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The ground shakes and world screams, startling me from my own nightmare just to place me into one much more horrifying; reality.
The scream erupts from me before I can stop it. I hear someone call my name and I look beside me to see Flintstone rushing over to urge me upwards and out of bed.
"Get dressed and get ready, we have to go!" The boy shouts, hands grabbing my biceps and forcing me up. "Hurry up, Ghost!"
I pull my jumpsuit over my body and force the fear from my limbs when the sirens don't stop. There's no time to be afraid, not when I don't know what's going on or what could happen if I don't do as told.
Everyone is ready in under a minute, except Nugget who clings to Zombie like he's his lifeline— which he may as well be in this situation.
"What the fuck is going on?" I scream as I hug my M16 to my chest and prepare to leave the barracks. Either no one can hear or no one cares enough to answer me, but Tank wraps a tight fist around the collar of my jumpsuit and tugs me towards the door to keep me moving.
I shove him backwards and whip around to see Zombie throwing Nugget over his shoulder and trying to keep up with us. Tank gives me another harsh shove that sends me forward and this time I actually move. Zombie has this handled and if he doesn't then he's probably dead, but that's not my problem.
"Shit," I mutter as I turn back around to spare another glance at Zombie. Not my problem my ass. Pretty boy was going to get himself fucking killed and then it would be my problem because he just had to go and make me care about the members of the squad.
Zombie is already shaking his head when he catches my gaze. "Go!" He shouts, voice barely heard over blaring sounds emitted from the speakers above our heads. "Hurry up!"
It's Flintstone who pulls me up next to him in the very front, then, and he's the one who makes sure that those who are smart enough to survive do just that. It's him who directs us through the stairwells that are filled with yellow emergency light. It's him who makes sure that the squad makes it where we need to go.
I'm on my knees, now, gun gripped tightly in my hands, beside Teacup who's shaking and glancing around for Nugget and Zombie, who fell behind. Reznik stands behind us with a stopwatch. He's waiting for those left behind and he seems nervous about the outcome.
"What happens if they don't make it?" I'm the only one who has the nerve to ask our drill instructor this, and Flintstone winces when he hears my voice. Reznik glances at the watch.
"Not your problem."
"Ghost," Teacup whispers without looking at me. "What if they don't—"
