The Life Beyond You

Chapter 6

We walked down Main Street, ducking and weaving through distracted people. It made me wonder how none of these people could see what I saw the last few days. An entire different reality is right near them, walking by them, pushing past...But they can't open there eyes and look at it. They refuse to see anything outside of there little bubble of normality, for if they do society will reject all they are. I would know right?

I feel an elbow nudge me, I snap out of my thoughts and look up at Knox who seemed to be chatting to me.

"Oh look she's alive. Not a robot."

"Don't sounds so dissapointed, I might think you don't like me." I say, turning us down a smaller road. We could see the Empire state building and Knox stopped and stared.

"Wow..These buildings are pretty beautiful." He said with genuine amazement. I walked beside him and sighed.

"We are in an artificial wasteland, none of this is amazing."

"Well excuse me for looking on the bright side, expecially since I've never been here."

I grunted and we dragged on. About 10 minutes later we were infront of my apartment. I put my hands in my pockets awkwardly and walked in. Lisa was the front desk worker, we used to be pretty close...But now that might of all-

"No. Nonono, you shouldn't be in here Cyra." Lisa stands up, looking nervous.

"Lisa please, I'll pay this months rent, I'll even double it and I'll be gone..I need my things." I try to calm her down.

"No, I could loose my job for this, did you know there looking for you?! They came in here last night." She said, I could hear the terror in her voice.

"What did you tell them Lisa."

"I didn't tell them a damn thing, but I know they will come back and I am not prepared to die so you gotta go." She stands out from behind her desk. She is an older black woman, her hair streaks of gray. Her face was always so kind and soft, until right now. She's never looked at me with such fear.

Knox clears his voice behind me and Lisa stops, looking up at him. He didn't look...From this world. His tall figure and dark hair stood out. His eyes staring at something in you that even you can't see.

"I seem to be missing something." He said, his voice deep and echoing.

Lisa looked like she wanted to say anything, but couldn't. I took this moment and slipped passed, and up the stairs.

"CYRA!" Is all I heard, I was already to my apartment door. Knox caught up to me and closed the door.

"What am I missing here. Who is after you?" He leaned on the wall catching his breath.

"Everyone." I rummage around for a suitcase and start tossing clothing inside. What do you pack when your moving to a mysterious shrine at the outskirts of New York? Knox walked around, studying every part of my house.

"Why do you have GUNS in the bathroom." He yelled back at me.

"Throw them in a bag will ya?" I toss him an empty purse and he looks at me like I'm insane.

"Oh come on-I'm not going to use them."

"I've been alive long enough to spot a killer. I even died facing one." He said it kinda mad, like my job was just a joke until he saw the weapons spread out infront of him.

"Wait you died..?"

"Yeah well It didn't stick." He turned back around and started tossing things into the purse. By the time we were done someone was banging at the door. I grabbed him arm and pulled him into the bathroom, closing the door. The banging continued, and I heard them yell. It was Marvin.

"See while I would normally enjoy a girl shoving me into the bathroom, this seems like a different situation." He was whispering next to my head, his hand resting on my shoulder.. I swatted his face away and rolled my eyes.

"I will remove your arm and beat you with it." I whisper yelled, focusing on the crack in the door.

"Those could be your potentially dying words."

I turn around and look above him, an emergency exit leading up to the roof. I pull his head down and for some reason he doesn't struggle. I lift my leg up into his back and hit the cover of the exit, trying to get it to move. I heard the front door crack. I hit harder and harder and suddently it slammed open.

"It opened, I'll pull you up." I start climbing but he lowers me.

"How do I know you won't leave me here."

"Jesus, I could've left you in the streets and you would be lost for days. At this point I'm in it with you, all the way. Now move me back up or I will stomp on your freaking head."

He waited for a moment, then raised me back up. I pulled myself up to a small vent area with a tiny ladder. I hooked my feet on it and leaned down, gripping his cold pale hands. He struggled and I pulled, trying to move him up. The front door suddenly broke open and I heard Lisa scream. Knox was almost through the hole. Marvin opened the bathroom door, yelling my name. The I heard the shot, Knox screaming in pain. I suddenly had the strength to pull him up. My arms were splattered with dark red blood.

"Come on just up the ladder. You can make it."

He nodded, his eyes looking heavy. I held the back of his legs as he climbed. Once we made it to the roof the wind was strong, I held onto him in fear of it blowing him away. On the left side of the roof there were green rusty stairs I often used to avoid Lisa during work. I set Knox down away from the edge and look over the left side at the stairs, three guys were stumbling up. I back up and start pacing, stepping in the puddle of blood created by Knox.

"Godd-I didn't mean for this to happen." I rubbed my face.

"You didn't cause this. Now stop panicking out loud so I can think." He groaned as he sat up, looking over the nearest ledge. Suddenly I heard a loud deep laughter from behind us. Marvin was there, holding Lisa around the neck. His pistol rested at his side. Lisa was crying and all I could say was "You'll be okay."

"Wouldn't be so sure. After that little stunt the other night I can't guarantee anyone will be okay." He let out another psychotic laugh and glanced at Knox, wide eyed. Knox studied his face and his jaw tensed. Marvin let out a little grunt and threw Lisa down the hole we came up in.

"I change my mind. I'll take you, Cyra." One of his men grabbed the back of my hair and raised a gun to my throat.

"Cyra-" Knox's voice was weak. I raise my hand to signal for him to stay there.

"All you had to do was pull a trigger, what made you freeze?" Marvin was close to my face now, his breath strong of nicotine. He was wearing a long coat and his stomach was stretching his tight black shirt. He ran his fingers down my numb cheek, his lips close to my face.

"What did you see.."

Knox was suddenly up and behind him, throwing him back. He winced and held his side, leaning over. I elbowed the man's stomach and he let go of my hair, shooting at me. He missed and I did what I could, shoving him. His eyes filled with fear and he tripped off the edge, arms stretched like he could stop himself somehow. And he was gone. Knox pulled me back, his breathing heavy. He ran us to the edge, gripping my hand.

"What are you doing!?!"

"Trying to save your life idiot."

And we jumped. I closed my eyes, Knox's arms wrapped around me, cold against my skin. We seemed to be falling forever. I didn't want to open my eyes but I did. The buildings came into view. I couldn't react, I couldn't find my voice to scream. Suddenly we were going down, his grip on my waist tightened. I couldn't see his face.

"Hold on Cyra!" He yelled, his voice sounding so far away. There was a buzz in my ears, and a flash of gold. Suddenly the buildings were gone and we crashed. My arm wouldn't move when I tried to get up, the buzzing stopped now, with a price of a serious headache. I rolled over and felt someones arms around me, then a red broken down farmhouse...then I was gone.