Into the Darkness

Chapter 8

I except for us to be the ones who explode but instead the first two rows of Bots are blown to pieces. It creates a barrier that the other Bots can't get through.

In a moment of silence, after they stop exploding I hear Someone yell, "Everybody get back!"

I can't tell who because my ears are ringing from all the explosions.  Another explosion and the ground beneath our feet starts to shake. I get a terrible feeling that this tunnel is not the most stable place. What if the whole thing collapses? We could die down here. The others would never know what happened to us.

"Get down." This time the I know the voice is obviously coming from Dale. Too loud and deep to have come from anyone else. He barely gets the words out before another explosion rattles the cage. The second torch goes out. I am thrown to the ground by an unseen force. Was that a person or an explosion? My entire body is numb and I know that all I need to do is move. Someone groans from above me. Someone is on top of me answering my earlier question. I shove them off and try to mumble an apology. I say try because I am not sure of the words ever actually leave my mouth. My ears are still ringing and I can hardly hear a thing. I start to crawl away when I remember whoever it was on top of me.

It didn't sound like they were able to move at all. I don't even know if they were fully conscious. I can't just leave them but my own survival seems more important. And no one is ever going to know that I didn't help. I debate with myself for a few more seconds and with a sigh decide to turn back. I would no that I didn't go back and I'm not a monster I can't leave someone to die. I drag the lifeless body farther down the hallway.  The person is really heavy Especially when crawling. When we get to what I consider an acceptable distance away from the explosions I stop and prop the body against the wall.

"Hello?" A small voice comes from beside me. It's Ireland. She couldn't possibly be the heavy person I was dragging, "Who's there?"

"It's just me. Tori. And someone I dragged away from the explosions. I can't see who it is."

She sighs, "With all that dragging I thought you might be a bot or something."

Another explosion from farther down and a flash of light illuminating the hallway for a second. I see the unconscious face of Argus in front of me and a scared Ireland just behind me. 

"Do you know what's going on?" I ask, "Why did they tell us to get back. Why are the Bots blowing up and not us?"

"I don't know. I was thrown back by the first explosion. My arm started hurting really bad so I ran back."

More explosions. Are the Bots shooting at themselves or at us? Are the others all dead? I can't just sit here I have to something. What if they are dying?

"We have to help them."

I don't get an answer from her and am prepared to go without her. I stand up but the explosions have stopped. So has all the yelling. They all must have died. The Bots will be coming for us next. Or will the voice leave us alone? Force us to continue just the three of us. I listen hard which is possible now because my ears have stopped ringing but don't hear any humming or metallic clicking. Just silence.

After what feels like hours of silence the whole hallway is filled with light again. Benedict is holding a torch. He has a bloody nose but otherwise looks alright. Dale is slumped up against a wall unconscious but no obvious injuries. Benedict helps light the other torch in Nevada's hand. She doesn't look all that injured either. Just shaken up.

"Everybody regroup over here." Benedict waves us over. 

I get Ireland to help carry Argus over to the rest of them. Dale is starting to come to and is groaning, he still isn't fully awake yet. Argus is still dead to the world. We drop him and he hits the ground with a thud. I cringe. I hadn't meant to do that.