I collapse a few feet away from safety, trying to get up but I can't because I'm bleeding and it hurts, it hurts so much and I need help and I can't even get up, why did I ever think I could escape?. 

"Get up" an unfamiliar voice growls inside of my head making me jump. 

"10 seconds till self destruct"

Come on get up I tell myself

"9 seconds"

I try to pull myself up but I collapse back onto the ground.

"8 seconds"

Fuck Fuck Fuck

"7 seconds"

"6 seconds" 

I haul my body up and stumble towards the door

"5 seconds"

"4 seconds"

I put my hand on the handle

"3 seconds"

I start to pull in down

"2 seconds"

"Shit"

"1 second"

It's locked...