Chapter 20 Run Little Mouse
White blinding pain shot through my body. I felt a ringing in my air and then I was moving in the air. What the hell? I tried to open my eyes, but the surrounding scene was blurry.
“…li… El… be… th…” someone was saying something, but I couldn’t make out the sound. After a few moments, my head cleared enough to understand words.
“Shit… fuck… Elizabeth… Come on, little mouse… Speak to me.” It was Ezra. He had me in his arms. Why did he sound freaked out? Wait… he called me by my name. What was going on? Then it came to me. A toxic screamer. I tackled Ezra when I saw it coming for us. To protect him from harm, I covered him. I don’t know why I did it. My body just reacted. A scream pierced the air, and all my body stood at attention. The blinding pain was now a dull throb.
“Put me down. I’m okay,” I say, trying to sound as steady as possible. Ezra put me down, grabbing me by the face to look at my eyes.
“You are alive?” He asked, looking panicked.
“Yeah, but that thing is still here. What is going on?” I asked.
“You saved my life…” Ezra began.
“I know what I did… I would do it again… but now is not the time to talk about the past. We need to kill it.” I patted myself down, I felt the lighter in my pocket and the crystal. I had a plan. A stupid one, one that would probably get myself killed if it didn’t work out.
“Mr. Griffin is currently distracting it while trying to figure out how to kill it,” Ezra explained.
“I have a plan, but I need you to trust me,” I told him. He looked at me, concerned.
“Is it dangerous? Ezra asked
“Everything is dangerous when it comes to the mutants.” It was a risk, but I had a plan, and I had to be sure I could get it with enough fire. I don’t think I have enough green goo, but I know where to get some.
“Fine. But let’s be smart?” Ezra looked at me assertively.
“Of course.” I would tell him part one. But not the rest. “I need you to distract it so I can get into a spot where I can shoot it with the green goo. It will stick to it. Once it’s on, it will come after me. You will need to shoot it with a flaming arrow.” I explained as I prepared the items. I made sure everything was in order so he would believe me.
“Okay… let me just make sure…” Ezra began. Moving towards the items to look them over. Shit
“No time! Look!” I pointed at Mr Griffen, who was being cornered. I grabbed what I needed, hoping Ezra didn’t notice what else I took till it was too late.
“Fuck” Ezra cursed. Looking towards Mr. Griffin. I wasn’t lying when I said there was no time.
I yelled, “I’ll do a bird call before I begin.”
Quickly, I got to a spot far enough to toss all my green goo at it. Doing my best to make certain I had a couple of daggers wrapped in fabric for lighting on fire. I really hoped they wouldn’t hate me for this.
I double-checked everything one more time. The way back looked clear from here. I could hopefully make my way to the LOTLAS training area, where I saw Kayla grab the green goo from, so I could pile even more of it before blowing it to bits. I patted my pockets one more time. Daggers. Check, strange crystal, check. Green goo, check. As much as my skin was covered as possible, check. The lighter Ezra thought he had. Check.
Ezra’s POV
I had a sinking feeling. I had to trust her to kill this thing. She did save my life, but the look in her eyes gave me pause. I kept moving towards the mutant that she called a toxic screamer. A name well deserved. How she killed and survived one before has me wanting to ask her more questions. Now was not the time to try to figure out the captivating little mouse. I think I might have to change that nickname, though it didn't seem to fit her the longer I got to know her.
“What the hell are you doing!” Mr. Griffen yelled at me as I made my way over to him. He gave me explicit orders to get her out of there. So I can see why he’s mad.
“She has a plan,” I tell him.
“The fuck do you mean?” He glared at me while dodging attacks.
“She has faced this type of thing before. I think we should try her plan.” I told him. The idea of that seemed reasonable enough. But still, that final look filled me with doubt.
“Fine. What’s the plan?” He asked me with all the conviction I felt.
“To keep it distracted, she will do a bird call before she begins, she’s gonna toss all her green goo balls at it,” I explained.
“I hope he has enough.” At his words, I eyed the mutant with long limbs and bat-like wings. No eyes, a slit for a nose, and a large open mouth that oozed the toxic slime and gas that burned hawks when she protected me. Why she saved me, I have no idea. I have been nothing but an ass. But I have to, I can't afford to let innocent people get close to me. It was too dangerous.
“Yeah, me too.” I agreed.
“What else?” He asked.
“Then we have a firework show as we blow it to bits with a fire arrow.” I gave him a cocky smile that I knew would piss him off. He was one of the few people who knew a good amount about my personal life.
After a short time, of keeping the thing distracted. I heard what must have been Elizabeth's call. Because within seconds, green goo came flying down on it. It didn’t seem enough. But I hoped it would. Just as I knocked the arrow in place. Patting my pockets for the lighter, I showed her.
A soft sound came out of the radio from her.
“I’m sorry.”
By the time we both registered what was going on. I noticed I didn’t have the lighter. Next, she screamed at it, and it chased her. My heart fell into my stomach. I was going to be sick.
Elizabeth POV
“Come and get it. You big asshole.” I screamed at the horrid thing that was the toxic screamer. I waved the strange crystal at it in the hopes it would chase me. Like how I noticed the biter looking for it. Well, not sure if I would call it luck, because it worked. The thing chased me, and I ran for my life. I hoped and prayed to whatever would listen to give me speed and luck, I would make it just in time.
I ran and turned down the halls; it slid and crashed behind me. The chance I needed, I hoped, would come in those few seconds. I sent another prayer that no one was in the locker room when I got in. I was not that lucky. Kayla and her goons were there. I took the crystal out of my pocket and held it in my hand. Hopefully, it would only notice it and not them. I spared a second to lock eyes with them.
“Run to the showers, turn them on, and hide! Now!” My voice was panicked. But I didn’t have time to see if they listened to what I said. If they didn’t leave, they would be killed. If they followed me, they would be killed as well in the explosion I was going to cause. In the showers with the water running, they stood a chance.
Just as I was heading to the door that led to the training field, the toxic screamer broke into the locker room. I don’t know if Kayla and her friends were screaming in horror at the mutant. Or if it was the mutant itself screaming a battle cry. I couldn’t tell. I had to keep going. No stopping. As I ran to the spot, I saw Kayla and her goon squad take out the green goo. I wrapped the crystal in the cloth again and popped it in my mouth. I didn’t have time to tie it to my pants again. I had to grab the daggers in case the thing was locked. If not, I could drop them. I still had 6 more on my belt. And one with cloth on it to light it on fire.
Again, I wasn’t lucky. It was locked. I made quick work of it as the screamer made its way to me. Quickly opening it, I was relieved by the green goo and the gun-like machine. I smiled as I grabbed it. This would help. I began to shoot at the mutant. Covering it as much as I could slowed it, but it was catching up. I needed it to slow down, so I could make it to the pool as I lit it up. I was in trouble. Then I had another stupid idea.