The Bryne Runaways (Updated)

Chapter 41

Sharp thick bullets are being fired at us as we run from beyond the camp's protection into the scattered tall trees. Behind the fence dozens of guardians shoot at us, we take cover by a tree, hiding and catching our breaths. I shield my head with my arms and I lay my back on the tree. I look over at Uncle Ben who has his axe with him. The gunfire suddenly stopped when things have gone silent for a quiet minute till I hear a rocket launcher go off. I look back and here comes a missile heading my way. I leap out of its landing and fall on the wet leaves as I hear the explosion invade my ears and the earth rumble down below.

I get picked up by Uncle Ben and we begin to run in one direction where still more bullets are being shot at us rapidly.

Out of nowhere Uncle Ben stops me and I read the sign. Caution. It's what it says but I don't see anything lying ahead. "Hunting traps, it's the route we have to take to get to open ground" He advises me and I look terrified at him.

I bite my lip in the urge of bravery and when I hear them getting closer and closer to us. So I had to do it. I run through it and nothing's has occurred to me until I step on a plate then hear something go off behind me. I knew I'm in great danger being where I am now. Uncle Ben falls on top of me and we see a mighty sharp arrows fly above our heads going right through the trees.

He picks me up and we were off again running through the path dodging obvious traps and hearing the guardians on us set off the other traps. We are halfway out of here to the end of this hunting area where hunters get their game.

Gunshots are shot at us again also bright lights that chase us revealing our presence to them to get clear aim. Behind me I hear a trap set off then a guardian gets hauled up in the trees swinging around like a ragdoll. Another trap goes off and this time it actually killed someone by inserting a stake into him. I hide behind a rock bigger than my body because a gunshot almost got to me. I try to retain my breathing and I clench my fists into the wet dirt. The guardian gets closer to me and I grew afraid and more aware. This uncontrollable breathing didn't help my cover but more noticeable. I grab a rock that is beside me and I prepare myself to hurt someone again. The lights gets closer and I can see the tree begin to get exposed.

Once they have gotten close another guardian finds me and chucks himself to me and I move to the side where he misses. I run again but a guardian takes me in his clutch and I struggle from his arms. I squirm around but his arms are steady and firm from me escaping. I begin kicking but he drops me on the floor and I land on my stomach. I look up and here comes a large boot. I move myself but the guardian just grabs me putting me in my place. Uncle Ben runs up and fist fights the guy who had me. He gets kicked to a tree and he falls to ground unconscious.

Uncle Ben takes my hand and we begin to run again towards more trees and more nature. The thing is that morning is coming and it's still dark out. I stop yet again resting on a tree and Uncle Ben looks back at me.

"Norman come on we gotta go before they get here" He says and I look behind me where I can see lights from the distance.

"They won't stop coming" I say looking at him.

"We can prevent them from doing so" He looks at me and we continue to go again.

They find us again and they are on our tails but no more guns but melee weapons. Pure knives and swords and other sharp things that can be punctured in our flesh. We took some of them down but they were all because of Uncle Ben who got them away from me as I look for the way to run.

They're still more coming for us but mostly me. I didn't have a weapon so I'm the one running away while Uncle Ben knocks them out cold.

I run past a tree that contains blood on it. They are hand marks of blood. Someone must've died here. I make it to Uncle Ben and we see from far another piece of our land broken right in the center and that's what is separated from the other land and down there runs the powerful river where it leads to the unknown. So if we fall, we go where the water takes us.

We have to jump it.

We can lose them by jumping to the other side and that's what we have to do.

From behind I see guardians get closer to us. So we have to do it. Uncle Ben jumps over first making it to the other side safely and then it's my turn. I had difficulty but I remembered, for Dr. Meredith. It's what I think deeply to continue and for me to just jump. I give myself a running start and I hear the guardians get closer and they were right behind me. I jump high and from below I can see the running water leading somewhere far. I thought of myself going to fall but Uncle Ben catches me and the other guy who jumped for me doesn't make it but breaks his back from the drop and disappears wherever the water takes him.

I get off Uncle Ben and I see the others not jumping over but retreat their mission they did not succeed to do.

"It's okay, I've got you" I hear Uncle Ben say and I know he does. He's always have.

I felt my heart sink again when I look back at what I did. I caused much more chaos in the camp. I caused a lost life from an innocent. Also escaped the camp. I don't seem so valuable by doing that. My eyes go to seeing the lights from the camp to where I see the smoke in the camp go up in the air.

Our home I say to myself.

I sit with Uncle Ben hearing the screams of campers and look away at all this horror. The flames catching onto the trees and the thick gray smoke being risen into the air. We opened part of the fence maybe campers got out but hopefully everyone did make it out of that place.

Whoever made it out we all have two things in common now. We all are survivors from this tragedy. And we all are runaways now.