My Original Characters and Random Shorts

Mutant Mission

   Saila struggled for breath as she ran. She cursed internally as she almost tripped over yet another large rock. She'd been running for most of the day, the high altitudes and thin mountain air weren't helping matters. 

   She stopped, gasping. No matter how deep she inhaled, her lungs never seemed to completely fill. She swung her pack off of her shoulders and grabbed a water bottle. She drank the whole thing and still felt thirsty. She didn't dare drink any more, she was running low enough already.

   Most of the country lay behind her and she was dreading the run across the ocean. Sleep threatened to make her collapse where she stood, so she sat down. The earpiece in her ear buzzed softly, its range was impressive. It connected her to the X-Men in New York, but she couldn't hear anyone on the other side.

   Saila dug a plastic box filled with donuts out of her ridiculously large pack. The donuts were infused with chemical combinations to give her enough energy for several hours if she ate one. She'd eaten two already, and she was worried that she'd run out before she got back.

   Taking a bite of her donut, Saila admired the view. The small town nestled in the mountains seemed familiar. She guessed she was looking at Ouray. She could see several Jeeps driving down the winding road on the mountain across from her.

   "You there Sail?" Logan asked gruffly, startling Saila so much she jumped. "Still conscious?"

   Saila was still panting, so he would know that she was there. "Barely."

   Logan let out a snort that might have been laughter or annoyance. "Where you at?"

   You have the map, you tell me! "Ouray, Colorado I think."

   "Darn," Logan said. "I was hoping you'd have to say 'No Logan, I don't know where I am. Please tell me!'"

   Saila rolled her eyes. "Shut it Wolverine, or I'll make you run all the way across the country next time and see how you fare."

   Saila heard him chuckle as she hefted her pack and took off again. The wind drowned out whatever he said next.

   By the time Saila reached Japan, her mind was cursing worse than an Irish sailor.

   When her feet hit the sand, she got a sudden burst of traction that threw her off her feet. She landed hard on her pack. A loud snap came from it, meaning that either the box of donuts had exploded, or a water bottle had. 

   Saila groaned and wiggled out of her pack. She lay on the sand staring at the sky. Her eyes drifted closed, and she fell asleep despite Logan's best efforts to keep her awake.

   Saila woke several hours later sore, irritable, and hungry. She dug a donut and some more water out of her pack. One of the plastic water bottles had popped and everything inside was soaked. She got up and brushed herself off.

   She shouldered her pack again and started running, even though she knew it would probably be a bad idea to eat a donut and drink water while running. She'd tried it toward the beginning of her sprint and wound up doubled over choking from inhaling water.

   "Ah," Charles' voice made Saila jump, almost trip, and inhale a chunk of donut all at once. He said something else, but Saila completely missed it as she dropped down to around five hundred miles per hour.

   "Saila, are you alright?" Charles asked, sounding concerned.

   Saila took a large swallow of water. "All good," she said, coughing a bit at the end. "You just made me inhale food is all."