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Staring for a second or two, I see anger cross his handsome face with large canine teeth dropping over his lower lip, and I know he’s the one I’ve been wanting to see. When did they take him from the cage? Shaking myself back to reality, I quickly glance around again.
“Shit! I’m in a lab!” I heave aloud. It’s been a long time since I’ve had real exercise, and my legs and lungs are burning.
The clawed guy on the table uses the temporary distraction to his advantage. His foot shoots out and he kicks the Acradidia in the round part of its body—I’m guessing the stomach—and then scrambles off the table.
A quick smile ghosts my lips before I spin around and run.
My arms prickle and the fine hairs on the back of my neck stand at attention. Someone is chasing after me! My heart beats in my throat as fear propels me to run faster, arms pumping at my sides. I am running as if my life depends on it—’cause it does.
Suddenly I’m lifted from my feet and thrown over a giant shoulder. A scream tears from my throat, and a large hand swats my ass.
“Quiet!” he hisses forcefully.
My temper flares but I clamp my mouth shut. He’s not Acradidia and he’s running much faster than I can.
When I raise my head, I see several guards chasing after us.
“They’re right behind us!” I yell and to my surprise, he picks up speed.
“Hang on,” he half growls, leaping through the air, grabbing onto rock bars, and climbing straight up, with me still slung over his shoulder.
“Are you out of your fuckin’ mind!” I tightly wrap my arms around his waist, my cheek resting on his ass. It’s all I can do just to hang on.
Metal hits metal as he tosses the grate covering away…clang, clink…it bounces twice before he leaps out, jostling me in the process.
“Easy!” I demand, scared shitless and not wanting to hit the ground face first.
I already have a bruise on my shoulder from earlier. He either doesn’t hear or doesn’t care as he sprints away in a flat-out dead run.
I want to look up again but I’m too afraid to loosen my grip. Clicking and screeching sounds become loud and incessant, and I conjure an image of a hundred Acradidia chasing after us.
The repugnant smell of mold and dampness makes my noise twitch. Finally gathering a slither of courage, I chance it and lift my head to look around.
My breath hitches as I see the strange-looking city full of Acradidia, all dispassionately staring after us. Tall three- and four-story octagon mud-colored buildings with vines crawling up the sides surround us. A glaring orange sun streams between gray clouds, making it very bright as they drip water. Not actually raining, it feels like a leaky faucet with the occasional drip, drip, drip, into puddles. Mold climbs alongside the vines; it’s a bright, wet, dreary and overly humid place that makes my skin crawl.
The guy carrying me doesn’t slow even for a moment. I don’t even care where we’re going—as far as I’m concerned, anywhere is better than here.
The buildings dwindle and I can smell the air drying out, even as sweat beads my forehead. The clicking noise totally disappears, and I take my first deep breath. Now, if I can just get him to put me down…hanging upside down is giving me a headache.
The guy carrying me finally slows, then eventually stops, setting me on my feet. A wave of dizziness descends and I grab at his muscular arm to steady myself.
He jerks away as though my touch burns him, which pisses me off a little.
After a couple of minutes, my headache fades. I take my first look around. It’s desolate and barren—even the ground looks dead with its light brown covering. I wouldn’t exactly call it dirt, nor grass, more like dry mud or hard slush. Probably nutrient deprived. It appears that nothing could grow in this desolate place.
“Thank you for rescuing me,” I finally say.
His eyes shift my way but he doesn’t respond.
“I’m Myla,” I offer.
Nothing.
Okay, maybe he’s not the talking type. Maybe he doesn’t understand what I’m saying…no wait, he spoke to me earlier…God I’m so confused.
Glancing over this planet, it’s miles and miles of flat land, almost desert-like. I wonder where we can hide, what we can find to eat.
Those nutrient blend bars (at least I hope that’s what they were) the Acradidia gave me once a day just didn’t cut it. Not only did they taste like thick chalky paste, I could never stomach enough of them to actually get full.
