End of the Suburbs

Chpt 12: Storm

Inside the cage are some of the strongest, skilled fighters from the township.
In a fair fight we could easily take control and overthrow the Skulkers.
One thing stops them from trying;
A gun.
The leader of the Skulkers is a man that goes by the name Hades.
A few years back he took control of the Skulkers.
He uses his gun to maintain his control.
They say it's the only one left from before the virus.
One shot can kill a man where he stands and scatter him into a million pieces.
I understand why everyone is afraid to challenge him.
The gun, Maximo, and the river are how he keeps power.
Anything he wants he takes.
He keeps the captured warriors inside the cage in the arena floor.
From looking around I see people from many cities.
Their best fighters that they captured and are growing weak in captivity.
I notice one man in particular.
He wears a mask that covers most of his face.
His clothes are mostly rags and padding held together by straps.
He wears a hood.
Despite being mostly covered I can still tell he's strong.
Everyone else is downtrodden but he sits in the back, against the wall, barely moving.
Just watching.
I ask Duffy about him.
He tells me his name is V.
One letter.
V has been there longer than anyone.
Duffy says the purpose of the cage is to break our spirits.
They keep us in cage starved and dehydrated, only giving scraps and never enough for all of the captives.
V has been he longer than anybody and still can't be broken.
He can be useful.
I walk over to him.
He doesn't acknowledge I'm there.
The cage starts to fill with the sound of whispered murmurs as people move away from the two of us.
Duffy walks up behind me.
"You sure about this,kid?" he asks me.
I nod telling him to trust me.
A low growl comes from V who sits on the ground against the bars.
"Alex." I say.
I extend my hand to shake.
The murmurs suddenly turn to an anxious silence.
The growl stops.
V turns his head looking up at me.
I can't see his eyes or read his expression through the mask and hood.
Finally he reaches up and grabs my hand.
He doesn't say anything.
Instead he just pats the floor next to him as a sign he wants me to sit.
I sit.
Duffy gives me one last look of uncertainty before walking away.
"I have a plan to get out." I say.
He sits in silence.
Barely moving.
I continue, "If I can cause a distraction and get the cage open will you help me fight?"
He still doesn't say anything but he does turn his head to me.
Looking directly at him I still can't see the man behind the mask.
Without saying a word he offers me his fist.
There's a pause before I fist bump him.
I get up and walk back near the entrance.
Now I just have to figure out how to get the doors open.
I spend what feels like hours watching everything and everyone inside the arena.
I'm waiting for signal.
Finally, in the distance I hear a loud screeching roar followed by screams.
That's the signal.
I look up in the stands and see Maximo running full speed chasing another one of the other Skulkers.
They make it a few feet before Maximo leapt through the air tackling one of them.
Maximo rips off his mask revealing fangs and blistered skin.
Maximo sinks his teeth into the other man's flesh and rips out a chunk as he screams.
He's eating him alive.
Screams carry from other parts of the building.
Maximo was infected when I cut him with the sword I'd used to kill the bear and the elk.
He wasn't the only one.
The four guards were also running around attacking others.
Everyone was in panic.
All of a sudden my sword slips through the bars above and lands directly in front of me.
I look up into the stands.
It's Bill.
This is the plan.
He tosses over a bunch of different weapons.
They all hit the ground at once.
When I look back up he's gone.
I don't waste time.
I walk to the cage door.
With one slice I break the chains that hold the door shut.
I kick the door open and look back.
Duffy is right behind me.
The others are hesitant.
They stay seated.
V gets up.
He's tall and muscular.
It's noticeable even under all the ragged clothes he wears.
I push the door open and step out amidst the chaos.
The Skulkers are scattering.
I lock eyes with Maximo from across the fence.
He immediately leaps over it and begins loping towards me with speed.
Duffy runs to grab one of the weapons from the ground.
He chooses an axe.
Maximo is almost on us.
His eyes are bloodshot as he snarls and slobbers like a wild animal.
Just before he reaches us,
BOOM
Maximo's limp body slides across the ground stopping only a few feet in front of me.
His head has a hole in it.
The gun.
I look over and Hades is standing on the floor of the arena in front of the open fence.
"Prisoners get back inside your cage." he yells.
"Everyone else find a seat."
My body is tingling.
My heart is racing faster than it has ever before.
I'm frozen.
*FEAR*
I hear the sound of Casper growling.
I look beside Hades and see him baring his teeth.
He's scared.
That means I can't afford to be.
I take a deep breath and start to bolt towards them.
Casper attacks, grabbing Hades by the leg.
He doesn't let go.
Hades refuses to fall.
He shakes trying to get free.
Finally he takes the back of the gun and hits Casper in the head hard enough that it causes him to let go.
He kicks Casper off and raised the gun towards him.
I won't reach him before he pulls the trigger.