The Runner

CHAPTER THREE

Before Carrington has the chance to respond, some of the other hunters pull Olivia out of August's grasp and drag her toward a hunter cell. Carrington looks like he's still in shock from the outburst as his eyes are still wide with fear.
"Hey!" I hear August shout over my shoulder. I turn, breaking my eye contact with Carrington to see August yelling at the hunters that had just pulled Olivia away. When I look back at Carrington, all I see is his back as he walks swiftly away towards his cell with his head down.
"What do you think you're doing?!"August shouts.
One of the hunters turns around.
"She's dangerous!" The anger in the hunter's eyes appears as fire. As if he would go to extreme lengths to ensure his own safety. "She already tried to kill her," he points to me. "I'm not letting myself be next!"
August gulps, trying to swallow a bitter taste in his mouth. "She's a runner!" August says as he begins storming his way towards the small group of hunters, Olivia fighting in their arms. August comes face-to-face with the one with fire in his eyes. "She's a runner, we should be in charge of her."
"No can do Ryker, we need to make sure she won't be a liability."
"What did you say?!" August's voice overcomes with intensity as he gets closer to the hunter, their faces only a few inches apart. I can practically see the thunderstorm brewing in August. The hunter motions his friends to join him as he begins to walk away. "Answer me!" August yells. This time, it echoes throughout the hub and into each and every cell.
August storms over to the hunter and pulls his shoulder back, forcing the hunter to make eye contact with him. August is holding him by the neck of his red wetsuit. I've never seen August so irrational. He tries to come off so smart, so level headed, like a leader. And maybe he was, but we're not living our old lives anymore. And maybe he needs to wake up, and learn the new rules of the game. At this very moment, I can see the rain and thunder from inside him. Everyone can. We're all watching it. All ninety-nine of us, watching like storm chasers.
"How the hell do you know my last name?!" August's fury rumbles through everyone's chest.
The hunter called August by his last name. He knew him on the outside.
"It's a large world August, don't read so much into it," the hunter shrugs then turns away, walking Olivia back to his cell.
I run to August. He hasn't moved an inch but his chest is rising high and deep, his eyebrows furrowed with intent, and his deep hazel eyes haven't moved away from the hunter. I put my hand on his shoulder, trying to ease his mind at least a little. Finally, he turns his head. His eyes turn from the rapids, back to the calm lake as I knew them before.
"We need to get Olivia back," I say in a calm tone, as if not to disturb the current once more. My words seem to take as he nods softly. "Who was that?" I ask.
"I think his name is Max," he mumbles. August sees the questions on my face before I get the chance to ask. August sighs. "I didnt know him before we got here," his eyes squint as he shakes his head slightly, perplexed.
"But he knew you," I state, hoping he comes to a conclusion about why or how. But I'm also hoping Max was right, that we shouldn't read into it so much. What would we find if we did? I wonder.
"Please step back" The woman over the intercom announces. "Please step back," she repeats. I look behind me to see everyone stepping away from the platform with the food. "Please step back," she states once more. Everyone watches carefully as they inch backwards. Suddenly, the large platform begins to descend back into the ground.
Our only source of food, taken away and possibly never coming back. The platform descends, but the hole in the floor still remains. A black abis from where I stand. I can feel the vibration of something from beneath the floor through the soles of the shoes they gave us. Slight clicks then erupt through the floor. The loud shifting noises continue and vibrate perfectly in sync with each other. Then, the black hole which was once our saving grace, gets turned into something completely different as a new platform arises in its place. Our eyes watch as it comes to the surface. This time, it's not food, but workout equipment. The large square platform holds everything one might need to train for a race. Or an escape, depending on how you see your fate. I imagine I'll be escaping more than racing.