Burlap

35 - You're Going Down

My body kick started itself the moment it heard the screeching sound of metal grinding on metal again.

Run, run, run, run, run! Power screamed, clawing at the stone wall, nails digging into the surface and leaving her fingers bloody in her attempt to jump in the pilot's seat since my own mind had apparently left the building. I shook my head, knocking the fear and shock loose long enough to start pumping my legs in a desperate flee from my tormentors. My feet slapped against the chilled tiles, but the blood rushing in my ears, pounding like a drum, drowned out the sound.

Chancing a glance behind me proved to be my biggest mistake. Shilling, in his older age, was rather far behind me, but Paul was the athletic sort, it seemed. He closed the distance between us much quicker than I felt strictly comfortable with, so I pulled from every shred of endurance and stamina I'd stored up over the years and kicked my panic driven legs into overdrive.

"Kate!"

Marcie dove from the room we'd slept in, throwing herself at Paul and knocking him to the ground in a bundled heap of limbs and cries that rolled into the opposite wall. The thud that vibrated the walls from their collision caused my steps to falter, fighting with myself over whether I should go back for her or not. I couldn't just let her-

Don't even think about it, you stupid imbecile! If I have to say it again, I swear I will have you slitting your own pathetic little throat! RUN!

Maybe it was her tone, so like Robbie's that I was used to following the orders of, even though he never verbally abused me as Power did. Either way, I shut down any conflicting emotions and fell into that submissive state where all I could do was follow instruction to a T. My emotions detached themselves from my logical thought, giving way for the Kate that thrived in the environment where someone else was in control. Power knew what to do. Power was confident and level headed. Power was logical. Sane lacked all of that, and so, even if she wasn't in the pilot's seat, Power possessed all control over whatever choices I made until the situation ended.

Kate was useless. Pathetic. Stupid.

Power was none of those things, and everything that Kate needed.

Nurses' station. It's the only chance we have, even if it is a really stupid idea to trap ourselves.

My body obeyed on command, and hurled itself over the counter, taking a quick peek back to see if either of the monsters behind me could see where I'd gone. Lucky me, they both tangled and wrestled with Marcie, who revealed herself to be quite a bit scrappier than she'd ever given away. She thrashed and kicked and bit as if she'd grown up a heathen on the streets. I found myself immensely proud of her, even as my heart pounded in fear for her life.

Hurry up!

I dashed beneath the counter, yanking open the door to my secret hiding spot and slid inside, my breaths coming out in visible white puffs as I pulled the scrap of fabric I'd tied to the handle, sealing me inside the dark, dank cabinet. I inhaled, only to fill my lungs with the musty odor of rot and mold. My lungs itched, begging me to allow them to cough up the vile air, but I refused, even as tears dotted the corners of my eyes.

For several minutes, with eyes sealed shut as I muttered prayers for help under my breath, the blackness consumed my world and for that little while, nothing outside existed. The silence separating me from the rest of what was happening on the thirteenth floor allowed me a brief, pretend reprieve. My frantic mind began its gradual descent into a more calm, level headed state. My thoughts shifted into neat little compartments, organizing themselves into easily pluckable places. I could see everything clearly, as if I'd set every aspect of the situation out on a table for inspection. Puzzle pieces fit together, plans formed in impressive clarity, and my body calmed the panic threatening to take over.