Mirage

Chapter Seven

         The building lurched unsteadily as Ryder scrambled up the side of the building. For a moment his right foot slipped and he was hanging on by his hands as his left foot followed suit. His heart slammed in his chest as he sucked in a deep breath of air and hauled himself over the edge back onto the next level. 

     More people were streaming down the landing. 

 Ryder was crouched on the railing, one hand tightly gripping the metal in case the building started giving way even further. His hot pink eyes were glowing faintly and his mouth was set in a thin line as he scanned the crowd. 

     "It's a Death-walker!" The loud cry echoed around the landing and then someone was shoving an infant in his arm. His eyes widened and he clutched the sobbing child to his chest. He wasn't a fan of the moniker used among the common people for people like him that took advantage of the abandon scaffolding for purposes. It was a tad bit too dramatic for what he considered normal routine. 

     Ryder moved back to the scaffolding then carefully lowered himself over the edge and wrapped himself around the closest metal pipe with his legs before dropping down. He slid down it, his free hand steadying himself. He was glad he'd left his gloves on when he'd gotten home, otherwise his hands would have been severely torn up by now. 

    His feet hit the railing and he kicked himself over the wall before dropping to clutch onto the continuing pole that had run through the landing. He slide a few more feet then leaped onto the next landing, crashing into a group of people who were waiting to scramble across the makeshift bridge. 

     By now, several resourceful people had managed to slide several more pieces of scaffolding across the gap so more people could cross. He had no idea where they'd found the pieces and he wasn't about to stop and ask. He clutched the wailing infant to his chest and moved towards the bridge. The building was beginning to tremble more violently and he stumbled slightly as screams rang out around him. Ryder sucked in a deep breath to steady his nerves before he vaulted over the railing into thin air. 

     "Hey little person, you're about to have a wild story to tell your friends when you grow up." Ryder mumbled to the wailing infant cradled in his left arm as they dropped. He heard a panicked oh my god from someone above him, who'd clearly seen him jump. 

    The wind rushed past him and he felt like he'd fallen for several minutes, not the several seconds the fall actually took. A piece of metal came flying past him and he felt searing pain in his left arm. He gritted his teeth with pain, his eyes narrowing as the metal scaffolding on the other building suddenly rushed towards him. 

    He felt something pop in his right ankle as he hit the scaffolding. Then his knees slammed into the metal. Ryder clutched the infant to his chest, stifling his scream as tears pricked his eyes. His vision went dark and he nearly fell over. He had to steady himself with his right hand. He sucked in a deep breath then glanced down at the child, praying they hadn't been hurt in the fall. 

    Miraculously, the infant had stopped crying and was staring up at Ryder with wide lavender-colored eyes. Ryder grinned down at the kid then let out a relieved chuckle. He felt nearly giddy with relief. 

     "Well look at you, you're a natural!" He joked, more to himself than the infant. Of course there wasn't any real point to talking to a small child like this. They couldn't understand. No, it was for his sanity. 

  Ryder managed to get to his feet and a pair of hands were reaching for the infant. He didn't stop to look and see who grabbed the child, just turned and ran for the scaffolding again. It was only now, when he was scrambling up the side of his building again, that he realized there were choppers circling the area. 

    One or two were news choppers and the rest were medical and peace corps choppers. The low drone of the engines were barely heard over the chaos, screams and slowly bending metal. The sleek choppers were struggling to get in close enough to evacuate people trapped on the higher floors. Ryder scaled several floors up, passing by the makeshift bridge. Peace Officer's had now reached it and were securing it in place with thick ropes, creating a more solid bridge and taking over handling of it. 

       He made the leap across once again, using the same spot as last time since the two building were close enough in that area for him to make the jump. He sucked in a groan of agony as his right ankle buckled under the pressure and pain of the landing. Then he was scrambling up the collapsing building again. This time he went several floors higher, the wind whipping his hair. 

   Another child was pressed into his arms, this time a young girl who seemed to be around four or five years old. She wore a little pink skirt, black leggings and a matching white and pink blouse. Her shoes were sparkly, he noticed a little absently. 

   "Mommies!" The little girl shrieked, her face streaked with tears and red from crying. A woman around Ryder's age with neon green hair cut short, several piercings and ripped jeans with a black shirt wiped away tears. Her wife, a taller and more muscular looking woman with tattoos on her neck, face and hands wore a leather jacket, a pink sports bra and jeans. She held her wife tightly. 

   "Honey, you need to go with him. He's going to get you down. Be strong for moma ok?" The green haired woman sobbed. The little girl wailed. Ryder wasn't going to waste time arguing with anyone least of all a small child given their current predicament and he gripped her securely to his chest with his right arm before sliding down to the next floor. The girl screamed with terror and he nearly lost his grip on her as she kicked and wiggled. He made it onto the landing in the nick of time. 

   "Want a piggyback ride?" He coaxed as he set the girl down right in front of him. He couldn't bring her further if she kept pulling stunts like that and it was the first thing he could think of. The girl wailed and shook her her head.

     "What's your name?" He tried another approach, trying to keep his voice gentle. The girl finally responded in a slightly better manner. 

   "Lindsey." She sniffled, covering her red face with her small hands. Ryder grimaced, hating what he was about to do next. 

    "Well, Lindsey, if you hop on my back and hold on real tight we'll go meet your mommies on the ground, ok? Then, because you were so brave i'm sure they'll go get you a cloud dunker." He coaxed. He watched Lindsey's face light up with joy and he sighed softly with relief, trying to push away the guilt. 

   Seconds later he had the girl securely on his back, held in place by his stilcords. The cords were normally used to tie down a backpack when traversing The Needles but they worked in a pinch to keep the girl from falling off in case her grip strength gave out. Then he vaulted over the ledge and slid down the scaffolding to the next level. 

   He found a good place to cross after shoving through the crowded landing. The chasm yawned between the buildings. Ryder was feeling it. His ankle sent shooting pain through his body when he walked and the cut on his left arm from the chunk of metal that had nearly ended him wasn't doing him any favors either. 

    He vaulted over the railing with his right arm this time.