FYSH: Diving Deeper.

Chapter Two: Plucking out the Weeds (Pt 3)

I leapt forward, and my head filled with crazy ideas. Maybe I can grab her and run with her under my arm! Over my head? Run, Atlanta, run! But the second my foot stepped forward, long arms wrapped my arms to my hips and my eyes snapped wide in response. Tyde huffed, hauling me off the ground and then down on the ground, my arms flailing, my eyes never leaving that of the little girl, who ran so hard that sweat poured down her neck.

Even though she knew, even though I knew, that she wouldn't been able to pass anyways. Saltiness balled up behind my eyes, burning them from within. Tyde grabbed my legs and pulled me through, just as the little girl neared us, her hand reaching down. Mine flew up to meet hers, and I could hear her knees crack as she fell to the ground. The harsh snap as she hysterically dropped to the ground, the sound that corresponded with the echoing thud of the dropping wall. I sat, like a rag doll, thinking, this cannot be any worse.

And then, the wall moved again.

Slowly, almost teasingly, the wall moved backwards. Closing in on the girl.

"No." I whispered. "NO!" I screeched, as muted sobs rose through the sides of the moving wall. I forced myself to stand up and run to it, to do something, anything! But as soon as my trembling body had perked up, a gruesome shriek sounded and the wall moaned, trying to come in contact with the other. A painfully beautiful fluid began to run under the wall, as it slowly made impact against the other. Sparkles reflected off the blood from the disgusting, dim lights, as the thick aroma of rust arose.

A sniffle. A whisper. A cry.

We all began bawling as the sight and smell of the sticky, unfamiliar liquid that had slid closer to our group. Beck sprinted over to me, and held my head. I, however, did not cry. I felt numb, and gone. Like I had been whisked away from the world and was spinning around like an orbit, simply leaning in to watch the workings of the world. But, I was here. And it was her that was gone.

I pulled away from Beck, and stared wondrously at my shaking fingers. So I could move. I cracked my jaw. I closed and opened my eyes. Then, I cleared my throat.

"We need to leave." My voice trembled, but somehow, I hadn't felt more sure about anything.

"I don't know what fucking games they're playing, but they're not funny, and I don't want to play."

My feet shuffled forward, I don't know how, but go on they did and served me well as I kept meandering at the end of the tunnel. The beat of more footsteps clattered behind me, all dizzy and slow. Somehow, we made it. And the light at the end of the tunnel was starkly lit. Beck joined me as we entered the gloomy room and he jogged over to the door. With a held breath, he shoved the door. It barely moved. I flinched. I could already tell what was going to happen next.

Brrrrrr, tzzzzzzzzzzzzz...

And down came that damn screen again.

Ioa appeared on the screen, her head tilted and her eyes tight with lies. Her fingers were pressed to her ears and her forehead was speckled with loose hairs.

"Yes sir, Stage One is completed. Less than we expected. Looks like we can't underestimate these children. Clean up will begin in a moment. Stage Two is ready to commence."

Her head shot up to face the kids. Her tone directed at us, she continued droning on.

"Don't you worry, sir. I'll make sure the right kids get their spotlight, and the wrong kids are eradicated. Permanently."

Her black eyes were wide, unblinking as her fingers swept off her head and crossed in front of her. Then, she gave us a hysterical smile.

...