Separated By a Wall

Why Is It When I Run I'm About to Die?

"Rose?"

"Rose?"

"ROSE!"

I feel limp. My eyelids are practically glued shut and the voice that was calling my name irritated me. Couldn't I just rest? I was perfectly comfortable wherever I was. Wait, where was I? "ROSE!" I groaned in response. I heard the person sigh in relief. "She's alive." Alive? Of course I'm alive. Why wouldn't I be? It's not like.... oh.

I force my eyes open and instantly close them again. It was too bright. I opened my eyes slightly, squinting at the figure in front of me. "And she's awake." Why did I feel like something was missing? I sit up slowly and let out a sound of protest. My head hurt as if someone tore it apart and left me there to rot. My throat hurt as if it were scratched from the inside and each breath of air felt more and more like heaven.

"Rose?" I turn around to see Hayden kneeling next to me with an earpiece in his hand. My earpiece. "What?" it came out raspy. "What happened after I blacked out?" I forced myself to say. We were no longer inside the cage. Correction: we were no longer inside. We were outside the facility. "I heard Ryker from this thing." he lifted the earpiece. "And he told me about your deal. I carried you out here and we've been here for an hour." I started coughing and it sounded more like a violent hacking.

"Why-why didn't you just leave? There's no point in both of us getting caught." He stares at me for a moment while I readjust the earpiece in my ear. "I don't know how to get back. You have to take us to the wall." I nod in response and start to pick myself up. But my arms and knees are weak making me simply fall back to the ground.

Hayden stands up and offers me a hand. I take it and he yanks me up causing me to crash into his chest. "Sorry." I mumble. I take a few steps back trying to ignore the dizziness. The streets are quiet which is a good sign. Sadly, I spoke too soon. An alarm blared and red lights flashed through the glass windows of the facility. "Anoch escape. Send hover trucks." I groan in frustration

Always the hover trucks. I hear the blaring of one coming down the street and snap into action. Grabbing Hayden's hand I pulled him alongside me and began to run. I hoped wherever I ran wasn't too far. "Do you know where we're going?" he shouted. "Nope!" I yell back. The hover truck is behind us again but instead of one, it's trailed by two more. Deja- vu.

I recall what Caitlin said from the last time this happened and immediately start weaving around buildings with Hayden close behind. But instead of it's usual effect of giving me more time, one truck is speeding in on my left, another on my right, and one right behind me in a crossroad. Ugh, think Rose, think. This is a life-death situation. You have to play your cards right.

"Turn around at my call." I yell at Hayden. I couldn't hear him over the wind howling and my blood pumping. But I think he got the message. I focus on the plan. There's a chance I could get caught if I use that trick. I could go straight but then I would end up in the same situation. The trucks were closing in and soon they would have us surrounded. Just a few more seconds. "NOW!" I stick out my foot and jerk my body around run straight towards the truck. Hayden is hesitant but follows my lead.

"Jump!" I leap onto the hood of the truck and over it landing on my feet. The vehicles come to a stop and the headlights turn off signaling that the officers were going to get out. And before they can, I grab Hayden's arm again and keep running. "How often have you done this?" he says. Instead of having vehicles, the officers are sprinting after us.

"This is my second time." I tell him. Alright, instinct, instinct. What now? I dash off the road and head straight towards one of the buildings, slamming my shoulder into the door and run in. Hayden follows and I hear the familiar ding of the elevator.