Jordyn
Panic blooms around me as I search the ground for Samson.
"Sam!" I scream, kneeling down on all fours to search for him. "Sam, answer me!"
My fingers meet something warm, and I grasp for anything living. Sam's hands wrap themselves around my wrists.
"Jordyn," he whispers feebly.
I do my best to jerk him towards me, but our pursuants are getting closer by the second. I'm not strong enough with one hand.
"Ezra, help me!" I plead, looking over my shoulder at Ezra as he stumbles blindly towards us. He nearly trips over my legs, kneels down, and fumbles through the water for me.
"I can't see, Jordyn," he says as his hands find my arms and make their way towards Sammy.
"I know, Ez. I know. Just, please, help me."
I can't let Sam die. I can't let the monsters get him. I don't know what I would do without him. Who else would let me climb onto their back when I can't avoid the water or stare at me with eyes the size of an ocean? Who else would scream at me? Remind me what's real? Keep me grounded and sane?
Ezra's hands find Sammy's and begin to pull backwards. We've always gotten him to his feet when the screeching rounds the corner in the form of four luminescent yellow eyes. They don't hesitate to pounce upon Sammy's fallen body, jerking him away from us.
I scream and grasp for empty air as his hands are pulled out of mine and Ezra's. I watch the shape of him recede into the tunnel, and my panic morphs into sheer rage. I clench my hand around the knife Sam gave me and chase after the monsters. Their shapes are barely visible, but after a few steps, we round a corner and one of the yellow lights illuminates the scene.
Kaia has Sammy's leg in her mouth and is jerking him away. Sarah's crouching by his head, ready to pounce on me.
"Try me," I growl, and I swear, she smiles. Without hesitation, she throws herself at me, and I'm slammed into the wall with the force of a truck. It knocks the air out of my lungs, but the sound coming out of Sarah is worse than anything I feel. She groans in pain and spits blood onto my face as she gasps for breath.
With a groan, she staggers away from me, pulling me along with her.
When we slammed into the wall, I had the knife in between us. The pressure drove it through her chest. Clinging to the handle, I twist the weapon and feel it ripping through muscle and bone. She reaches out with a clawed hand and smacks me across the side of the head.
The world around me spins, but I hold my footing.
Strengths, I remind myself. Use your strengths.
Still holding onto the knife, I lift my leg and plant a kick into Sarah's stomach. The force rips the knife out of her chest bone and sends her sprawling backwards into the ice water beneath us.
There's no time to wait and see if she gets back up. I turn towards Kaia. She drops Sam's leg and sets her sights on me. I reposition the knife so that it's facing her and wait, holding my breath. She takes one step, two... three...
Then, just as she lowers herself to pounce, Ezra appears behind her and grabs both sides of her head. With a grunt, he throws his body into twisting her skull. It pivots on her shoulders and a sound like a dull crack of lightning splits the room. Her mouth is still open as she tumbles to the ground.
Disgust mixes with pride in my chest.
"How did you learn..." My voice trails off, and I shake my head. "You know what, nevermind. I don't want to know."
YOU ARE READING
The Island
Science Fiction"This is The Island, a prison designed for minors like me- too young to be executed, too old to be reformed, and too much of a stain on humanity to let exist. It was 'the answer' to the growing crime rate resulting from a world that was falling apar...
