The Watch – Part 170:

I was too busy running as fast as I could to get a decent look at what was chasing me. They were getting closer and closer. I had to dive somewhere otherwise I would lose a chance. I’ve only got two left. I can’t afford to lose another one. The muscles in my legs were starting to give way. They simply aren’t fit enough to run long distances even when an enormous amount of adrenaline is pumping through them every second. I was out of breath and unable to carry in moments. I had to find somewhere to hide.

Abandoned building after abandoned building. I’m running passed perfect opportunities to hide but now that I’ve build up some momentum, I just can’t stop until I naturally come to a grinding halt from exhaustion. They were behind me. The metal sounding footsteps slamming against the ground, drowning out my own heavy steps.

There’s an opening, right in front of me. If I don’t stop, I should be able to get inside before they catch me. The doors were leaning to one side, leaving a small gap but my speed from my running should give me enough power necessary to burst my way through. Just what is following me if it hasn’t caught me yet? Surely, with something as powerful as it sounds, it would have caught up with me in seconds, long before now. What is it?

No time for figuring out. I’m nearing the doors. My legs are now running on fumes, but I force myself to keep going. I’ve never ran this hard, this fast in all my life. I’ve never used so much adrenaline before – it doesn’t help that I’m terrified as well. The doors are now right in front of me. The thing that is chasing me is so very close.

I prepare myself for impact. Launching my right shoulder forward, I close my eyes as I ready for the pain that is inevitably going to come from slamming it against the door at speed.

Wait! This is a hologram!

I open my eyes just as I passed through the door. The sudden surprise made me lose my balance and I went head-over heels, landing face first on the ground. My hands scrap along the ground, my elbows slam against the hard surface and so do my knee caps. I cry out in pain as I eventually come to a stop.

Of course, this is all a holographic city. None of this is real. I was caught up in the moment. Running at full speed from something behind you and feeling more scared than ever confuses your brain, tricks you into believing in things that aren’t real.

That thing behind me. It has stopped chasing me, because I’ve stopped running. I’m lying on the floor in pain, vulnerable to whatever is behind me. Even though that may be a hologram as well, if it touches me, I lose one chance. I try to move but my elbow and knees are hurting too much more to stand. I could crawl, but what would be the point in that if it’s only going to catch me anyway. I just have to give in and let it take me. Maybe after I’m down to my final chance I will be able to make some progress.

I want to see it. I want to see what is chasing me. With a grunt, I roll myself over. My eyes naturally snap shut, but I force them open. Whatever is chasing me, I allow you to take me this one time, but you will not win this war.

Nothing’s there. What?

The sound is gone. I don’t understand. For a moment, the sudden plot twist numbs my pain.

What game is this?

‘You are now down to your final chance,’ he said over the microphone, trying to sound all serious but failing miserably. ‘Use it wisely.’

I don’t understand. This is a holographic city, I get that now, but why isn’t anything chasing after me. I mean, I heard all the sounds as if something was.

Is that how this game works? Because it is a holographic city and therefore no physical touching can occur, it simulates something being there via accurate sounds. So accurate, in fact, they scared the living hell out of me, made me believe that something was there. An invisible enemy, if you will, made up of nothing but sound. If I weren’t on the ground in pain from having just experienced that, then I would have said that this was a genius way of simulating the real thing, but instead all I have to say is what a terrible thing it is.

The pain in my hands, elbows and knees starts flooding back and I lose all what I was thinking about. I have to get up and keep moving forwards toward the door. I slowly sit up, bend my knees upright, place my hands on the ground and, with every ounce of energy I have to numb the pain, I push myself up off the ground. My legs are shaking violently, threatening to give way any second. I look at my hands and saw that they were rather badly grazed. My elbows would hurt with the slightest of movements.

I have to keep going. I will not give up. The sooner I get out of here, the sooner I can get rid of this pain, rescue my friends and go back home.

Would it be too much of a risk if I did get rid of the pain now? I think it would look suspicious if I were able to walk and run properly without any sign of being injured. I don’t want him to hurt my friends, but I don’t know how far I can continue being in this state. I’ve lost all bearings. I don’t know which way is the door. I have to do something. Maybe I could explain away my sudden pain tolerance by saying that I have a massive pain threshold. He’s believed every other excuse that I’ve thrown at him, so why not that one.

TO BE CONTINUED…

Thanks for reading

Antony Hudson

(TonyHadNouns)