When death invites you, you have a choice to make. Either you give in to your will or you fight to stay. Our souls lit up like the flames of an old fire in a winter hearth. The air became thin and difficult to breathe. Our end was just the beginning of a rebellion, made by survivors with cunning, fear and indignation .
Liam
Underneath all that rubble, Natasha emerged from above soaked in sand, her hair disheveled and untied.
"Lilian...Lilian...Lilian...?— Natasha screamed
A few minutes passed, no sign of anyone, the girl was desperate. In the distance she saw someone running. When he got really close, it was Lilian.
"Natalie! — yelled Lillian
"How did you get there?— — I ask
— I don't know. replied Lillian.
Come here. Natasha screamed
Before Lilian can get close to Natasha, Lilian is shot in the back by a hooded figure, with a red cape.
No! Natasha screamed
I open my eyes and see that the labyrinth has disappeared, I was lying on the grass of a greenish forest.
— What? Where am I? Where are the others? — I ask desperately
I get up quickly, see some animals. Several deer and rabbits, when in the distance I hear someone calling me.
— Natasha...
A serious and deep voice, authoritative, but at the same time sweet to hear, I walk towards him.
As I pass through the trees, an albino deer with flowering branches appears across the small pond. His eyes sparkled, there were no pupils just a bright light.
— Who are you? — I ask
"I have many names in your world.— replied the deer
"Sorry, what am I doing here?— I'm dead? — I ask
"You decide, the choice is yours.— If you decide to live or leave. replied the deer
"I wish to stay. My fight is not over yet. — I say
"If you wish so, then fine. — said the deer
Returning to my consciousness, I see Andrew doing CPR on my chest.
"You need to live. Andrew said.
I open my eyes and come back with my breath. I remain lying still.
— Thank God you're alright. — yelled Lillian — Natasha! Liam exclaimed.
Andrew lifted me slightly and hugged me. Everyone gathered to show affection.
"Hi guys, I'm fine. But what happened? — I ask
"Everything was falling apart, until a boulder came down from the gaps and then Andrew caught you so we could run, you ended up tripping and hitting your head.
"Wow, I don't remember. — said Natasha
"The blow must have been hard. — Liam said
In the distance a door opens, a flash of light appears illuminating everything around. Everyone walks towards him thinking they had escaped the fearsome labyrinth.
"Are we free?— asked Lillian.
"I don't know, I have a bad feeling. A squeeze in the heart. I don't know. replied Natasha.
"Anyway, we can't stay here forever!— Andrew exclaimed. — We have to go. — Liam said — Let's go. Andrew replied.
The four ran towards the light, their shadows were drawn in the light, then disappeared in the glare.
It would be a new stage, a new destination.
...
the others
Veronica. Frederick, Abigail, Charlotte, Judith, Sarah and Lis were waiting for the young survivors to return. For a new stage of challenges.
"I fear for their lives. Veronica sighed.
"Me too, dear, but there's no other option. They will make it. I am sure.
Frederick said.
In the distance I could see the faces of the young people, crossing the river and arriving at the edge of the city.
"We're back in Seattle. Liam remarked.
"But is it our Seattle or...?— Andrew said.
"Only one way to find out. replied Natasha.
Natasha whistled a tune and waited. Birds flew overhead. But no sign of people or movement of cars.
— Yeah, we're alone. — said Natasha "Not so alone. Liam pointed.
Approaching them, there was a gorilla carrying dynamite around its neck. On the other side a creature that appeared to be a woman with her face covered by a black mask and shoulder— length hair. Carrying two ninja stars. And on his back a sword.
— Second round. Liam warned.
— You take care of the monkey friend and I take care of the crazy ninja.
ordered Natasha to Andrew
"And what do we do?— asked Liam.
"Run and stay safe. replied Natasha.
— All right, come Lilian. — Liam said holding Lilian's hands
The avenue became a battleground, one side Andrew versus the bomb gorilla. On the other side Natasha versus the ninja woman.
"How I would like my ax here. — I think
The ninja woman threw her stars towards Natasha who immediately dodged, then arched her arrows to try to hit the woman. Luckily she dodged the attacks by running from side to side. The woman began to attack with kicks and punches. One of them hit Natasha in the face, knocking her to the ground.
Drawing her sword, the ninja slashed through the air, hitting a lock of Natasha's hair.
"No one touches my hair.— said Natasha, drawing her daggers. "Come on, bitch. Show what you're capable of.
The ninja woman counterattacked by scratching her sword against the daggers, the sound of the blades snapping was audible to anyone, using her knees Natasha kicked against her belly and with a punch she knocked the woman out. Who falls to his knees. Spinning her body and lifting her legs
Natasha kicks the back of her neck. Knocking the ninja to the ground.
Meanwhile, Andrew was trying to figure out how he was going to handle this situation, how to stop a gorilla loaded with dynamite. Without ending up causing a catastrophic explosion.
On the side of his neck was an infrared button that deactivated the dynamite, that's what I came to realize.
"Okay, but how am I going to get there without this monstrous gorilla killing me?— Andrew thought.
I thought about distracting him with something bright and blinding, like a beam of light, but where would I get it?
There were a few parked cars. I turn on one of them and drive towards it. I accelerate the car throwing myself sliding and rolling on the asphalt. It was a good distraction, so I did. The gorilla wrecks the car, I manage to climb on its back and pull the button. But he noticed and pulled me away, making me cross the avenue and stop by the mailbox. The animal came at me madly, that's when I could get up and press the button just in time, it wasn't a dynamite collar but an electroshock collar.
After that, the animal was docile, but there were still dynamites scattered on the floor.
"Andrew watch out!— — yelled Lillian
Step on top of one of them, activating it. The explosion deafened me from one side of my ear. I fall unconscious to the floor.
Lilian tries to run to help me, but Liam stops her. The scenario in which I performed was a war mine. I was passed out surrounded by dynamites.
Meanwhile, Natasha was still battling the ninja.
He groped for more arrows. That's when the ninja woman got up running towards me. I throw my bow and arrow on the ground and engage in hand— to— hand combat with her.
His eyes slashed at me with sharp blades, but I couldn't give in just like that, not without a fight first.
The first blow hit me in the neck, I fall to the ground stunned. Then she tries to kick me and I slide under the asphalt and stop next to a mailbox. I get up quickly.
"You're not the first person or thing to try to kill me. Just try! Natasha teased
With the sword, the ninja cut near my cheek, causing a drop of blood to fall to the ground.
"But I'll be the first to kill you!— — shouted the ninja
Cutting through the air, right next to my head. The woman hits my legs and throws me off balance.
Grabbing my hair tightly and pulling it back. She stared into my eyes, those black, empty eyes.
"Beg for your life!— — exclaimed the ninja
"For you, never!— — shout
"See you on the other side.— replied the ninja
I close my eyes so I don't see my end. So I waited for my fate.
On the other side of the avenue, Lilian appears, pulling out her revolver, hitting Liam in the stomach. The little girl runs towards the female ninja and fires four times, hitting her with two bullets in the back.
Throwing the sword to the asphalt and widening her eyes, the female ninja drops to her knees with tears in her eyes. Exploding into embers and fire, leaving only ashes.
"Don't try to kill my sister. — said Lilian — Lilian!? asked Natasha.
"Natalie, get up. Everything is fine! — soothed Lillian Natasha started to cry hugging Lilian. — Promise me one thing. — began Natasha — What? asked Lillian.
"Don't try to save my life again. — ended Natasha Lillian smiled.
"That I cannot promise. replied Lillian.
The two embraced again, Liam then approached worried about Andrew.
"Guys, sorry to interrupt this beautiful and memorable moment. But
Andrew is in danger.
"Andrew! exclaimed Natasha.
Natasha ran to catch up with the boy. That's when he almost accidentally bumps into a dynamite.
— Natasha! Careful! Liam yelled
— All good. answered Natasha
A trail of dynamite on all sides, Andrew's unconscious body on the other side. One misstep and it could cost everything.
Lilian? Come here. asked Natasha
— Hi Naty, what can I do to help? asked Lillian.
"Try to find something that can deactivate those dynamites, a button or something, it must have fallen to the ground during our fight. explained Natasha.
"Natasha, what can we do to get to him?— asked Liam.
— I don't know yet, apparently the dynamites can activate if we try to tamper with some of them and that's not what we want. replied Natasha.
Lilian looked all over the place, when she was about to give up she found something. A kind of golden screw. When he tried to pick it up, his fingertips froze. Activating an electromagnetic dome around Andrew.
What was this? asked Liam.
"I don't know, but something doesn't feel right. replied Natasha.
In the same second Lilian released the screw and her fingers instantly thawed. His pupils turned white for a few seconds.
The dynamites ended up exploding one by one, throwing Natasha and Liam away.
Andrew's eyes flew open, but his body went still on the ground.
The electromagnetic field turned blood red and shooting bolts upwards in all directions.
"Andrew! Liam yelled
"Come on, I'll help you up.— — said Natasha "Let's help him!— Liam exclaimed.
Natasha held Liam's arm, looking deep into his eyes.
"What's up, won't you help?— asked Liam.
"Of course I do, that's not it. But think first, before putting your feet in your hands. Look at that. replied Natasha.
Liam sat on the floor and crossed his legs over each other and watched for a brief moment.
"You're right, I don't think I'm thinking straight. Liam remarked.
— Yes, we will find a solution. — said Natasha
Lilian approached with slightly icy hands, she seemed nervous. Touching
Natasha's face. The girl had a vision.
Lilian? What was this? asked Natasha.
"Natalie, how did I get here?— asked Lillian.
"We need to rest. Liam replied.
"First, let's figure out how to free Andrew. — said Natasha
— Let's see, there is an electromagnetic field surrounding my brother, which from time to time oscillates rays upwards. explained Liam.
Natasha raised her bow and sent an arrow across the field. The arrow scratched the air and spun three times, but before it hit the field. A blue ray turned it into an ax just like Natasha had before. Coming towards her, the ax grazed the girl's cheek and embedded itself in the ground beside her.
What? asked Liam.
"My axe? asked Natasha in surprise.
But how? asked Lillian.
Another ray was hitting Natasha from behind, that's when Lilian, with her white pupils, created an air shield, deflecting the ray in the opposite direction where it came from. With the impact Natasha falls to the ground, being dragged along the asphalt.
Lilian? asked Natasha.
"Wow, that was awesome!— Liam yelled — Are you well? asked Lillian.
If I'm fine? Yes I am. But what I wanted to know is, how did you do that? asked Natasha.
"Sister, I don't even know the answer myself.— replied Lillian.
— Look, I don't know what happened, but show me what you can do. —
Liam said
"No, this is not the best time. Natasha said worriedly.
Lilian raised her hands in the air and with her white eyes, she sucked the energy from the electromagnetic field.
With both hands energized, Lilian released green beams towards the field.
With an explosion of color, the energy dissolved, freeing Andrew.
Lilian spilled some blood from her nose, fainting right after.
"Lilian! Natasha exclaimed, holding her in her arms.
Liam ran to find his brother, when he got very close it was still possible to see an electromagnetic circle around Andrew. Stepping over it, the boy lifted his brother onto his shoulders and carried him to the sidewalk.
"Let's get them to safety.— suggested Natasha.