Out of This World Gaming [~ read description]

Chapter 1: Running

Ear shattering explosions filled the air as smog concealed everyone that tried to maneuver their way through the burning facility. Blaring alarms and detonation mixed together to form a rhythmic disturbance through taking turns drowning each other out. 

"Don't let her get away!" 

A pair of bare feet carried a short humanoid figure swiftly through the inferno and smog, but her efforts were accompanied by exasperated grunts. It wouldn't be long before the stomping of booted feet would announce their presence as they clanked against the metallic foundation.

"You're surrounded! Just give up!" The sound of clicking and the squealing of readied weapons reverberated throughout the small room and lasers were pointed at their target. There was a brief silence, soon to be interrupted by the sound of open fire as used cartridges clanked against the floor. 

Exasperated panting and the pained grunting of a little girl persisted as tall, armored soldiers made contact with the floor and the walls, the gunfire unable to turn the tables in their favor. A few more armored bodies collapsed with almost deafening thuds as the child continued her escape.

"Don't let her near the escape pods!" 

A figure of short stature trudged into the dimly lit, quiet room with a hue of blue. She was gasping and held onto her arm. When her open palm grasped her arm, she pulled back and investigated the liquid substance - blood. Her stomach flipped at the sight of her own life fluids draining out of her. 

"There you are!" a feminine voice was followed by an even taller figure coming to the little girl's side; the two figures shared a tight embrace. "Are you hurt?" she looked over the little girl, gasping at the sight of blood on her arm. Snapping out of her trance, she gently took hold of the child's hand. "You have to go - that escape pod is the only one that works." 

The shorter figure stopped in front of the older figure and shook her head, her expression pouty and teary. "No!" she protested,  "I'm not leaving without you! We made a promise that we would escape together!" 

The woman knelt to the little girl and wiped away a tear with her thumb. "Sweetie, if you stay here, they'll kill you for sure. The two of us will meet up again someday." 

The little girl put a hand on the woman's, which was cupping her cheek. "But what about you? What are you going to do?" 

The woman looked away as if she wanted to refuse to respond. 

Sniffling could be heard in close range, but this moment was interrupted by a sudden explosion. The only remaining functional escape pod was obliterated, only to be replaced by a large hole blown into the walls - the only barriers between an oxygenated facility and the vast expanse of outer space. 

Although oxygen was rushing out like a current of water going to an empty space, the gunned assailants stood their ground as their prey found wires and other destroyed, yet sturdy pieces of wall to grab onto as they resisted the air current. 

The child cried out in fear; the woman accompanying her assessed her situation; gunmen guarded the insides of the facility, so there was no going back. She swallowed a gulp, looking over at the little girl. "We have to let go, Iris!"

The child's eyes widened. "Are you crazy?!"

"You want to take a chance with the crazy guards?" she inquired, gesturing over to their assailants fighting the air currents to slowly inch towards them. Iris had wondered how they were advancing against the current when they were on the verge of being sucked out. 

"We'll both let go together. I promise we'll be okay!" The older woman pulled out a quadrilateral plate, a familiar item that Iris had entrusted to her grandmother for safe keeping. "On three, we let go! One.." she gauged Iris's readiness and the guards' advancements. "Two.." Iris clenched her eyes shut, her fingers loosening their grip as if she was ready; her grandmother started loosening her grip too. 

"Three!"

Fingers big and small let go of the destroyed wall of the facility, just seconds before a guard's hand managed to clasp the elder escapee's hand. With a pair of harrowing screams, they were whisked away into the infinite, starry void.