Where is Your Heart At?

Chapter 14: Into the Fire

Where is your heart at?

Chapter 14

Into the Fire

Penny ran down the steps as fast as her little legs could go. She couldn't see her uncle anymore, or even Ren. Actually she couldn't see anything at all so she was sure no one knew where she went. She could hear the footsteps all around her though. As she ran through the steam one thing became apparent to her. The clothes she was wearing for the past five days were soaked, and the chances of her getting out of this without an injury was slim to none. She found herself hiding behind one of the machines.

"Penny!" She heard her Uncle. She stood up looking around for any glimpse in the darkness of a swish of a grey jacket.

What welcomed her was a rough hand, and a horrible laugh.

"No!" She yelled, she hit the ground again hard. She felt the air leave her lungs and she lay on her side gasping for air. Her arm and hip hurt from the fall. She had to run! She got up and limped into the steam again. Watching as her Uncle grappled with Claw. A coffee pot hit her Uncle and he fell to his knees. Claw eyes locked onto her.

She ran...

Coughing and cringing every time she walked.

"You seem to think you're getting out of here alive!" Penny heard the voice and she tried to run faster. She wanted as far away from that man as she could, breaking free from the dams double doors and into the woods.

She could hide there, they'd never find her. A bright flash overhead had her gasp and stop where she was. She coiled into herself for a moment as the rain began to pelt her.

To be fair, a two year olds attempt at running away from a fully grown man is almost laughable if the situation wasn't so serious. Claw could see Penny as she began to run again.

Gadget sat up looking around, one of the henchmen had clobbered him good and his dizzy state Claw ran outside.

Ren ran up to Gadget. Her knuckles were bleeding, so was her nose and lip.

"Come on! He's running after your kid!" This got him to sober up quickly. He ran full tilt out of the compound, and into the woods.

"Penny!" the voice echoed throughout the glade. Ren could never keep up with them with how short she was. All she could do was wait and hope.

Penny kept running, at least she kept telling herself that. Falling and scraping her knee a few times. Her hands were scratched up from shoving branches out of the way. She hit the ground pretty hard a few times and her chin was scratched up too. All she wanted was her uncle and to go home.

"Penny." Claw's voice called to her. She turned around for a moment and gasped seeing him just behind her. She misstepped and fell down an embankment into a puddle down below that the rain had created.

"Oh you sweet thing...poor baby. Let daddy help you out." He reached down. Penny curled into herself, but felt nothing.

She turned to look up at Claw who was being held up off the ground by the neck. Gadget's eyes were a bright red color. Anger coursed through his body and rage managed his mind. He wanted Claw gone, and never to attempt to go after HIS Penny again.

Yet the thing that happened next had Gadget melt. He felt arms around one of his legs. He was a rather tall man. He looked down planning on swatting away the thing that caught his attention from his quarry. But then he saw who it was.

"Wan go home, unka. Wan home..." Silent tears rolled down her face. He dropped Claw who lay on his side coughing.

"Never come hear her again Claw. I won't be so lenient next time." Gadget said to the man who ran his fingers over his face. It was apparent to Penny that Gadget had hit Claw rather hard with a large stick. It was in pieces on the ground, and one of Claw's eyes was bleeding.

"Next time Gadget." He growled as he watched the man get into his car next to Ren who got into the driver's seat so Gadget could hold Penny.