THE LAST GAMES: PROJECT PANDORA

CHAPTER IX: B R O K E N L O G I C

For the first time in months, I think we can finally end all this. We have trained hard, getting stronger, faster. And today's the day. The day it all changes - for the better or worse. I have found I'm better at sniping than all out machine gunning bullets. The symbol guns we have are not to strong, but they're better than nothing. We gather around the bonfire for what seems like the last time. I drape the sniper rifle over my back. Matt, Cato and Charlotte carry the machine guns we found in the underground bunker, and Lance has carved a stone knife, which he is very fond of.
"Well," Sara says, "this is it. This is the day we strike back."
"Yeah yeah, let's get to the fighting part already!" Cato laughs impatiently.
And so, we set off for The Program's base, trying our best to ready ourselves for what is to come.

As the twelve of us trudge through the cold, and I notice the pack of Catah have been circling us out of the corner of my eyes. I take out my gun and aim. One runs past us and I shoot it dead; a warning for the others to back off. Cato elbows me.
"Dude, nice shot."
We keep walking, until I hear a scream. I turn around to see Winter, who is at the back of the group, being attacked by one of the Catah. Lance runs to her with his knife and stabs it repeatedly in the neck. Blood spills from it and onto winter, but the Catah still digs its sharp glinting teeth deep into Winters side. The colour from her face starts to fade as the beast finally dies.
"Winter!" I yell, running up to her, but she has blacked out. I try to stop the blood with my hands, but it still spills steadily between my fingers.
"Oh no." Sara runs to her side. The white snow turns to blood red and I don't know what to do. Then the other three Catah charge, snarling.
"Oh please, Winter, please don't die on me."
Larry steps in front of us and growls at the three remaining Catah, but I'm too focused on Winter. Could I stitch her up? I rip a thread free from my top and pull out one of the dead Catahs teeth. I tie them together and start stitching, at the same time praying that she doesn't die. I don't pay any attention to my surroundings, just that I need Winter to live. I'm too panicked that I can't even stitch properly, and the string just falls out of my hands. Rachel puts her hand on Winters side and focuses. Tears roll off my cheeks, but then something starts to happen. The blood from her wound stops spilling, and instead the gaping hole in her side looks like it's healing. Then it closes up before my eyes, and I think I'm dreaming. The colour returns to her face, and soon all evidence of the life threatening wound has disappeared, with the exception of the blood everywhere. I look to Rachel, about to thank her, when she drops, and starts convulsing on the ground. Oh. My. God. I turn to Larry, who seems to be communicating with the other Catah. Then he snarls, and he Catah scurry off, whimpering like wounded animals. I turn back to Winter and Rachel, who are now both lying side by side in blood-soaked snow. Their hair blowing over their faces in the wind. I kneel down to Winter, shaking her. She groans, and I know she's alive, which is a huge relief. I carry her on my back, and Sara goes to pick up Rachel, but as soon as she touches her, Rachel starts violently convulsing again. We hold her down until she stops, then we carry her and continue to hike through the snow. Wow, that was a frightening turn of events.

Slowly the great walls protecting The Programs base rise over a snowy hill. I sigh. We start gaining speed, the walls getting closer until it is only about thirty feet away. We stop. I drop to one knee, aiming my gun at the wall. I count down in my head, my finger resting on the trigger. Three. Two. One. I fire, the blast sailing towards the wall. Then it and the wall collide, sending a shockwave through the ground as it explodes.
"And now," I say grinning, "we have an entrance."
Sirens blare, with android soldiers and guards rushing out. Almost like they were waiting for us to blow a hole in their wall.
"Fire!" Andrés yells. I aim, and fire, taking out three guards with one shot. Sparks fly everywhere, which is troubling. How do they look so lifelike? The sound of gunshots rage between us as a massive battle starts.
"And so a battle between allies commences." I here Rachel's voice mutter behind me. I'm not sure if I heard her right. Allies? I look behind me to see Rachel, but she's gone. I know I have bigger problems, so I look back and continue to return fire. A sniper blast misses my head by an inch. The soldiers are advancing - or what's left of them. Lance charges forward, narrowly dodging gunfire. Wow.
"Oh heck yeah! Matrix!" He yells. I wonder what "Matrix" is. He uses his knife, cutting through dozens of guards. Sparks fly every time another guard is brought to its knees. A thick black liquid drips from their wounds. Soon the snow is littered with black blood and strewn android parts. The guards stop coming.
"Is that all you've got!?" Cato yells.
"I guess so," I say. The place they come out of is now invisible, so, of corse, I blow a hole in it. And we walk in.