Hiding From the Unknown

Part 2

My lips were chapped, my outfit was uncoordinated, and I wasn't wearing any jewelry, but I didn't care. It was just my birthday. That's all it was. Or at least I thought so...I walked to my AP history class, thinking about how I would use the hundred-dollar paycheck I had accumulated from working at the soup kitchen down the street.

When my mother refused to help pay to look for my dad, I knew I couldn't afford them, but I had made a list of people that could help, and had seven investigators I could reach out to. There was only one problem-one hundred dollars wouldn't nearly be enough.  Lyla, my best friend, and probably my only one, walked up to me.  She smiled. 
"Whatcha thinkin' about, Chlo?"
"Oh, just my dad."
"Wow...still lookin' for him, huh?"

I gave a small nod and we walked silently to Ms.Lokward's room and sat down in our chairs.  She started writing our homework on the board and turned back at us. "Open the textbooks to the page we were on yesterday." As she said these words, the most unexpected thing happened. There came a huge crash from outside, then the sound of bullets firing at a rapid pace.  Everyone screamed and ran to the window, where we saw a contraption, about the size of a large auditorium, which was shooting ping pong ball sized metallic spheres that were on fire.  My heart began to pound in my chest, as I gaped at the huge machine, wide-eyed.  What could I possibly do? My brain began to frantically search for some passage to go out of, something I hadn't noticed before, but it was impossible.  If I went outside, then I would be captured, but if I hid in a classroom, I would be found.  In my confusion, I heard a faint voice yell "Evacuate!" and the next minute, everyone dashed out the door. It was as if we were playing sardines and were squishing ourselves into a closet to see how many would fit.

People ran around everywhere, trying to escape from the school.  I dashed into the cafeteria and ran into the kitchen, where I hid among the many boxes of mystery soup, chips, and other food.  I cleared my backpack, taking out all the textbooks and papers, before I grabbed some water bottles and shoved them into it, along with three large packs of saltines, and five packs of dried blueberries.  Even if I did have to leave, at least I would have some food.  I found a knife in a container.  It wasn't exactly sharp, but I had no other options.

Suddenly, I heard footsteps coming towards me. It was obvious that the person was trying to be discreet and make sure no one could hear them but I had. I quickly ducked behind a huge cardboard box and checked to see if any part of my body was visible from behind it. Adrenaline shot through my body, as I reassured myself that I wouldn't be found.  Then I realized something. When I had emptied my bag out on the ground to fit the food and water inside, I had scattered my books and papers around. Even if I was hidden, the books would give me away. I slowly reached out to grab them, but it was too late. I heard a loud, booming voice, and the rustle of the person picking up one of my history tests. I flinched, and yanked my hand back, as if I had touched something on fire. 

"Chloe Haw-Tey-Kin-Soy, " I could tell that he was trying to sound out my last name. "I know you're hiding back there, sweetie, come on, we captured everyone else. You're the last one!" His voice was annoyingly 'singsongy' and it irritated me.

I couldn't take it. I would rather face him than have him creep up on me and drag me away. I quickly secured my hands around the knife in the side-pocket of my bag, and slowly looked around the side of the box. He was in the front of the kitchen. I jumped up and scowled, before reading his badge.

"It's Hawtekinsee, Mr. Avario," I tried to read the small letters on his badge, as I used his singsong voice, mimicking him as best I could.

"Ah, Chloe. Dear, we must go! The Variater is leaving shortly." He checked his watch.

"The...what now?"

" Variater-big contraption, spits out fireballs, you know..."

"Oh, your toy," The minute I said this, he looked genuinely hurt.

"It's not a toy," he spat out, "It is a highly trained war mechanism"

I acted interested but in reality, I was planning out a 'battle' plan. Behind my back, I turned the knife over and over in my palms, smirking as he babbled on and on about his Variater thing-ama-bobber. His voice was too much for me. No more chit-chat. When he was least expecting it, I swung out with the knife, cutting him on the arm; but just then I noticed something. It wasn't blood that oozed out of his arm.

It was small, metallic spheres, almost like the ones being projected out of the Variater, except these ones were smaller, and weren't on fire. I quickly cut him in multiple places. The leg, the neck, the cheek, the stomach, and the same thing happened. Little spheres poured out of the wounds. He also didn't seem to be in pain. He  just advanced closer and closer towards me. I felt my jaw drop open and before I knew what was happening, I located the nearest exit and slid down, crawling  between his legs, and bolting as fast as I could towards the door that lead outside.  Now my biggest worry was how I would escape from the 'Variater.' What was going on?