How to escape your imagination

Chapter 23

I feel dread at her words and especially after I promised that her mom would be fine. 
Regan looks over at Marcus who seems to not have completely registered what was going on. 

She's gone? He pauses, before letting his hands fall to his sides. 

I'm sorry.  Regan signs to him and wraps her arms around him, or more so, his head.

I stand there, glancing over at Simon, who seems unfazed.  He gives me a 'what's going on?' look and I mouth out the words mom and dead. 

Regan pushes her shoulders back and lets go of Marcus.

We can't let this stop us.

I stare at her with uncertainty but she shakes me off and picks her backpack up off the ground first, then her gun.

Those things made her sick.  Regan signs and Marcus shakes his head.

It was natural Re—   But before he can finish she pushes his hands down and stalks into the cornfield.

Marcus shrugs and follows.  I look back at Simon and reach my hand back, he takes it.

The initial plan is that I am to make a loud noise, like clapping or something, to draw the other two creatures towards me.  Then Regan will get to the sheriffs office, which is usually where most of the monsters are.  She explained to me that while this was all happening, the sheriff had set up speaker systems around town that had a loud alarm for when the monsters had come.  Regan told me about how she killed one of them, with her hearing aid, which actually hurt the monsters keen sense of hearing.  She is going to do the same thing she did before, but this time with the help of all four or some odd speakers instead of one. 

Before Regan runs off with Marcus I grab her shoulder and she spins around.

What

Please do this right. I sign, and she seems to find this amusing.

I'm not going to kill you, genius.  She smiles. At least, I won't try to...

I roll my eyes and she turns and walks away, holding Marcus in her free hand.

I snatch Simon by his wrist and shush him when he makes a small noise of surprise.

There is a storage tower.  In the center of the field, with a ladder that stretches up the side.

I gesture for Simon to follow, as we climb up the side and stand on top, looking out across the rows and rows of untended corn.

Regan turns around to give a tiny wave from below and I curtly nod in response.

She had found a large metal rod for me to use as a sound maker, and so I pick it up, prepared to make the sound.

Simon puts a hand over the tool and points to the field.  

Regan and Marcus are in the direct path that the monsters will run when the noise was made.

I let my arm drift down to my hip and try to get their attention.

The monsters are drifting along the pathway like some sort of sick video game villain, and the siblings can't see anything.  

It happens very quickly.  The rod slips from my hand, clashing with the metal of the storage roof and the heads of Marcus, and the monsters whip around to stare at me.  Regan was next, after a tap on the shoulder from her younger brother.

The creatures make a dash down the path, and Marcus finally notices, I take a leap down from the tower, hearing a disgusting noise from my ankle.  I limp in pain, sprinting towards the kids and Marcus yanks her into a bush, making a desperate grab for me as well.

I feel pressure of being knocked over and pain flashes through me as two different monsters attack.

There are screams, and then the pressure comes off of me.  

My eyes open and I watch as Regan and Marcus take their weapons to the creatures.  They are winning the fight, surprisingly.  Simon is yelling, loud and Marcus takes my arms and drags me into the corn to hide me from the remaining monster.

"You'll be okay."  He whispers  and I don't have the capability to nod.  

This is probably it.  I try to close my eyes but Simon comes over and lifts me up off the ground.  

Simon has no problems with this.  He doesn't seem to be struggling.

We reached the trapdoor that leads into the cellar and Simon rushes down the stairs, being careful not to hit my head off of the wall.

He doesn't get to the bed.  He sets me on the floor, his eyes welling up with tears.

"No, no, no, no."  He whimpers  and looks over to Marcus.  "I need a cloth, or a bandage wrap...something, quickly."

I put a hand on Simons and shake my head.

"It's okay."  I whisper and he gives a firm "no."

I continue to lay there.  Comforted by Simon being with me.

I don't need to know the extent of my injuries.  They're enough.  

The floor is washed with red and Regan noticeably takes a step back.

"Don't leave me, please don't leave me."  He cries into my shoulder and I feel a tear drop rolling down my cheek.

I smile slightly and let my body go still.

"I love you Simon."  I say quietly and I drift away to the feeling of hands shaking my shoulders.

"See you soon."  I smile to myself.  "See you in the last level."