The Life of Natalie Prior

Chapter 7 - You're Safe Now

Chapter 7 - You're Safe Now

Do I run towards the fire or away?

If I go towards it there'd be people.

But more importantly there'd be danger.

If I run away from it, who knows the next time I'll find people or a place to stay. Just because there's a fire doesn't mean that there isn't somewhere else near here.

But also if I go towards it, there'd be possible potential safety, maybe?

I decide to go towards it.

Walking slowly, I make my way closer and closer to the fire; enough to finally feel the heat of it on my face and the intense smoke making my eyes water.

The closer I get, the more I hear screams. Multiple people screaming.

I question turning around, but I don't.

This is my only chance of, well, anything.

Clutching my pillowcase in one hand, I run a great distance around the building on fire to see what I wasn't expecting.

It's a whole town on fire.

A pretty good sized town too.

Maybe more of a city than a town.

All I can see is buildings engulfed in flames.

But why?

Who would set a whole city on fire?

More importantly, why should someone set a whole city on fire?

Hearing multiple loud motors from overhead, I run back to the safety of the woods I came from and duck into a bush.

I remember my father telling me about these things before; the flying things.

Once, back when Milwaukee was an experiment, we never had such things, Natalie. They were made by the Bureau. I still remember the day when they all came flying in. It was scary. I never knew there was such thing! They are called helicopters.

I remember asking him why they're needed.

They get you places far away much faster than trucks. They carry you through the air, and very fast even though it may not look like they're going that fast. I've ridden in one before, they're pretty neat. It's a little scary to be in one for the first time, but once you get use to it, they're pretty cool.

Gaining courage, I peek from behind the bush, trying to see what they're doing.

I can't see anything.

Mentally groaning, I slowly creep from the bush and out into the open.

I keep getting closer to the town, now seeing that screaming people are being taken away in trucks and helicopters. There's gun shots everywhere and people running frantically from people in black and red coats with flying things around them.

I take a few steps back, realizing that I'm too close to the people.

"Hey! You!" Someone yells. "Stay right there! Don't move!" The person starts running straight after me.

I take off back to the woods, running as fast as my legs can carry me.

I'm running fast, but the guy is faster.

Screaming, I finally make it to the woods, running through prickly bushes and jumping over logs.

The person is still faster.

I fall, landing into a pricker bush and screaming in fear and pain from the little pins jabbing me everywhere from my fall.

I don't want to die.

I'm lightly picked up from the pricker bush, then thrown over the persons shoulder as he runs in the direction opposite of where he's chased me.

"Don't worry, you're safe now." He says.