The Bigger Picture

The branch cracked beneath Mi'osi's foot leaves crinkling under his pressure. He could swear that the moment that he stops, the currently dry ground will turn to mud and swallow him whole. Pleasent to think, but mostly true with the amount of sweat pouring off his skin.

His ears thundered with each gasp of his breath, swim with each pump of his heart. Overall that noise, he is sure that he won't hear the chasers approach. With a glance over his shoulder, he could see nothing.

Squinting his eyes, ignoring the smell of sweat, he could make out the growing size of a town ahead of him. He wasn't alone! Safety in numbers! Maybe they would take down the chasers together?

That train of thought went down in the flames that had engulfed the town, crackling at any flammable material they could find. At least the roofs were flat and away from the fire, that would mean that Mi'osi could use that high ground to see their approach as he ran.

'Quick, get going! Move before they find you!' He heard shouted within his head. In any normal situation, he'd heavily question this, but Mi'osi didn't think this was a normal situation.

- Running from monsters that he had no image of in his head. Not remembering where he started, or where he ended is not normal. -

He shook his head, nearly jumping out of his skin when he felt an icy cold yet frighteningly warm breathe against the back of his neck. Hairs were standing on end as he flung around at breakneck speed to face-

-Empty air?

Almost like tunnel vision had set in, he scrambled away, muscles burning from lack of air and heat as he charged towards the nearest building in a hope to get to the roof. He reached a spot he thought he could pull himself up to the overhanging ladder. He was sorely mistaken when he could just about lift himself off the floor before his arms gave way.

So instead with a small growl, he charged into the building, sheltering his face from the flames as he charged up the stairs, making his way towards the roof.

Stair after stair, flight after flight he charged up to the roof, his vision blurring at the heat the building was emitting. Hopefully, that same heat would put anyone off Mi'osi's trail.

So he found himself running across the connected houses; it seemed like the beginning of a brilliant plan until he remembered that the roofs would come to an end.

The friction burned souls of his shoes would agree with that statement as he came to a skidding stop, head glancing down at the gap between the two houses and the space behind him. Taking a deep breath, the echo of 'they're coming' in his head, he slowly walked back before sprinting forwards.

In his head, it went like this. He jumped the distance, rolling before getting to his feet and continuing his sprint all in one swift movement.

What happened in reality, was him jumping and falling short. Mi'osi only just dug his fingers into the broken brick roof, grunting as his knees and body slammed into the wall.

"Oh... Ow. Going to feel that later," he panted, trying to pull himself to his feet. He kicked out as he felt his fingers start to give way, finding a leverage point for his foot in the crumbling wall, "oh thank you!" He silently whimpered before trying to pull himself back up again. 

He didn't stop pulling and pushing until he felt his nose crack against the flat roof, rolling onto his back to gulp in lung fulls of air. He wondered why he could pull himself up when he could not lift himself earlier when Mi'osi hadn't sprinted straight into a wall and hurt himself.

'Keep going! They'll get you!' The little voice whispered again, 'run while you still can!'

Mi'osi growled as he shook his head off; this was not a good time to get distracted. He scrambled to his feet and charged off again, but instead of along the roof, he started towards the stairs - the roof idea did not have the merit it did earlier.