Runners

Chapter 3

I hold the little girl in my arms, her voice sweet and innocent and her cries weary.

"It's okay, I promise." I reassure her.

"No," she whispers. Though very quiet, it's all I hear above the shooting.

A bullet soars past my head, nearly taking off my right ear.

"Luke!" I screech, guards cutting us off at the end of the long hall.

Luke is quickly by my side.

But no, not normal Luke.

He has now fully transformed into a wolf, and treads at my heels.

As we pick up speed, my legs fall out from under me.

I begin to think that all hope is lost, I've tripped, now I'll go back in the cage, the guards will surely catch me.

No, I don't trip. I transform.

I look down at my feet, which are now briskly moving paws, topped with razor sharp claws, like daggers at my fingertips.

"Here, hold on!" I say to the little girl as I place her on Luke's back.

But then it hits me: she can transform too

When I look back at her, she's gone. Did she fall off?

Then I see something shoot past me, a bullet? No, it was too big.

It's the little girl!

Her transformation is complete and I finally see what she is: a beautiful hummingbird.

I smile for a split second, just before I snap back into reality.

A hint of light hits my eye. That's it! The door!

But something stands in our way: hundreds of guards.

I slash through them, each one hitting me with something.

Luke does the same, along with our little friend not far behind.

The doors are sealed with maximum security.

Six inch thick glass separates us and our freedom.

As I let out a howlish type of meow, my eyes close and I black out.

In the middle of the fight, dead.