Radioactive

I ran quickly through the woods, clutching my throbbing side with one hand and my gun with the other. I had been running over two miles. I cant run another step. I stopped and swung around to see if it was still following me. I couldnt see or hear anything. I must have lost it. I breathed in a sigh of relief and turned to continue through the woods. My breath caught in my throat, there it was right in front of me. I brought my gun up but it knocked the gun from my hand with so much force that it flew out of sight. Then its slimy hand wrapped around my neck and lifted me off the ground. I clawed frantically at it trying to loosen the Skitters grip from my neck but it was no use. I gritted my teeth and gathered what breath I had left to scream, "Kill Me" but it came out as more of a pathetic squeak. Of course it wouldn't kill me. They wanted us, kids, to use as slave labor. Once they attatched the harness to your back you were as good as dead anyway. I felt the world slipping away when suddenly the skitters grip loosened and fell away. I fell to the ground disoriented and gasping for air. My eyes flew back to the Skitter. It was clawing at its head I heard a crunch and the Skitter went limp and crashed to the ground. Behind it stood a boy holding a slimy knife. He killed it, he saved me. The boys was wearing all black with a gun over his shoulder. My instincts kicked in and I tried to get up and run, but a sharp pain in my side dropped me to my knees. I reached around to discover my side is soaked in blood.

"Dont run, Your pretty banged up," I hear a deep voice say.

I turned quickly to see the boy kneeling beside me. I heard a ruslting in the leaves behind us and the boy drew his gun.

"Chill Ben its just me," I hear another male voice say. The boy came into view. He was young, younger than the boy that had saved me.

"Damn it Jimmy, dont sneak up on me like that," Ben said.

"Who's this? What the hell happened here?" Jimmy said examining the dead alien then looking back to me.

"The Skitter had her by the neck so I snuck up behind it," He held up the now slime covered knife before returning it to its place on his belt, "And I dont know who she is but shes hurt and pretty bad. Here take my gun," Ben said handing the gun over to Jimmy.

"What are you gona do?" Jimmy said taking the gun from Ben.

"Carry her back to camp Doctor Glass can fix her up," Ben reached down and scooped me up like I was a feather. My head fell right into his warm chest. I wanted to fight but I have nothing left, I'm exhausted.

After about five minutes of walking my side started to throb again. I wiggle trying to make it stop. Ben slows his pace for a second to reposition me in his arms so my side feels some relief. My hands went to the back of Bens neck for support and I felt two spikes at the top of his spine. I sucked in a breath in disbelief. He tensed up when my fingers brushed the spikes. His muscles relaxed as he met my eyes. "Dont worry. I dont work for them anymore," he said with a laugh, but his eyes masked something. I turned away and stared back into the dark woods ahead.

"Yea dont worry, we're with the resistance, the 2nd Mass. You're safe with us," Jimmy, the younger boy, said very matter-of-factly. I nodded slightly but didnt speak. How could I? What was I supposed to say?

"Why doesnt she talk?" Jimmy asked.

Ben looked down at me, but I didnt meet his gaze. "Shes in alot of pain, pobably in some sort of shock too. And I doubt shes ever seen an unharnessed kid before," Ben explained.

He was right. I wonder how they got that thing off without killing him. I suppose I was in shock too, this was just all alot to take in. Everything around was getting darker and darker until it all faded to black. Everything after that is just flashes. Flashes of Ben lowering me onto a stretcher, I latched onto his hand. 'Dont leave' I thought. Where the hell am I? He loosened my grip and whispered that hed be back to check on me later.

***Darkness***

Flash. A dark headed woman stitching up my side and another younger girl stringing up an IV attatched to my arm.

***Darkness***

The next thing I see is Ben standing at the end of my bed with his back facing me. Talking to an older man explaining how he found me. The man looked over Bens shoulder to look at me. I closed my eyes quickly before he realized I was awake.

"Well shes your responsibility now," I heard the man say.

Ben let out an annoyed sigh and after a few seconds finally said, "Fine." and stormed out of the room. Was I really that much of a burden? He could've just left me to die, it would have saved himself all this 'trouble'. Thats all I see before the darkness swallows me again...