Orphan

Chapter 19 - The odds

I passed the flag, the safe point.Boom!An arrow burst out, and I could feel it, screeching loud as it came closer. Taking in a deep breath, hands clenched tightly together, I dived, but it was too late. I was not fast enough; the arrow was going to hit! Pain exploded as the arrow sliced through my skin, but I didn't care. The only thing that mattered was saving the boy. Two black arrows were zooming towards him, aiming for his head."Duck" I screamed, hoping he had heard me.He didn't respond, I wanted to close my eyes, to stop myself from seeing his end, but his head bent forward, and he ducked at the last moment. He was still alive.Laying low, I ran towards him.Schhwaff! Schhwaff!More arrows shot out from either side, and I was just another metre from him.Dropping to my knees, I slid on the floor, gliding across the grass, as dirt fluttered out,I reached the kid. I jammed the key into the slot, and the clamp opened, freeing him.Grabbing his hand, I pulled him towards me, and I turned and slammed my feet against the floor. Bolts of black came from either end, arrow after arrow shot towards me, I sidestepped and ducked and dodged as arrows blasted past.Just 200 metres.I was going to make it. This boy was not going to die.150 metresI could hear him breathing hard against me, just a bit longer, an arrow burst towards me, his hand pushed me down, and my body fell forward dropping hard onto the floor with a loud bump.100 metres.He moved quickly, grabbing my hand and pulling me up and throwing me over his shoulders as if he had done this a hundred times, we passed the last flag.We were safe.We survived."Thanks for saving me.""Don't sweat it, kid, you are the one that came out."I could hear someone coming. It was Ting."Idiot child, what were you doing?" "I had to save him.""I hope you're not that stupid in the future. I have never seen anyone so stupid, risking their own lives and going back onto the field for another.""Well, I'll be first then." "Why don't you go out and save the rest of them if you're so good?" She turned to the boy. "Hold onto her. Don't you dare let her go out there again!"I sat back on the floor, the clusters of children were slowly disappearing, in the distance, I could hear the sounds of kids screaming, the sound of arrows ripping into the skin, and the loud bangs of children crashing onto the floor.But several passed the line.Joining us on the safe zone. Kids were screaming and crying as they pass the line. It was amazing. Seeing others survive. But not all of them had made it.I didn't know why they were doing this to us. But I had survived. It was terrifying.Bodies were left dead lying on the floor. Others were in pain and agony. It seemed that if you didn't move forward and you remained in the same spot, then the arrows would not get you.I continued looking at the remaining kids. I didn't recognise any of them, but there was one, in particular, I could see. He was still at flag one. He was the bully that had made a deal with the nurse. The one that told me to go away, that the chocolate was all his. He was also the one who had betrayed the other kid with glasses? It was Augustus. I didn't like him, but I wanted him to survive. He looked like he was out of breath. I wanted to cheer for him, to jump up and down for him. To give him hope."Come on. You can do it!" I screamed.I didn't know why I was doing it. I just felt that everyone deserved a second chance and Maria had always said that you should give others another chance. He moved forward. It looked as if it was playing in slow motion, his feet stepped out, inch by inch, as his body slowly moved like a turtle. Each time he moved arrows splattered out, scattering in front of him but like magic, the arrows always missed. Wait, where was the other kid that he had bullied earlier? Did he make it? I turned around, facing back towards the bus and the many other kids that had made it, but he was not there.My heart started racing again, pounding hard against my chest, I scanned the floor, desperately looking for him. There were kids of all sizes, and ages, bodies covered in blood, with vicious arrows sticking out of them. But I couldn't find him. He wasn't standing. I didn't even think he could run. Then, where was he?"Do you see him?""See who?""The boy with glasses, can you help me look for him?"I looked desperately on the floor, for kids with glasses, smeared down on many of their faces, others were around his height, but it was not him. I was starting to give up, the poor kid got bullied and then this."Isn't that him over there?"Zac was pointing at the floor, and I followed his fingers. And I saw it. Lying flat on the floor, with both his arms stretched out, legs spread wide, with his face kissing the grass, covered in blood, was Alex. There was no mistaking it. "He didn't make..."