Into the Darkness

1

The guards here are quite ignorant, I must say. They've made a grave mistake, they left me alone. I slip out the blade hidden under the fabric of my sleeve and slice the ropes binding my wrists. I've been here for months, waiting to use it. Now is my chance.

The room around me is dark, damp. Rusted chains hang on the walls, a strange liquid drips from the ceiling. I walk to the metal door and grip the handle, placing my ear against it to listen. There's two people outside, I can hear them having a conversation. I take a step back and look up, a tiny bit of light shines through the grates in the ceiling. A vent, I could get out through there. I prop the chair I was stuck in against the wall and step up, silently removing the grate. I pull myself up and put the grate back in its place.

The guards stand oblivious as I quietly crawl above them. They're both armed with a mere blaster, I could take them out easily. Just before I move to attack, more guards walk down the hallway. Bala-Tik is with them, this must be of incredible importance.

"I want to speak with the prisoner. Open the door." He says. I curse and begin to quickly start moving. I'm a few hallways away when I here them start to shout. "Find her!" I make it to the end of the vents and drop down, it's an empty hallway. Pounding footsteps get closer and closer as I make my decision. There's three ways to go, I choose to go right. I can't exactly move quickly, due to the numerous injuries littering my body.

The door at the end of the hall leads to the outside. Blazing sun and dry sand greets me when I burst out the door. Two men's faces snap to meet mine. I run at them and stab one before they can react. I quickly grab the downed man's blaster and aim at the other. He puts his hands up in surrender.

"Just go. I won't stop you." He says. I give him a confused look and decide to shoot him in the leg. If he was planning to come after me when I run, he can't now. He falls into the sand and I take off running.

...

I limp across the never ending void of sand dunes and blinding sun. I hold my jacket over my head in effort to keep the sun from burning my skin. Jakku, why did I have to go to Jakku?

I walk for days upon days. Or has it been weeks? I've lost track, my stomach aches for food. Water. Anything. The idea of collapsing in the sand and letting it incase my body like a tomb sounds incredibly appealing. I remind myself that I need to get back to base. I need to help win the battle with the First Order.

Up ahead is a town, but to me it's an oasis. I pick up the pace, ignoring the burning pain in my leg. People glance over at me as I stumble in, looking around in crazed panic. My eyes land on a familiar black and orange X-Wing.

"Eira?" I hear a voice say. I look over to see my best friend.

"Poe..." I say, it's barely audible. He runs over and catches me as my knees give out.

"Eira! Hey, look at me! Stay awake." Poe says. I reach up for his face as my eyelids droop.

"I... really need water." I say as the world fades.