Time is Running Out

Chapter 16

"Stop groaning! I’m the one who should be groaning!" Gemma snapped.
 
Emma stopped. "Why?"
 
"Haven’t you realised that I’m the only one who is carrying you and I’m not those gigantic guys who have huge muscles and carry five people with one arm?" Gemma snorted.
 
"Well…. You're stronger and I’m not that heavy and-- OW!" Emma cried as Gemma pinched her.
 
"You deserved that! But ow!" Gemma groaned as Emma lay on top of her.
 
Gemma had tripped on a rock.
 
Slowly, painfully, Emma stood up. Gemma did so too then gasped.
 
"Didn't you twist your leg?"
 
"Oh I-- OW!" Emma groaned as she put weight on her twisted leg.
 
"Ok, never mind," Gemma sighed.

 
Rachel ran as fast as she could while checking her messages.

Anyone? Hello? HELLO? Fine, I give up. Text me
when you can. -Joy

Hi. -Rachel

FINALLY!! -Joy

I know. -Rachel

What took you so long?! -Joy

Well… -Rachel

Well what?! -Joy

WELL we were just trying not to die so we could rescue you! -Rachel

Please elaborate! →_→ -Joy

The tunnel crumbled and my legs got stuck. -Emma

What? -Joy

You were online? -Rachel

Yeah… sorry… -Emma

"Run, run, as fast as you can, you can't catch me, I'm
the gingerbread man!" Rachel sang under her breath, encouraging herself. "Run, run, as fast as you can, you can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man! Run, run, as fast as you can, you can't catch me, I'm the gingerbread man!"
 
Finally, she reached the doorway to Joy's prison.    
 
Cautiously, Rachel tried the door. It was locked.
 
"Who’s there?" bellowed a man.
 
Rachel shrank back against the wall as the guard opened the door.
 
"I must have imagined it," muttered the man. "Oh well, change of guards."

He walked away briskly, closing the door behind him
and whistling cheerfully.
 
Rachel opened the door. "Joy!" she called softly.
 
"Rachel!" came the reply.

"Where are the others?" Rachel asked.
 
"I’m afraid they..." stammered Joy.
 
"Just say it!" whispered Rachel.
 
"They’re in other cells," said Joy softly.
 
"Quick then! Did you hear what the guard said?" asked Rachel.
 
"No," offered Joy.
 
"Well, if it’s time for a change of guards, we might be able to rescue them!" hissed Rachel.

 
"Finally," panted Gemma."We’re here."
 
"Yay," Emma said.
 
"What have you got to yay for! I did all the work!" Gemma complained.
 
"Huh. Well, you keep jostling me," said Emma unfairly.
 
"I was running!" Gemma protested.
 
"So what!" Emma said. "You still jostled me!"
 
Gemma glared at Emma. "Let's eat fries."
 
"Hurray!! Fries! Fries!" Emma squealed.

"Come on, I'll order it, five-year-old." Gemma rolled her
eyes and walked to the counter.
 
"I am not a five-year-old!!" Emma yelled after her.
 
"You’re acting like one!" Gemma turned and growled.
 
"Ha ha," Emma snorted sarcastically, "very funny."
 
"Now be quiet and I’ll get fries."
 
Emma rolled her eyes and plopped down on a seat. "So annoying," she muttered.
 
"Excuse me? I totally heard that, I’m still here! Can you stop complaining?!" Gemma whirled around, glaring.
 
"Oh, sorry."
 
"Riiight,"  Gemma said, narrowing her eyes.
 
Then, she stalked off. The line was very long, so Emma decided to take out a book to read while waiting.
 
"Now I get all the hard work," Gemma grunted.
 
Emma snickered as she heard Gemma groaning.
 
"Got you back…" Emma mumbled to herself.

✴✴✴
 

Rachel started making a plan with Joy. They sketched it out on a piece of paper.
 
"So," Joy whispered, "we conk everyone we see on the head and rush out??"
 
"Yeah! Isn't it the purrfect plan?" Rachel grinned
proudly.
 
"No it is NOT! It is the most ridiculous plan EVER!" Alden hissed.
 
Rachel glared at him sulkily. "Do you have a better plan?"
 
"Well, no…" Alden muttered.
 
"See? You have no other plan!" said Rachel triumphantly.
 
"But… but still! Your plan is so… so ridiculous!" Alden argued.
 
"And stupid…" Xana muttered under her breath.
 
"The change of guards won't take that long! Let's just go along with my plan! Come on!" Rachel insisted.
 
"Fine. But don't blame me if it fails," Alden growled.
 
So they slipped out of the doors, each carrying things that were hard.
 
The guards coming! CONK. Someone passing by! CONK. A cackling person! CONK. Someone wearing a crown! CONK. A pigeon! CONK. An evil-looking woman! CONK. They conked everything they saw.
 
Finally, they were at the entrance.
 
"WE… ARE… FREE! WE… ARE………… FREE!" they all yelled.
 
But they were too loud.
 
Guards heard them.
 
There came the pounding footsteps.
 
"RUN!" Rachel yelled.
 
They all ran for their lives, but most were too slow.
 
They were cornered.