Chapter 21 Detonation
This was either a great idea or a stupid one. I hoped it would be great. I finished unloading the green-goo machine onto it. Made sure I got plenty on the wings. I dropped the machine and ran under the barn wires. A few heartbeats later, the screamer was tangling itself in the barbs, trying to get to me. I quickly rolled out and ran to the wall. Double-checking, I still had the things I needed. Dagger, check, lighter check. The toxic screamer didn’t have eyes, so it relied on smell and sound to track and kill. I made it to the top of the wall as it was searching for me. I spat the tied-up crystal and untied it. The moment fresh air hit the crystal. It began climbing the wall with its claws. It tried using its wings, but between the wires and goo. Its wings are useless. The goo on the limbs slowed its movement. So far, so good. Once it was mid-way on the 20-foot wall, I tied the crystal back up and popped it in my mouth. I quickly made my way down, making as little sound as I could. I ran past the sand pit and made my way down the track that led to the pool.
I dared a look back. Shit, it was already back on the ground. I ran as fast as I could. Exhaustion weighed heavily on me. I was definitely feeling the burn of not having my training. I really hoped I calculated this correctly, or it was going to end very badly for me. Either way, I will kill this thing before it can harm anyone.
I felt the burn of its toxic drool on my back. It was going to be down to a split second; my survival hung in the balance. I was almost to the pool. I dug out the dagger and lighter. The cloth was lit as I spun. Toxic ooze hit me. I released the dagger, hitting one of the green goo, setting off an explosion like nothing I have witnessed up close. The explosion flung me straight into the pool. This was probably the last thing I’ll witness up close as I hit the water, and I lost consciousness.
Ezra’s POV
“What an idiot!” I yelled out of anger as I followed Mr. Griffen as we chased after Elizabeth. Griffen only yelled out a No! As he ran off after her. I don’t know what this girl was thinking; she is so stupid. We slowed down a bit as we listened for any sign of her. All we saw was the destruction the thing made trying to get to her.
“What the hell was she thinking?” I barked out at no one. Feeling so angry. Griffen stopped and looked around at one of the hallways. He turned to me.
“It’s not obvious to you?” He asked me in a flat tone.
“What? That she is stupid for letting it chase her? We could have killed it together!” I yelled in frustration.
“She made it follow her to the LOTLAS grounds to probably get more green goo,” he stated, heading towards the locker rooms. “I think we can both agree she didn’t have enough green goo,” Griffen said. I hated to admit he was right. I did have the worry that it wouldn’t be enough.
So instead I said, “She didn’t have to lie to me; she could have told us the truth.” I felt conflicted, she saved my life, earning some trust, only to turn around and betray me.
“She didn’t lie, she just didn’t tell you the whole truth.” Griffin eyed me like my feelings were written on my forehead. Before I could retort to what he said, Griffin continued. “Don’t even try to tell me that you wouldn’t have tried to stop her. I know I would have, regardless of the fact that she reminds me of Sarah.” Griffen said. He was right, we didn’t know the extent of her skill. It was clear she had it.
We entered the girls' locker room and paused at the sound of water running. We exchanged a look. Griffen headed in first from one said, and I followed back in the rear, taking a less direct route while he took the direct route.
“What the hell is this?” Griffin sounded confused but not defensive. I dropped my guard a little as I approached.
“Elizabeth told us to do this. What the hell was that thing?” Kayla answered, sounding frantic.
“That was a mutant. Do you know why she told you to be in here with the water running?” Griffin asked in his no room for argument tone.
“We almost didn’t listen to her, thinking it was a prank or payback for me punching her. But that thing scared the shit out of us, so I figured I’d risk being made fun of if it saved my life.” Kayla explained.
“Maybe it’s because it doesn’t have eyes, so it relies on its other senses to kill?” I mused out loud. It was possible, but wouldn’t the sound of running water distract it more? Unless there was another reason?
“How long ago did they make their way through here?” Griffen asked.
“A few minutes at least, maybe 5?” Kayla answered, “Ever since we saw what chased her, we've been in here.” Kayla explains.
“Why are you even here?” I asked, not sure why, but I had to know if they were planning anything else after the mutant attack was over.
“It was the closest stronghold to us. We tried to make it to the cafeteria, but this was closer.” Kayla explained.
“Then why aren’t you in the safe room?” Griffen asked suspiciously of them.
“We were, but didn’t close because we didn’t want to lock anyone else out. We were about to lock it when she came in and told us to stand in here. When we saw that thing, we knew she had a reason.” Kayla admitted.
Before anyone else could say anything, an explosion like nothing else shook the ground. We all fell to the ground, and fire broke out everywhere. It was clear now why Elizabeth told the mean girls to go to the showers from where they were, because where the safe room was, it was a pile of fire and rumble.
“What the fuck was that?” Kayla asked, standing up. Griffen and I exchanged a look.
“The reason why she told you to be in here with the water running.” Griffen said, “If you didn’t listened to her, you would have been trapped in the safe house getting burned to death.”
I stopped hearing what Griffen was saying. I looked out at the destruction that reached here… If it was bad here, what did it look like in the LOTLAS course? Then it hit me. I don’t know why it took me so long to realize, or maybe I didn’t want to realize. I didn’t say another word; I just ran out of that space like I was on fire.