Ugana

Chapter 3

It takes a while for me to catch my breath, laying on the rooftop, wondering how long it will take for the sun to melt my flesh to the stone floor. As a terrifying after thought I wonder how long it will be until the burning ends entirely and the sky goes dark. I need to get back before then. Using my sleeve I wipe my forehead, soaking up as much of the sweat and tears as possible before pushing my trembling legs to stand. I can feel them shaking beneath me but I don't know if its from exhaustion or the realization of where I am. It doesn't matter, though. There are no other options, and so we move. One step after the other until I reach the bottom, and the only place left to go is out.

Back at the bottom the buildings tower high above my head. It occurs to me that I haven't heard the monitors frenzies beeping in a while. maybe im too emotionally exhausted to be scared or anxious at the moment. Or maybe its because I have a plan. The same plan as everyone else, I suppose- get back to Ugana without getting killed- but it's a plan and it has direction. I turn my body slightly to the right, aligning it with a small alley between two buildings that I now know contains a crossing to another street, a street that leads you to the edge of the small city, and run.

By the time I stop running the sun is on its way down. If I were to guess, id give myself about three hours before it will be fully dark and there is still no sign of the wall. On a positive note, theres no sign of the city or any other inhabitants either. Every hour or so I see a runner, some passing me, some resting, though no one sees me. I wonder how this simulation works. In any case, it reassures me that im on the right track. The road broke away about 15 miles out of town, so Ive been following the trajectory of the sun as I make my way across the dead, rocky clearing. I know I need to move, I need to make progress, but I also know if I don't rest my legs I wont be able to move if im caught out here in the dark, and so I weigh my options. Making decisions like these are foreign to me and take too much time. I wonder how much time ive spent today wondering which road to take or when to stop. Too much, probably. Its exhausting. Looking around I spot a rocky hilltop. It should take about fifteen minutes to get to the top. Itll be energy well spent if I can get a better view of where Im headed and a nice spot to rest out of sight- for anyone who may be able to see me. The rocks and dirt are loose on the way up, falling away each time my foot meets the ground. I slip endlessly. By the time I reach the top my hands are scraped and bloody, but my knees and legs are unscathed. This outfit may not be so bad after all.

From where I stand I can just make out a bright light on the horizon. Its too far away to make out any details, but ive only ever seen light like that on the wall. I feel my shoulders slump with the lifted weight and let out a loud breath. Im going the right way. If im quick, I can make it before nightfall. I turn around slowly, taking in my surroundings. A bit further down there seems to be a gap between the large rocks, large enough to crawl through and small enough to go unnoticed on the chance that I need to hide. With a careful step I begin the descent, but the sand it too loose and my foot slips, sending pebbles to the ground beneath me. I get back up, looking around. I could go back the way I came and around, but that would set me back over an hour if I wanted to rest. In any case I still had to move in this direction to get to the wall, and so down it is. There are no easier paths. Nothing less steep, and so I survey my surroundings. What can I do. On my hip is a rope. I know I can use this somehow, but Ive never done anything like this before. I have to clear my head of the "what ifs" and think logically.

I have a rope. There are rocks. Looking around I find the biggest one and press it with all of my strength. It doesn't budge. Taking the rope I tie one end around the base of the bounder and one around my waist, pulling one last time to test for stability. It never wavers, and so I begin my descent, slipping and sliding the entire way down, but always catching myself on the rope. When Im almost to the bottom I wonder if the rock may fall after all and crush me. I wonder If I can die in a simulation. Probably not, but if my aching legs and bloody hands are any indication, I will certainly feel it. NO. I push the thought from my mind- something Im becoming quite good at lately, and focus on the last few feet. At the bottom I quickly fall into the opening between the rocks, looking up just in case. Nothing but rope dangling from the ledge. Safe. Untying the knot from around my waist I toss the other end out, hoping that if anyone stumbles across it, they follow it down, before pressing my back into the sturdy surface of the rock wall and closing my eyes in the dim light.