Witnessed A Monster: Location One

Chapter Three- Death Sentence

Fight or flight ran through me as I tried to process it. Why did everyone want to kill me? 
“Micheal. I need you to listen very clearly. You do not yell. You do not speak. If you can't keep up, that's not my problem. We will ration the food out. When I say something, I won't repeat it,” My words begin go slur as I mutter underneath my breath and sling the pack over my shoulders. Not looking back, I knew he understood. Just like the alleyway, just like the alleys. I repeated the phrase timidly to myself as I twisted and turned throughout the long draw out hall. Click.
    “ONE OUT. Seven to go.” How on Earth had someone already died? Suicide appeared in the back of my head; I guess it would be an easy way out. There has to be an actual way out of here. Think, think. I zone out trying to look at the building when I had once walked in. I flashed back to the blurry memory of the older lady at the desk and a layout plan in the back. Probably a fire drill. I came back and ripped open the bag finding a piece of paper. I grab the knife and poke the end of my finger. I'm drawn back by how sharp the knife is. I start to draw out the layout over the paper. Left, right, right, left. The lines continue to grow, the blood making the lines thicker as it bleeds. My focus was drawing to a halt the memory fleeting as a sudden tap on my shoulder found me. 
    “Are you ok?” He sniffles pointing at my finger. I nod and look back, noticing my blood had started to trinkle off my arm onto the ground. God, this kid is going to be the death of me. I hop up and toss the bag over my shoulder with the paper in one hand, Michael's hand in the other.
I will save both of us.
    I put my finger over my mouth to him and he gradually does the same. “Now Michael, do you still have your trucks?” I questioned, trying to ease the tension of the sudden death sentence. 
    “I had to leave the briefcase outside, but I took two in my pockets. See?”
    First we need to find a place to hide. I followed the devastatingly long path Micheal sheepishly following behind. Swerving throughout the long alleys of the supposed cubicles I notice a long trickle of blood on yhe path we were following. We couldn't get off track, but the deeper we lingered inside the hall the more my stomach dropped. The motivation to keep on going was slowly sinking away, needing constant reassurance by telling myself to keep on. I slipped off my bag and grabbed the knife as I slowly pivoted around the corner just in time to see a man, probably a few years above my age, over an older woman. He had already finished the lady off, her body was positioned limply as if accepting such a dark fate; her murder stood above raiding her bag. 
    “TWO OUT. six to go.” The speaker clicks out right before the man's gaze turns up at me right in time for my knife to slice through his right eye. I turn around and cover Michael's eyes before the man lets out a shriek of agony. 
    “Close your eyes. Do not open them until I touch your shoulder.” He nods underneath my hand and closes his eyes as tight as possible, his skin wrinkling over. I slide over to the man passed out or passed on. I stomp on his neck and yank the knife out of his eye. Blood drained into his mouth, his arm colliding ontop of his victim's. Gosh, I hope the kid doesn’t see this. “Ok Michael… without opening your eyes I need you to step forward towards me.” He stands hesitantly, awkwardly awaiting me to walk over to him. 
    “I can’t see you… I’m scared,” his eyes peeked open taking a small but significant glance at his surroundings amongst trying to coming forward, and before my hands could cover it I knew it was too late. His eyes gaped open the second his glare followed down towards the floor, his hands letting go of his two trucks, them scattering across the floor. His mouth drops open, and before I could process what his reaction may be a blood curdling screech leaves his soul. I pounce on top of him, grasping at his mouth. 
    “I told you not to-” Breathe. Mother always said I need to hold my tongue, you can’t risk him having another tantrum. "You need to listen, you got me?" I grab his hand and lead him over to his cars. “Pick them up. I’ll deal with him. Don’t look back, ok?” I leave Micheal's side my beaty eyes making sure not to let him out my sight before dropping the evidence into the man's bag, and began to shuffle to women's stuff into the bag. It was still completely full; I shuffle past the body of the grandma and the man awkwardly and grab Micheals hand holding the overfilled bag. I couldn't fit it into ours so we would have to travel with both. “Ok come on we need to g-…” before I could contemplate what was happening I was yanked from behind by a mechanical arm. the metallic smell floaded into my senses knocking the wind out from my lungs. My feet fumble out from underneath me; the blood throughout my body flinging up into my head. No words could express the amount of fear forming inside me as I fell face to face with a mechanical beast.
   It was made up of one giant glowing red eye surrounded by thousands of metal cables connecting into a metallic skeleton of amor. “MICHEAL RUN!” I struggle frantically pushing and shoving my body from within its grasp. The claws dig deeper into my torso each about three inches wide. My vision started to blur as I heard sudden footsteps run up to the machine. CLANK CLANK CLANK. I struggle, pushing harder than I had before, the claws dragging down in my skin. I hurl to the ground at least five feet in the air. No time to waste I sprawl to a crouch and run to the closest human figure. 
    “Get out of here! Take that kid with you! We will get rid of it’” Don’t have to ask me twice. 
    “MICHEAL!” My vision slowly comes back to me and I look up to see the figure in full view. It’s a horrific ten feet tall mesh of wires and cables, four legs like an animal, and a huge glowing red eye. It’s muzzle covered in at least a hundred razor tipped teeth. “MICHEAL, WHERE ARE YOU?!” I ran frantically looking for my stuff, to grab a knife; the beast feet away from taking my head. I swipe the blood infested knife from the second bag, and turn around to absorb my surroundings. Just like the alleys. I begin to go into a frenzy, every move reckless yet calculated. I begin at its feet while its fighting off the others, and slice the available wires that are exposed. As it comes over to protect itself, I run to the front, slice. The others begin to pick up on my technique and start attacking its inners. Nothing possible could get me from the thought of concentration until it was down, adrenaline was surging through my veins. Yet the inevitable feeling came over me that something had gone terribly wrong. 
Where is Micheal? 
Everything started to drain from me, as I realised the mission was over, the powerful energy flowing through me was draining out of my feet, as I collapsed onto my knees. My head flooded with thoughts, the pain in my ribs ached. I look down at my torso and see the gashes that had penetrated my sides.
   The beast tumbled to its side, hurling whst ever it could, but to no avail. It's red glow slowly faded in defeat.
   I grasped firmly on the pad of my jumper and ripped the sleeves. The texture was of a hospital gown, very easy to rip. My vision blurred, where did all the people go? Where is that kid… he’s not your problem right now. My hands quiver and sudden a subconscious howl come out of me as I tighten the knot of the sleeve around me. It was almost like I was wearing a corset. I proceeded to dissect the rest of my suit, tying the tightest knots possible so that they wouldn’t slip.
Ok focus. My nails dig into my forehead.
What did you need to do? The pain throbs up into my throat, do not scream. The last time Micheal screamed he almost got-
  MICHEAL. I stumble up onto my legs that wobble like cooked pasta. I grip into my side, stumbling as quickly as I can in search for the kid. I fall into the closest thing towards me, scraps of the now dead mechanical hound. God, what is this freak show? 
“MICHEAL!” Come on kid. I strain underneath my breath as every stride I take it feels like the claws of the beast are digging in once more. Just one break, I stand still swaying in my place, constantly seconds away from tipping over. I must have looked drunk at that time. I glance around, every moment making my stomach want to hurl, yet I see a small movement in the corner of my vision. “Micheal? Stop playing around, we need to go.” I stagger over to the wall and peek over to see him hurdled in a corner hugging tightly to his tiny trucks. “Micheal?” Fear reeks on him, his whole body quivering at what seemed to just be the sight of me. “Oh, ya these-” I peer down at me holding onto my ribs, it's funny how the pain is now almost numbing. “I’m ok, come on, we need to get out of here.” His eyes won’t even look in my direction. Who taught this kid manners? Who the heck did he think he was? “HEY? I'm talking to you.” His head shakes and he curls into a ball, falling deeper into the corner he backed himself into. I was not made to comfort kids. I sit beside him and lean over towards one of his cars in his hand. A little break wouldn’t hurt, then I can get back on track, follow the map, crap I don't even know where I am- “Wanna race?” A sniffle leaves him, the only sound I've got out of him yet. 
“No, you jerk.” He turns away towards the wall against me. 
“I’ll be the ugly car~” I tease, in no health to be doing so, I reach over wincing at the pain and place that car in front of his face. “Vrooommm.” I wave the car in the air pretending as if it was on the road, free of this hell. A small giggles escape his obstinate look. I wrap my arms around him lightly “Ok buddy come on, we have to move.” 
“No! I said no! Why doesn’t anyone listen? I’ve been told what to do for so long, and look at you!” I glance down at the blood seeping into my shredded jumper. “I just want to go back to my mommy, you and dad are mean” He begins to weep and I start to feel the tiny connection I had with him dwindle.
 My dad was a jerk too. Gosh I really don’t like being compared to that. He was the whole reason I was in this mess, some stupid search for money and a ton of gambling. He gambled our life away, now the gangs have been after us ever since. God ,no, I can’t become anything like him- reckless, heartless- 
“But... we can still race... at least once…” He looks up at me still in his fetal position. 
“Of course.” If I could choice when I was going to die it would be now, I would at least like to have a few moments of peace. 
“VROOOOMM!” He yells. His tears finally began drying off of his face, crusting his jumpsuit. Time seems to pass by, him constantly running to the end of the hall to get our cars. My stomach now hurting from another factor, hunger.
“Are you hungry?” I question, already making the incentive to force myself up across the wall, pushing with my legs limply underneath me. “I’ll be right back, stay in this corner.” I stagger over past the wall before he had the time to answer. The wall had been covering us from the open, but now face to face with the mechanically genius invention, I stood in awe as I marveled at how its inners were its only flaw. I prop myself beside it and pick up the bags which miraculously hadn’t been snagged yet. “God, what I would do for a snickers.” I say outloud to myself, distracting myself from the real world issues I faced. The pain swirled in my head a mixture of adrenaline and hope of getting out. I wince as I scrounge around in the meals to find what seems to be cold macaroni. Sticker, sticker lets see. Ah, here we are. A green seal kept the plastic wrap perfectly folded. Why would they make the poison so obvious? It makes the game so easy- BZZZ