Cataclysm

1.2

I told Leo my plan, and he told me were going to be killed before we'd even taken a step. He was probably right. Even then, he didn't protest or tell me we shouldn't try, and I wasn't going to wait around until I was killed in my next round. We were going to break out. 

I don't think anyone had had an idea quite like mine. I'd heard about breakouts here, but it had always been a single Unnatural fighting for freedom. No one worked together, or if they did, it was to leave another behind or send someone ahead as bait.

No, I had a different idea.

To my relief, Varien won his round, because if he hadn't, my whole plan would have been useless. They took him back down and I watched him carefully. He didn't look too hurt, either, which was also good.

I had to wait until the next morning to put my plan into action, but I didn't sleep that night - although this time, it was because of anticipation rather than nightmares. The next morning, my gashes had scabbed over enough for me to put on my shirt and jacket, thankfully, because it was stormy outside, with a slushy rain falling from the sky. I hoped it would keep up to cover our tracks, once we got out.

First thing's first - I had to find where they were keeping Braken. I had seen a virtual tour of this place once - though now that I thought about it, there hadn't been much information - and there had been a door that was labeled "authorized access only." I was pretty sure he was in there. They didn't bother using electricity down here, and I knew there was a generator up on ground level, so it wasn't a maintenance room. He was in there, I was sure of it.

"Hey, Leo," I whispered as I spotted a single soldier walking toward us.

He lifted his head a little from where he was still chained to the wall.

"Do you think you can walk?"

"Yeah, why?"

"Because here it comes." I heard him swear under his breath, but ignored it and braced myself. "Hey, hey you!" I shouted, and the soldier turned to look. "When am I gonna fight again? Can I go against him?" I jerked my thumb at Leo's cell.

"I'd be glad to watch you burn," Leo snapped from the other side.

"How do you know I wouldn't win? You can barely move!" 

"I don't have to move to burn you alive."

"Not if you can't get me! I'll impale you before you can even take a breath!"

"You're just a powerless pathetic human! You couldn't even handle -"

"I wasn't the one who ended up naked on the floor last night! You're calling me pathetic?"

Leo made a tiny noise of distress, and I instantly regretted what I'd said. I knew I'd gone too far, but it had just come out all on its own. I wanted to apologize, but I couldn't break character until I got the soldier closer. Come on, Leo. Fight back. Say something. Insult me.

"If I had my hands free -" he growled.

"But you don't, because last night-"

"Shut up, you lying little bastard!" Leo screamed, his anger more real than pretend. "You said you wouldn't hurt me! You promised you'd -"

"Alright, alright, knock it off, you two," the soldier yelled to be heard over Leo's insults. I started shouting back at him, mostly repeating what he had said earlier, because I wasn't quite as creative with the curses as he was. The soldier came up to my cell and unlocked it, pulling it open to stop me, and then I took my chance.

I whirled around and tackled him, taking him by surprise. I wrestled the spear away from him, almost losing it, and then let out a shriek as he dug his fingers into my back. He started to laugh, noticing my pain, and grabbed me again, pulling my hood back and sticking his hand down my shirt. I tried to wiggle away, but he found one of my gashes and stabbed his fingernails into it, ripping the scabs off. I screamed this time, arching my back and nearly tumbling over as the sharp agony bloomed in my shoulder blades and shot down my spine.