Run

The Beginning

The Beginning

“Now, you have nothing to save you from the Upgraded, so what do you people think?” shouted Brooklyn, his strength regaining gradually.

“Leave the LUI! Leave the LUI!” cried the crowd all turning towards the LUI members in the crowd.

The rest of the family gathered around us and I had a sudden need to hold baby Sophia. Caroline handed her over and I adjusted her little bonnet.

“This, little Sophia, is the beginning of a new life for all of us, especially you,” I whispered in her ear and smiled as she grasped hold of my little finger.

"She’s your little sister now, you know,” Caroline whispered in my ear.

“Thank you Caroline, I appreciate how much you have welcomed me into the family. I will try to be the as much of a sister as Annabelle was, with the exception that I am going out with your son,” I said, tucking Sophia’s blanket around her angel face.

The crowd were turning angry now forcing the LUI scientists into a bundle in the middle.

“We help you, we fight the wars,” said a brave scientist.

“We haven’t had a war with another country in five years, why are we still upgrading animals?” bellowed a large woman in the crowd.

“Yeah, where are they going?” said another.

Clive entered the ring of people and approached the bunch of LUI scientists.

“Speak the truth,” he said his voice quiet yet threatening.

“We have been exporting animals to foreign countries, for them to use,” said a scientist, her face ashamed.

The crowd briefly fell silent, murmurs of disbelief ricochet through the street.

“Let’s burn down the LUI, let’s stop this madness,” said the large woman.

Cries of agreement sounded from the crowd as they ran back to their homes to gather weapons.

“Let us get back home, I do not wish for Penny to see this,” said Caroline, guiding everybody towards the street that led back to the gates.

“Thank you Bryony, I know Annabelle is no longer with us, but you for sure avenged her,” said Martha, patting me on the shoulder.

We all clambered over the metal gates that lay trampled on the floor around us.

“What happened Bryony?” said Henry.

“I’ll tell you all when we are back home and safe,” I said, smiling as Brooklyn wrapped an arm around my waist. It was approximately midnight and the air was cool. I could tell everyone was eager to be safe and indoors.