Tale of The Broken Sword

Chapter Forty : Everent's Departure

18th February, AD 2057

Washington D.C. – Former City

“We’ve got to keep running!” Janice wheezed as she ran, trying to keep her pace. I had to rush after her and break into a run so I wasn’t left behind. Running through room after room, passing through yet another abandoned and empty space, echoes of a muted feel of danger emanating out from the back lingers behind me. I can feel it, the chill it sends down my spine. But it didn’t make my legs to shiver and fall on its knees, instead, it gave my strength and I gained more and more with each step.

We went along like that for ten minutes, desperately trying to find a way to get out of this complex, and hopefully, away from Him. All that ten minutes didn’t gave me a single moment to reason out whether Everent was lone gone behind us or he could be a mere fifteen paces behind. I couldn’t understand why we’re rushing so much, getting so out of breath, stumbling on the cross-ties if the hallway behind us was empty and seemed to be devoid of any evidence that Everent was chasing from behind.

I turned to the right, looking at Janice. Her paces slowing, sweat rushing down from her cheeks as she breathed heavily. She was exhausted, obviously. The machine gun she had carried along had begun to take a toll on her, knocking against the body with each gruelling step.

“We have to go faster!” I wheezed as I ran. “Come on!”

Hearing that, Janice picked up her pace and now she was trotting along with wide paces, saying absolutely nothing apart from moaning and grinding her teeth from exhaustion, but I couldn’t feel anything for her.

I sprint across the long narrow hallway, lit with beams of bright light that managed to pierce through small, narrow gaps and holes. Reaching another door, Janice moves forward and pulls it open. I followed her from behind. Corridors stretch out on both sides, neither of them showing a clear exit.

Janice leans against the door, breathing really hard. “Left or right, Kelson?”

“Right,” I bolt away, sprinting down the corridor as fast as my legs could carry me. I try to ignore the pressure building up in my muscles, and the pain of them overworking to their limits. Our footsteps echo down the hallway as it slowly disappears into the abyss of the inner complex. We turn a corner and another exit comes into view.

“Wait,” I pulled my legs backwards, stopping myself from all the running. Janice stopped behind me, feeling fear and pure exhaustion.

“What have you got know?” She exhaled. “Quickly!”

“Is an exit!” I jumped from my feet, and quickly ran to the control panel. It was caked with dust and the circuit’s already blown off. “Shit, this thing’s long gone!”

With a strong force, Janice elbowed the control panel and pulled out the cables embedded within it. A spark of electrical jumps out of it and the gears started creaking and moving. Seconds later, the door opened and Janice bolted through it. “Come on!” She said, jerking my shoulder from the front.

Once I cleared through the door, Janice slammed the control panel on the other side and the metal door shuts in, leaving a loud bang echoing across the corridor. Now that the danger was temporarily held back, I could now catch my breath and think on what direction to take next. Janice leans back on the wall, inhaling and exhaling heavily.

“We’ve made it,” I said to her. “That was scary.”

“It is,” She smiled half-heartedly whilst holding on to her loud thumping heart.

“Where are the rest of them?” I asked.

“They should be at the entrance by now.” Janice replied. “We’ve told them to get out while they can. Simmons and I decided to help you out while we can. Besides, you’ve got the skill to get out of here you know.”