The Beginning of The End

Suprise

Sophia

I have always hated surprises even good surprises such as Christmas or birthday presents. I hate not knowing what's going to happen. Christmas presents are boxes of unknown. Even though the surprises are usually good I can't help but imagine that there is a bomb under the layers of bright wrapping paper. I know that sounds stupid but I have heard of something similar happening on the news and what can I say I have always been easily influenced. But I would rather risk getting a bomb hidden in a present every day than face the surprises that life throws at me now even though I am more prepared now than ever.

***

They were attracted by the noise or that's what I kept telling myself. The attack came too quickly so that none of us noticed until it was too late. They were the silent assassins that entered through the broken windows. You could barely see them in the half-light of dusk.

My scream was the first warning although part of me wished that I could have got my friends out and left Mike in the bees clutches. I hated myself for the horrible thoughts but I have never liked him and I never will. I hardly thought about the fact that I had not been silent like I always tried to stay because my thoughts had been so consumed by my hatred for Mike and everything he did. It had distracted me and now I was paying the price for it.

"Run!" John and Mike spoke at the same time and then shot each other evil stares.

We followed their advice anyway. No one wanted to be left standing when the bees arrived. We had left the door open so it was easy to leave the pub. The swarm bulged out of every c***k in the side of the building.

As they had been every time before they were fast. Even at a flat-out sprint, they were gaining on us. I forced my legs to cover the distance in front of us. My fear allowed me to easily keep up with John's long strides. We were easily a few strides away from the others and that distance was increasing with every step.

Mike didn't seem to be in any hurry. He should have easily overtaken us but his pace annoyed me. He was taking his time and Hattie wasn't moving much faster. We were running for our lives but Hattie and Mike didn't seem to see it that way.

I wanted to go back and shove them in order to get them to move faster but that meant allowing myself to stray closer to the bees.

On the main street, we headed towards any sign of cover. I jumped the piles of rubbish that had previously been bothering me without any thought. My lungs burned, my breathing was transformed into rapid, harsh gasps. I fought my way through the warm night air on the deserted streets. I felt completely hopeless. There was nowhere we could turn to; they could follow us anywhere. Our best bet was to go to the first house we found and escape into the safety of it. But my house felt miles away in the other direction and Hattie's was a building site full of holes where the bees could enter. John took us towards his house.

I had only been there once and I didn't really remember it. I knew that Mike's house was only round the corner from John's. Technically it was closer but I knew John wouldn't set a foot in there. I was happy to back him up but I didn't know Hattie's opinion anymore. I have never really known Hattie very well and now I felt like I never would know her.

Our pounding feet sent dust from the destroyed buildings flying into the air. The streaks of blood were littered on the floor. The air was thick with tension. No of us could speak; our lungs were too busy gasping for breath. The sound of thudding matched my heartbeat. I couldn't tell where the bees were but I felt like they were too close and getting closer every second.

They were playing with us like a cat might a mouse. They should have caught us by now but they found it fun to play with us waiting until we could run no further to pounce. That thought made me push on through all the pain. I could no longer feel my legs, just an excruciating pain that never ended. Pain seared through everything I did; I couldn't escape it. I was dreading the time when my legs would carry me no further. I couldn't stop. I didn't want to stop. But I knew my legs wouldn't be able to keep going forever.

The scream came before I was completely aware of where I was. Everything in my body told me to keep on going, to escape but I hesitated and that was enough to clear my mind and override my instincts.

Hattie sat in a crumpled pile on the floor. Mike behind her still pacing his run. John had turned around with me. There was quite a large distance between the two of us and the two of them and another similar distance away were the advancing bees.

"Hattie. What's wrong?" Concern was all over John's face.

Hattie didn't move, it didn't look like she could and the bees were getting closer every second. "My ankle." She was nearly crying and couldn't say any more.

Time slowed. But I knew the extra time was only in my head and every second that passed brought the bees closer. We were running out of time. Our options were limited.

A million thoughts flashed through my mind making it difficult to focus. None of them seemed to be proper solutions. Every situation results in death or injury - mostly to me. But one look at Hattie's deflated frame and another at John's determined frame made my decision for me. I knew he was thinking about his promise to keep us safe no matter what. Even though he had joked as he said it I knew that it was a much more important commitment for him than he had let on.

I hated myself instantly and needed all possible time to prepare myself. Even a thousand years didn't seem like enough time. And I figured that I only had a few minutes, probably not even that.