The Genesis Covenant

Chase

Thursday 23rd April 2022 - 1030

St Judes, Middle School and Orphanage - London

Recreation Area

Run...... but where?

I burst out of the school doors and into the rec area.

I jog on to the school gates, hands on my head I try to think.

I hear a crash behind

I look back,

It's Begbie, he's sprinting after me.

I have no time to think, just run.

The gates are locked now, I scramble up the fence, it's eight feet high

It's easy, I feel so strong and fast. I jump from the top landing in a run.

I take off down Stranraer Way.

I decide to head for Kings Cross, maybe I can lose him in the station or something.

As I run I look back, there was a good distance between us, but he's closing fast... he's so fast.

I will myself to run faster, I feel the vibrations exploding in my legs.

I tear left out of Stranraer onto Pembroke, I'm really beginning to fly now.

Wow, I've never run this fast, I'm not even breathing hard, I feel like I could keep this up all day.

The parks a blur on my right, I steal a glance backward, Begbie isn't closing anymore.

I fly onto Havelock, then a left onto Copenhagen.

I've only been to Kings Cross a couple of times, but I'm fairly confident this is the way. I look again, I'm keeping distance on Begbie, maybe I can lose him, I push even harder.

I start passing cars, I might be doing 25 MPH, maintaining it like it was a jog.

I recklessly cross the road at full speed. I'm risking my life, but considering what happened at the school I don't see the choice. I have to get away.

I get onto York Way, it's properly busy, I get on the road it's easier than running on the pavement, there're no people in the way. I steal a look behind me, I can see Begbie in the distance, he's falling back.

I turn back just in time to see a cyclist pop off the curb and into the road in front of me.

He couldn't have seen me.

I'm going to fast I'm going to hit him.

I look to the pavement, but it's packed,

I turn I to push out further into the road, but trip on my own feet and fly into a parked white van shoulder first.

The impact is huge. That hurt.

I bounce off and end up sprawled in the middle of the road winded.

People start coming over. I blink to clear my head. How much time have I lost?

I look around frantically, the van has a huge dent in the side panel, but that's not what I'm interested in.

I start to get up, people are trying to help, I frantically try to see past them, Begbie he's almost on me.

I'm up on my feet, I start moving.

I'm a bit unsteady, but I start to get my speed up. Begbie is within 10 feet before I'm really moving.

He's shouting, 'stop him, stop him, thief!' we are moving so fast people don't have time to react.

I stick to the road and keep an eye for cyclists with a death wish.

I see the station on my left.

I reach the entrance and take a quick look behind me. Begbie is 20 meters behind me. How can he keep up with this speed?

I've been full sprinting, outrunning cars for 5 minutes and somehow he's kept up. Has whatever happened to me, happened to him?

I'm into the station itself, it's mobbed, my speed won't be much of an advantage, but maybe I can lose him in all the crowds.

I can see the Harry Potter shop at the far end of the station, what I'd give to be able to apparate right now.

I see the entrance to the underground, I dive down. It's so busy I struggle to get past people.

I look round as I hit the bottom of the stairs, Begbie is just at the top. He see's me and pursues.

It's some kind of crazy underground world down here. There are people everywhere. I've been on the underground twice, both on trips to London Museums, I really enjoyed the science Museum.

'GET A GRIP', my internal monologue screams. Where now? Maybe I can lose him in the maze of tunnels where the trains are.

I head for the barriers, I have no ticket, but in my amped state I easily hurdle the gate. I'm through in a flash, I doubt the staff even notice.

The escalators are packed, in for a penny......

I jump on the reservation between escalators and start to slide and scramble down.

I suddenly realise they put small barriers on the reservation to stop people doing this and about halfway down I completely lose my balance.

It's either fall in a heap, or leap for the bottom.

I make the leap, it's about 10 meters, I fly like a rocket and somehow I make it.

The immediate hustle of conversation dims, only the old bearded busker playing Sax at the bottom of the escalators keeps playing completely unfazed. Either he's off his head on something or he's seen it all, and a kid flying 10 meters off an escalator is no big deal for him.

I've no time to chat with him about his nonchalance. I kick off down the Piccadilly line tunnel, tearing past the already rushing travelers and tourists.

I get to the platforms, I can go north or south.

I look at the destinations. I spot Leicester square, I'd seen that a lot of movies have premiers there, I'd always wanted to go check it out.

I thought what the heck, if I was going to get arrested I may as well see Leicester Square while I was at it.

A train was arriving in one minute, I walk way down the platform from where I entered in case Begbie makes an appearance. It was so busy I doubted he had any chance of seeing me.

Thankfully the train arrives. People press on. I can't believe how busy it is at 1100, but it's working for me and I'm grateful for that.

I look right, toward the platform entrance as I slip on. I see Begbie emerge from the tunnel. He is looking around frantically.

I squeeze back quickly so there are plenty of people blocking line of sight. As the doors close I force my way to the windows, I can see him still on the platform, finally, I've lost him.

I resist the urge give him a wave from the window like in the movies, just in case he had a similar movie style reaction and starts shooting up the train.

I slink back and hang on as the train speeds away.