Crowns and Guns.

Rift (part 3)

There is a small alleyway between the hospital and the outer wall. It has some trash cans, filled with medical waste. Both sides of the alleyway are blocked off by metal fencing. On one side, there is a locked door inside of the fence. The wall itself is overgrown with so many different plants that I can barely see the original concrete of the wall. The realisation hits me that I am trapped, in between these two giant walls. The rain is pouring down, and I can barely see a couple of meters in front of me. My hair and hospital gown are immediately soaked. I can feel the wet fabric stick to my skin.

Katie climbs through the hospital window after me and helps June climb through it behind her. Both of them are wearing a dress, which just like my gown, get drenched immediately.

I look at both sides. "Where the hell are we supposed to go."

Katie smiles. "Over the wall."

She starts climbing up the foliage, and June follows her.

My heart sinks. "Wait, I say, I am not a fan of heights."

Katie continues climbing. "It is the only way out. You better start climbing."

I reluctantly grab some of the foliage and pull myself up. I feel surprised to find out that plants can support my weight. I slowly climb up the wall, grabbing different vines with my hands, and finding support with my feet wherever I can. After a long and terrifying climb, I finally reach the top. I sit down on the top ledge, joined by a patiently waiting June and Katie.

The rain is so dense, I can't see anything, not the large forest that I know is right beyond the wall, and not even the ground, that I know is four meters below me. It feels like I am sitting on an infinitely high wall, ready to plunge into the depths below, doomed to ever keep falling.

"Okay, now we jump," Katie yells. June follows her command and just, jumps off the wall, plunging into the depths below. Fading away in the grey nothingness.

I look at Katie, and see is staring at me, arms crossed, while I desperately hold the wall with my hands, keeping my balance.

"Jump, Skye," Katie yells.

I look down again, at the ocean of grey, ready to devour me. "Why don't you go first?"

Katie shakes her head. "I am not leaving you here alone. I am right behind you, I promise. Just jump. And make sure you land on your feet."

I look down again. "Maybe I should just go back. Climb back down. You girls can go without me."

I feel Katie grabbing my hand. "It is going to be okay Skye. I promise."

I shallow twice and shake my head, looking down. "I don't think I ---"

Before I finish my sentence, she grabs my shoulders and pushes me forward. I feel the top of the wall sliding from under me, and I find myself in free fall. I seem to keep falling forever, in a featureless ocean of grey, until a moment later I hit the ground face forward into a puddle of mud. I try to gasp for air, but instead of air, I ingest a mouthful of mud. I feel someone grabbing my arm and rolling me over. I sit up while coughing up as much of the watery mud as I can. I can feel the stuff sticking to my tongue and teeth, but at least I can breathe now. Katie is standing over me, her hand on my shoulder.

"Told you it was going to be alright."

I stand up, struggling to find a grip in the muddy puddle. "Never to that again."

I try to wipe off the mud from my arms but realise it is useless. Everything, my arms, my legs, my dress, my face, is covered with a thick layer of sandy mud. Even in the harsh rain, it doesn't come off. I rush my hand through my hair and sigh. My hair has soaked up the mud like a sponge, no way I am ever going to get that clean again. Katie isn't doing much better in that regard, her face is clean, but her legs and the lower part of her dress are covered in mud.

June is standing under a nearby tree, together with Kelsey. Turns out that the "laundry basket" Kelsey has stolen, is not a small basket, but a giant hamper of wheels. It is covered in large plastic, protecting it from the heavy rain.

Katie runs towards them, splashing mud everywhere. "Do you have all the supplies?"

Kelsey nods. "We have clothes, shoes, food, water, guns. Everything."

I look from Katie to Kelsey, befuddled. "How did you get all this stuff."

Kelsey laughs. "I used a breaking iron on the lockers. Took everything that could be useful." Now can we get to the cabin as soon as possible, I really don't like standing in the rain.