44. Not a Moment Too Soon
44
Not a Moment Too Soon
Darius
A few days ago.
Well, that sucked.
I mean, sitting here trapped in this metal cage, knowing that at any moment, I will literally be blown to kingdom come isn't ideal.
But having to force Carolina to abandon me here was not on my list of last shitty deeds I needed to cross off.
I sigh, leaning my back against the metal bars as I listen to the fading footfalls and shouts mixed with intermittent groaning, coughing, grunting, and generally people dying.
I chuckle, somewhat relieved to learn that moments before your imminent demise, your life does not flash before your eyes.
“What the fuck are you laughing at?”
I start, then crawl to the cage door to see Ivan has come around. He's lying on his back, rubbing his temples, and I say, “If you want to live, I suggest you get the fuck out of here.”
He groans and mutters, “Not so loud, man.”
I laugh humorlessly. “Seriously. This place is going to literally explode at any moment. I suggest you run.”
He peeks an eye open at me, slowly sitting up and rolling onto all fours. He shakes his head slightly, likely attempting to clear his thoughts through the ringing in his ears from Tony punching him in the face.
He heaves himself to his feet and stands there momentarily, weaving back and forth. Bracing his hands on the top of the cage, he takes a deep breath in and expels it quickly as he forces himself to straighten. He stands there, looking around rather aimlessly, so I add, “I'm not kidding. Don't just fucking stand there like a moron.”
He waves a hand at me as he replies, “I'm just looking for the dickhead who has the fucking key.”
He glances around again, and then his eyes light up, and he rushes over to one of the bodies near where we all had been strung up at one point or another.
He rolls the body over, quickly digging through pockets and pulling out a key ring that he holds up in victory, and I reply dryly, “That's great. But use it or lose it.”
He rushes over to me, falling to his knees in front of the cage door, grabbing onto the lock as he fumbles with a key ring. “Which one is it? What the fuck?”
“I still think you should just get the fuck out.”
He gives me an incredulous look and shakes his head. “I can't just fucking leave you here.”
“Yes, you fucking can. Who the fuck would know?”
“I would fucking know.”
He attempts one key after another in quick succession, cursing to himself when none of them fit. Once again, I find myself peering through the bars as I say, “You're going to have to leave me here.”
Ivan makes a face, but he makes no move to run out of the room. The door slams behind me, and Ivan looks up, his eyes widening as he says, “What the fuck are you doing here?”
I turn to see Seamus running toward us, not slowing until he grabs the corner of the cage. Using his grip, he abruptly turns himself so he is kneeling in front of it next to Ivan, a key ring in his hand.
He shoves the key into the lock, and it turns. Then I'm staring at an open door.
Seamus is already up, running back across the room, yelling over his shoulder, “Get your finger out. We gotta go.”
That gets my attention.
I quickly crawl out of the cage, immediately gaining my feet and pulling Ivan to his. We both race after Seamus as I shout to Ivan, “You're going to have to lead the way. I have no fucking idea where I am.”
Seamus is right in the doorway, and Ivan runs through, the two of us directly behind him. He sprints down corridors, briefly slowing to manage corners. I swear I can hear the tick-tock, tick-tock of a clock in my brain.
We’re sprinting toward a doorway at the end of the corridor, and Ivan stops short before barreling into it head-on. He hits the bar, and it doesn't budge. He hits it again and again. I stand there, gasping for breath as I say, “My people probably barricaded this one.”
Seamus glares at me, and Ivan immediately pushes off the door and takes off again. “I know a better way.”
Seamus and I sprint after him, Seamus muttering lowly, “We're out of time. We're out of fucking time.”
We increase our speed, sprinting blindly now as another door comes into view. We barrel toward it, all three of us together, knowing that if this one is locked, we're completely fucked.
I pull up abreast to Ivan, the two of us zeroing in on the door as we run full out. At the last second, we each turn a shoulder, our hands out, bracing to push the bar.
I grip the cold metal a split second before my shoulder smashes into the door. At first, it doesn't give, and then Seamus comes up behind us, slamming into us full force. The door bursts open, and we fall through it, our forward momentum rolling us out onto the ground, just in time to feel the inferno at our back.
I’m shoved further by the force, bodily thrown through the air, the impact from the explosion behind us scorching and vibrating. I hit the dirt face-first, my chest driving into the gravel, forcing the air from my lungs, but I manage to get up on my hands and knees, my palms digging into the dirt as I choke and cough.
Then I fall forward, rolling onto my back, my arms coming over my face as dirt and debris rain down on me.
With my ears ringing, my arms fall to my sides, then I blink up into the inferno-tinged sky .
Yeah, that fucking sucked.
I manage a small choking laugh, and then I sink into the darkness.