Run While You Can

Now or never

Hunter glanced into the hall where Skyler stood and talked to the minutemen. He heard one of the minutemen talk about Vivian. Did he know why she was gone? Maybe the minutemen hadn't come here to rob us, Hunter thought. Maybe they just had come here to tell Skyler something about her sister.

But then he forgot about that thought. The minutemen walked up to Skyler and took her wrist. Skyler tried to get loose from his tight grip but couldn't. The minutemen, (probebly the leader) took her time. No, Hunter thought. This couldn't be happening!

Hunter took a deep breath and rushed into the hall.

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My clock was already down on days. I just had days left. Maybe it was time to give up? Then I heard a noise behind me and looked over my shoulder. I saw Hunter come running.

"No!" I screamed. "Hunter, no!"

It was to late, Hunter jumped on one of the minutemen. For a second the one holding my wrist relaxed and I threw myself away from him. My back hit a wall behind me. I rubbed my wrist and looked at my clock. The green numbers showed 16 hours.

Hunter was down on the floor, wrestling with one of the minutmen. The leader just stood and watched them. Then I felt a strong arm around my neck and something cold against my temple. It was a gun.

I heard a dark voice in my ear. "Get away from him, or I'll kill the girl."

Hunter quickly directed his attention towards me and the minuteman. The leader still stood still and looked pleased. Hunter stopped hit the minuteman and then slowly stood up. His lip was bleeding.

"Are you okey..?" I started talking but the minuteman just pushed the gun harder against my temple. "Shut up!" He said with his hard dark voice.

I exhaled slowly and tried not to shake. I guess this was the end after all. I felt my palms getting sweaty.

The minuteman who Hunter had hit down also stood up. At least he looked worse than Hunter.

The leader took a few steps forward so he stood in the middle of us all. "Please, don't get anyone hurt." He didn't mean what he said, I knew it. "I know how we should solve this. Let's play a little game." He grinned.

I knew what game he was referring to..., armwrestling.

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Hunter and the minuteman leader sat down by my little kitchen table. I had been moved into my kitchen by the strong man behind me. He still had the gun against my temple.

The two minutemen and me stood on each side behind the minuteman leader and Hunter. It felt good to stand behind Hunter. The minuteman who sat opposite Hunter folded up his shirt sleeves so he showed both of his forearms. Slowly Hunter did the same.

Hunter stretched out his hand and the minuteman quickly took it and twisted his arm so Hunter's clock started ticking. The game was on...

Without realizing, I gasped when the game started and the minuteman behind me just pushed the gun harder against my temple. It started to hurt a bit.

Armwestling often didn't took so long. It didn't took so long until somebody died. Come on, I thought, even tho I wanted to scream it. Come on Hunter.

Hunter tried and tried to twist his arm at his own but the minuteman was really strong. It seemed like they had to be, they probebly did this every day.

I tried to peek over Hunters muscular shoulder so I could see his clock. It was down on days now. I had to do something!

My brain went high gear. Then I came to think of something. I took a deep breath. I had fired a gun before, it was gonna be okey. Now or never, I thought. I took one more deep breath. Now or never.

I quickly kicked my leg back and hit the minuteman behind me in his beloved balls. The minuteman let out a painfull sound and loosened his grip around the gun. I quickly took the gun in my own hands and spun around so I faced the minuteman who grimaced. Without even blinking I shot him and he fell back down on the floor, his clock getting grey. Then I turned around again and shot the other minuteman who stood at the other end of my little kitchen. They both where dead.

The minuteman leader and Hunter where still all up in the game. What had I thought, that the minuteman would stop just becuase I shot the other two? Don't think so...

The minuteman just looked at me with a disgusting pleased smile. He hadn't even blinked when I shot his, so called friends. I couldn't see how Hunter had reacted.

I sneaked over at Hunter's clock. It was just seconds left. 10 seconds 9, 8, 7...

"Please." I said and felt tears burning in my eyes. "Please stop."

Just when I said that the minuteman made a quick grimace and then he fell back and off his chair. Hunter quickly pulled away his arm.

I ran up to him and gave him some of my time. He slowly stood up and looked at me.

I stifled a little laugh and felt a single tear roll down my cheek. "I said I could take care of myself."

Hunter took two big steps towards me and wrapped his arms around me. I hugged him back and let out a sob. This had been the scariest moment of my life. I don't know what I would have done if I had loosen Hunter.

When we ended the hug I quickly dried my cheeks. I glanced over at the minuteman who laid still on the floor. "What the hell just happened?"

Hunter walked up to the minuteman and kneeled down beside him. He looked at him a few seconds then he stood up. "His clock has just stopped. I don't get it." Hunter shook his head.

I took a few steps towards Hunter and the dead minuteman. "Maybe he was sick or something?" I frowned.

"I don't know..." Hunter scratched the back of his head "But I know that this isn't normal. This shouldn't be able to happen..."

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Timekeeper Roy Collins walked with long quick steps towards his two partners. "I can't believe that it took this long to find out!" He stopped in front of his partners. One girl with long blonde hair and a peircing in her nose, and a guy with dark skin and dark hair.

"You can't hide that much time in the ghetto!" Roy shook his head and then murmered. "It's not possible."

"Then how could it take so long for us to find out?" The blonde girl, Chelsea, said.

"I have the answer to that." Roy started to click on a computer keyboard. Slowly the computer lit up.

Chelsea and the dark skinned guy, Andrew, read what it said on the computer.

Chelsea widned her eyes and Andrew spoke slowly. "It can't be possible..."

Roy put a gun in his belt. "No it can't, but it is."

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