Race to the end

RaceTTEnd 10

The arrow pierced the guards heart.

The screaming and chaos began. People ran about each other, banging into each other. Their feet made a thundering noise on the grey sand and soon a small sand cloud was formed. I coughed in the sand but made up my mind, I had to move. I ran at the crowd trying to push the cage door open. I broke out and pushed my way through the screaming crowd of green people. I ran towards the brief outline of a mountain where the arrow seemed to have come from. I ran fast, my hands still shackled behind me. The sounds of the bustling rabble behind me grew softer and softer. A few more metres into the sandy abyss and I lost them all together. No sound, no sight of them.

I slowed down to a walk and looked intently in front of me, willing myself to see Ribo. The more I walked the more I felt that my hope was going to be dashed. I walked on. Still no sign of them. I reached the mountain, craning my neck to look upwards. Nothing by solid rock stared back at me.

I sat down leaning against the rock looking out at the vast grey sand. Where were they? Was I lost? A throb of pain filled my chest and rose to my throat. Panic. This must be panic. I felt cold all over and stood up quickly. I looked all around the mountain, my eyes raking over each crevice.

I gave up quickly. I had noticed a small cave near the bottom of the mountain. It would probably be the best place to hide out for a while. I started up the mountain, finding it hard to move with my hands strapped behind my back. After an exhausting haul up the rock side, I reached the cave. I crouched into the cave, thankful for the cool shadows that covered me.

I lay down on the stone and sat my head on a patch of moss. It could be worse I told myself.

Much worse.

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I awoke in the shade. I was shivering from the cold, damp of the cave. I wriggled out into the blaring heat. I squinted my eyes against it and stood up slowly. My arms ached and hurt from being strained behind me.

I decided to find a way to cut myself free.

I walked around the rocky terrace looking for a sharp rock. I found one shortly and began to bang the shackled onto it. It took all my effort, and all I managed to do was dent the metal, not actually breaking it. I huffed in exasperation. Slumping down onto the floor. I rested my head against a rock and closed my eyes.

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Ribo looked up to me his eyes glowing. I looked away from him. From the corner of my eye I watched him, watching me. I faced the front of the room and said nothing. Our future was being decided in the room next to us. Embri faced away from us all. There was a clatter and the door opened, and there stood the old leader. She walked in, sitting next to me. I stared at her.

"You are the new leader" She stated simply. She turned to Ribo "You are second in command and her mate" To Embri "You are thrid".

The look that Embri gave me. It was as though she was trying to burn me with her eyes.

The look Ribo gave me. It was as though he had already taken the mate thing seriously.

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I opened my eyes to see a bird watching me. It had brown dull feathers and vibrant blue eyes. It reminded me of the remains of a hawk I had found. Save the colour of its eyes. They watched me closely, as though I was its next meal. It began to make me feel uncomfortable. Slowly I backed back into the cave.

Thought not quick enough.

The bird darted towards me, wings swooping outwards. I feinted backwards and tried to dodge its beak. It snapped at me, quick and sharp. It pecked my leg making it bleed. I hissed at it and kicked my leg out, catching it straight in the face. It let out a squawk and came faster this time. I snapped my leg out again missing and getting another peck. The blood ran down my calf and I groaned as it came closer to me.

The fight began to leave me.

The heat, the pain.

Just as the bird was about to peck out my eyes, an arrow with yellow feathers flew and struck it in the neck. The bird fell, a drop of blood squirting out towards me splattering my face. I stared at it, shock clear on my face. My shock turned to worry and then fear.

This was not one of my arrows.

I turned my head to find a green person, bow and arrow ready and pointing at me. I gasped and struggled backwards. The girl moved towards me, her arrow pointed at my heart.

"Don't move" She growled. I froze and tried to stop myself from screaming out. I calmed myself, the strange rush of emotion overcoming me. I met her eyes. They were deep brown. Her hair was long and black, twisted into a long plait that was thrown behind her. Her forehead creased "Who are you?" She asked, her voice was calm and authoritative. I cleared my throat realising how dry my throat was.

"My name is Tami" I gasped "I am the leader of the homo expectros" She watched me as I spoke as though I would run. I showed her my hands. "I can't run" She didn't seem to trust me. I shrugged. She came closer. Her bow slowly lowering. Her bow was made of a black wood I hadn't seen before. She came closer to me and grabbed my shackles.

She pulled out a long metal knife, my eyes growing wide with worry. She looked closely at me, a look of indecision on her face. Soon she appeared to make up her mind. She pulled my shackled hands towards her and began to saw at the shackles. Yellow sparks flew off the knife. I flinched every now and then. I could feel the shackles breaking, and soon my hands were free. Now only two rings circled my wrists.

The girl turned me towards her and took one of my hands, beginning to saw on the ring. She did this carefully so that when she did break through she didn't cut me. On the second hand she did not truly succeed. I hissed at the pain as the knife nicked my skin.

"Sorry" she muttered picking the two pieces of metal up and putting them into a satchel over her shoulder. I watched her silently. She then grabbed some wood, and began to strike her knife against a small piece of metal. Soon the sparks flew onto the wood, and a fire started. She looked up at me, her face unsure of me. I smiled at her. After a second she returned the smile. I moved closer to the fire, realising the cool breeze that had started and was starting to make me shiver. The fire warmed my finger tips.

The girl pulled a small animal out of her bag and pulled the bird over to us. She started to pluck the feathers off the bird and then pulled the meat off of it. She grabbed some sticks from the ground, brushed them off and then stuck the meat on before placing it on the fire. I watched her silently. She did this for the other animal. I didn't know what animal it was, some sort of small cat maybe.

The fire licked at the meat and splayed images and flashes. I watched it intently, the crackling becoming music to my ears. Soon the food was cooked and she passed me a stick. I was onto my third stick when she finally spoke again.

"My name is Sadia" She told me. She chewed at her meat, finding it tough. I nodded at her. "I ran from my tribe when this person with blue skin, like you, came" She muttered darkly "She told them she was a god" She spat at the dirt "But she was no god!" She growled. I sighed and nodded. She glanced at me "You should sleep it is getting late" I nodded again, leaving the warmth of the fire and entering my cave.

I lay down in the cold damp cave, my final image the girl, Sadia, chewing at the bird who had tried to kill me.