Struggle for Freedom

I threw the spear back at him and he caught it without blinking. I stepped off the pole, pulling it out of the wall as I fell to the ground. My gaze flickered to my left where Sora was fighting two guys now. But he didn’t seem to need my help, and it didn’t look like he was even using any of his special powers. The spear whistled past my head again. The guy was calling me to fight him. Turning to face him, I could see him charging towards me. So my body responded the only way it knew how, it started to charge towards him too.

I could see the aggression on his face now, his teeth bared, eyes wild. Right when we were about to crash into each other, I rolled under him back onto my feet and thrust my pole into his back. He screamed as the searing hot metal burnt right through his flesh piercing through to the other side. He swiped left and right, but I ducked them all. But then his foot slammed hard onto mine surprising me off balance. I was still holding onto the pole when he let out a deafening roar and yanked it out of him. My head connected with his shoulder blades which were like rocks and I fell backwards.

He now had my pole but clutched his wound like it still burnt him. There was no blood as the heat sealed the vessels before they bled, but he still stumbled towards me. I had to get up. I had to get up before. Smack! The metal pole struck my side, knocking the wind out of me. I tried to get up again and reached all fours when he hit me again. This time I was knocked onto my side. He swung again and struck my chest. I couldn’t even cry out I was so badly winded. The next swing connected with the side of my head. My ears were ringing, black spots filling my vision. Was this it? Was this the end of me?

He kept hitting me in my side and chest, my vision was going black. “Stop it.” I muttered holding up my hands, “stop it.”

The pole came down on my fingers crushing them.

Wow, I thought, I guess I really am weak. Mom and dad won’t be happy. Then I remembered Sora’s words. ‘You wouldn’t be here unless you were a really good fighter.’ I guess he was wrong.
Suddenly, I could hear an announcement from the leaders. “If somebody doesn’t die in the next two minutes, you all will.”

Die?, I thought, I can’t die yet. I can’t let mom and dad down, or Sora. Get a hold of yourself! Suddenly I could feel fire stirring through my veins; survival mode was back. The next swing of the pole, my hand caught it and although my broken fingers were in agony, I held on, letting the heat shoot up through me into the pole. I watched as the heat burnt his hand away, the skin bubbling and peeling off. This time there was blood. I yanked the pole from him and used it to help me onto my feet. Then readying myself, I was about to swing at his head when he fell forward onto the ground. Sticking out of his back were two daggers.

Looking up I saw Sora rushing over to me. I dropped my pole and started stumbling towards him.

“Alice, Alice.” He held me up, just as my knees started to buckle.

“I sucked didn’t I.” I could taste blood in my mouth and feeling it running down the side of my head.

“No, you were awesome,” he paused looking away, “it’s just for a moment there you looked like you gave up.”

“I did. But just for a moment.” My words were slurred.

“Yeah, well next time don’t.” he lifted my chin up and stared right at me. “Giving up is for weaklings, and you’re not weak.”

“But-”

“But nothing.” He said.

For a moment, he was still holding me up, but then he lowered me to the ground.

“Sorry,” he said sitting cross-legged next to me, “but you’re really hot right now.”

I giggled as I rested my head on the dirt, but then stopped, clutching my left side; laughing really hurt, the guy must’ve broken a rib.

“I meant-” he started.

“Don’t worry, I know.” I could still feel the heat burning through my body all the way through to my extremities. I liked it though, it was numbing some of the pain of my injuries. “You look pretty hot too.” I blurted out. Oh no, did I really just say that out loud? “I meant because you’re sweating…” I tried to explain, but stopped and looked away when I saw his face go red.

“Well we’re safe now.” He looked away as well.

“Safe?” I asked. Suddenly like a switch, the adrenaline started to disappear and the heat energy dissipated from me.

“Yeah, this guy’s dead. Only one guy needs to die.”

I could barely hear him as my body quickly cooled. It was like safe was the keyword to shutting me down. I was slipping from consciousness. I was surprised that the blow to my head hadn’t done it sooner. Even though I didn’t die, mom and dad wouldn’t count that as a victory. I guess I wouldn’t be seeing them today. I closed my eyes letting the warm tears fall and then everything was black.