Symbiota Sapiens

Chapter 6

My lungs somehow fail to burn as I pant, hoarsely. The burden in my arms doesn't even slow me down, my feet just keep pounding the concrete in that old familiar rhythm.

Left, right, left, right, keep breathing, keep moving forward. Don't stop. Don't worry about the pain that isn't there. Just keep going, let the universe narrow to my lungs, my feet, and the concrete.

And the precious bundle huddled in my arms.

I have no idea how long I've been running, or for that matter where my flight has taken me. Only the twisting fear in my chest, and the need to protect the squirming, shouting bundle in my arms.

What?

"Jer! C'mon, put me down, please! Just stop already!"

::I believe you've shaken any pursuit by now.:: The AI's childish voice sounded concerned.

It's hard, somehow, to stop. Left, right, left, right. And after right, comes left. And then that would be incomplete without right again.

Thump, thump, thump, thump, that's how they go. There is no stop.

My tongue is thick, stuck dry to my pallette. I've been breathing through my mouth.

"Don't stop, keep pushing. Gotta...get ahead..." My voice is raspy and unfamiliar.

"Jer. It's over. Slow down, time to cool down. Walk it off." Julian coaches me gently.

With an effort, I manage to slow down. Then...I'm walking.

And Julian, suddenly silent, is only looking up at me with wide, frightened eyes as I continue to carry him in my arms.

Blurry. What? I'm crying. He reaches up to touch my face and I suddenly stop in my tracks. He's wiping away the wet, I try to smile at him.

"Hey man. It's okay, you can put me down now."

I obey, uncertainly. Lower his feet to the ground and he takes his own weight, then wraps me in a warm hug. I hold on hard, wiping my face on his shoulder. We don't move for a while, until I stop shaking.

Then he pulls back slowly and looks me in the face, eyebrows tilted in concern.

"What happened?" He asks, gently.

"I...you...they took you away."

"Who?"

"I don't know. I was gone for just a few seconds and then you were gone. They stunned you..."

"Yeah, that's the last thing I remember. But you came after me, right? Got me back."

"I...yeah." I let out the long breath I didn't know I was holding.

"Thanks, Jer. You saved me."

I met his grin then, fear forgotten.

"So what are we running from?"

"Um...mostly I was just trying to get away from the area. Everything happened so fast I didn't have time to panic and then afterwards..."

"Oh. How long have I been out?"

::Roughly three hours.:: The AI informed me.

My jaw dropped.

:What? I was running for that long?:

::Yes. At an Olympic-class sprint the entire time.::

"Uh...your doppelganger says it's been three hours since they got you. And...I stopped them like a minute after you disappeared, so I've been carrying you for that long too."