Chaos Theorem

Chapter 20: Forgiveness

I couldn't believe that The Beast had just attacked us in the lobby! I was running now, Yenn, Matt and Stella hot on my heels. I'd never appreciated how fast I could sprint before Chaos Theorem, and honestly I'd rather not know, especially not like this. That's the sort of quality that people get exploited for if they get unlucky enough...

A locker had slammed somewhere before. Whoever had set it off had pulled The Beast away, and it was headed there, which was good. Anywhere away from us was good. It wasn't that I wanted someone else to die, but...

Wait, no buts! I didn't want people to die!

Matt was feeling the same way, and he revealed this between pants that shook his whole body, "We h- have to go back for them! Alpha... the others... e- even those guys at the l- locker! We have to see if they're ok."

"Yeah, let's go!" I nodded. I straightened my glasses after nodding, just in case.

"Woah, hey! Are you sure that's the best idea?" Yenn gasped. He grabbed my shoulder and looked at me intently.

I looked back at him. What could I say? I was a lover of humanity. I hated its flaws, but if Nate's theory was true then not all universes had the things which burdened me most. If I could save them, I would. Or die trying... but hopefully not.

"Trust me." I smiled warmly.

He opened his mouth, going to talk again, but he opted against it and gave a curt nod instead. It was good enough.

We followed the clanging of the locker upstairs. I took the stairs two at a time, and Yenn followed me like a predator chasing its prey, an eye on me at all times. Matt and Stella trailed behind, Matt's exhaustion showing through.

But he had time to catch up. Screams. Screams came from the locker, each one piercing like a shard of glass because they seemed so... so familiar. It was eerie, like déjà vu was tempting me to move in.

To face The Beast. But none of us were going to risk our lives on that; we were too vulnerable now. Regardless of vulnerability, we were frozen in place. The Beast may as well have been Medusa.

"Matt," Yenn gulped, "Get Stella somewhere safe."

He then leant in and whispered something I couldn't hear. It wasn't a secret from the self-involved... thing, I guess, so that meant that it had to be a secret from me. That was what scared me most of all.

"Are you sure?" Matt asked shakily. He was swaying from side to side nervously, the feeling infectious.

"Of course I am. Give me some credit." he rolled his eyes.

He was off like a shot.

I hadn't been ready to stop him, he just sprinted hard all the way until he was speeding past the locker. His shoes screeched on the smooth ground as he flicked his head back.

"HEY!" Yenn roared, "COME GET ME, YOU DUMB ANIMAL!"

The Beast twisted towards him, its jaw clicking menacingly. The floor had literal dents in it by the time it'd gotten traction with its claws. As I turned back, I found that Yenn had already gone!

What was he planning..?

I shook my head, "I don't know what that was but I'll trust your judgement! We just need to help whoever's in the locker, quick!"

I ran faster than the others again, before sliding to a stop, almost throwing myself straight into the metal surface.

It took me a second to figure out how to open the door, but when I did...

Everything froze.

Tricky, THE Tricky, was staring back at me, her eyes dark and her body shuddering. We both stared at each other for a moment... it had to have been a moment. Hours don't truly pass in seconds, no matter what the circumstances are.