The Purge

“I not only use the brains that I have but all that I can borrow.”

Woodrow Wilson

Life is not a movie. We should never wait for someone to come and save us. Nobody will come around and write us a happy ending. What I learned in life: if you want to be strong, learn how to fight alone.

My father said I was like a metal wall. He wanted me to believe that I was. So no one can hurt me. So no one can break me. But I grew up to be a disappointment. He would purposely hurt me. My childhood days would always remind me of the amount of blood I lost. I had to learn to take care of myself. To protect myself. So when the time comes, I’d be ready.

But I wasn’t.

Instead I let people climb my walls. I let them enter. I call them my squad. I call them my friends. And I look at them now while thinking of my father’s knife hiding inside my boot.

We kept on moving.

The road seems to stretch to forever. With the fog building again, it will be hard for us to navigate our way out. I blinked back at my display. I felt relieved having it back there; at least I’d feel safer. At least I’d know what I’m dealing with. Maybe it will help me determine who my ally is and who my enemy is.

But changes have been made. It felt like I’m in a role playing game only that I am my own avatar. I have my name on the upper left side of my display and below it is my life bar or energy bar. It showed me that it is still full, so I was relieved. Below it was my score. When I look at others, their profiles appear on the upper right side of my display. It can show me there body temperature now even their aura. It was fun to look at Bri and Con. Every time they get near each other, their auras glow too bright like an ember bursting into flames. I look ahead and I see the gloom in Athren’s. Whatever he feels right now, I still hope that he finds the heart to return to us.

Chivas was back under my watch and I hold his leash absentmindedly. I walk behind my team, just as always.

“Are you gonna stay that way?” he asked me. I turned to him, puzzled. I was even tempted to point myself if he was really talking to me.

“Stay what way?”

“Everyone’s puppet.”

I frowned at him. “I am no one’s puppet.”

He sneered at me. “Then let me go.”

“And why would I do that?”

“Ah. I am starting to think you are developing feelings for me, love. You don’t want to let me go. How sweet.”

I narrowed my eyes at him. “I’m just doing my job.”

“So I’m an obligation now. Gee, you hurt my feelings.”

“So you do have feelings. Sorry I didn’t know.”

His face darkened at me and I felt the urge to flinch.

“They were ready to ditch you anytime. And now because they learned what you can do, they’ve decided to keep you. I admire your stupidity.”

“You can keep your jerk of a mouth shut. I don’t need your opinion.” I pulled his leash forward as I took long strides to get back to my team. “No wonder you were out there alone.”

He huffed at me. “Those who are worthy may stay in my life. We can’t always control who comes in at our door but we can always choose who to throw out the window.”

“Makes sense.” I said.

“Common sense is the most limited of all natural resources nowadays.” He smirked at me. “But listen to me, little girl. Not everyone around you is your friend. It is better to be alone than have a bunch of friends who have ulterior motives towards you.”

“I’m confused.” I told him. “Are you trying to be nice to me or are you trying to be mean to me?”

He shrugged. “I am definitely the nicest and meanest person you’ll ever meet in your life.”

I wrinkled my nose as I pulled his leash; he was forcefully brought forth by his own legs.

“You stink like hidden motives. You better get away from me.”

He smirks at me and I look away. “Fine. If it will make you feel better: thank you.”

I turned back to him. “You already said that.”

“And you’re welcome.” He prompted. I shook my head and I started walking again. “Anyone who takes time to be kind to someone so bad is beautiful.”

I turned back to him. “If your intensions are not good, just leave me alone.”

He grinned at me. “Well, I can’t.”

I glared at him and he raised his chained hands. “I am tied to you.”

I shook my head at him. “You reminded me of a penny.”

“Valuable?” he cocked an eyebrow at me.

“Two-faced and not worth much.”

He laughed and everyone turned to us.

“You know it would be nice and helpful if all of you will shut your freaking gob or else we will find ourselves in hell.” Athren said. I pursed my lips shut.

“We’ve been walking for hours.” Conleth said. “Our displays aren’t helping us either. I’ve been trying to pull a map but it refuses to give me information.”

“Perhaps a glitch in the system.” I said.

“The Republic can’t go wrong. Zenith for them is perfect. If you guys are smart enough to seek the obvious they are locking us in.” Chivas said.

“We need to go back.” Bri said.

“But we are already far away.” Athren complained. “We need to go forward.”

“What if we encounter Predators along the way?”

“Bri, nowhere is safe anymore. What are you so afraid of?”

I turned to Conleth who I thought would Bri’s answer. He was pointing at the air and suddenly a hologram comes out.

“Whoa.” He mused. “Check this out guys!” we all gathered around him to find out his discovery.

The hologram looked exactly like in a video game. There are options, a message board, and a few settings except a log out. Whatever it is the Zenith was playing at, they made sure that they will be having fun. They are making sure they’re gonna win. Conleth scrolled down to find weapons and he ticked his signature weapon which was the glaive. It appeared right before him and he caught it before it falls on the ground.

“This is so cool!” he exclaimed.

Athren tried on his display and two long swords appeared scabbards tied on his back. He pulled out one and checked the blade.

I thought of my father’s knife. Should I pull it out? Maybe not.

“Aren’t you getting a weapon?” Con asked Bri. She smiled weakly at him as she shook her head no. Something’s bothering her and whatever it is getting into her. Conleth scrolled on his display and managed to pull out a gun. He handed it to her.

“I want you to be safe.” He said.

Bri weighed the gun in her hands as if she doesn’t trust it at all. Conleth attached his glaive behind his back just as Athren did with his swords. I looked at my surroundings; I figured that the fog again was starting to rise. The temperature began to drop. I looked up the sky and just like before, it started to turn gray.

“This is bad.” Athren cursed under his breath. He turned to Bri.

“Run.” She commanded and we did.

The Frost was starting to come again. Everything it touches gets dead frozen. I was dragging Chivas along with me praying that he won’t trip and fall down or else we will both get iced. Rows and rows of trees passed but there was no sign of a tavern or someplace we could find refuge. The air was getting colder by every minute. My knees were turning into stone cold but I forced myself to move. Chivas was getting ahead of me that by the time we were once again blocked by metal walls he was already dragging me.

“Come on, Halley!” he urged. “Pull yourself up!”

Conleth let loose of his flames but the moment his fire caught with the Frost it seethed and smoked off. Athren tried to slow it down by creating a hurricane to divert its direction but it fights its way in to us. Bri hammered her hand on the metal wall. It gave a dent but neither did it fall down. The Frost continued its haunting, stretching its frozen hands on our feet close enough to touch us.

Bri run to the east and we all followed her. The maze rose above us as the fog welcomed us once again with open arms.

“Listen,” Bri said. “We cannot let them win over us. Pay close attention. Let your instincts be your eyes.”

I squeezed my eyes shot. I can feel the hands of Frost reaching out to us. I can hear Predators’ whisper close by. Kill. Addonexus. Kill. Addonexus. It was a chant. A horrible, guttural whisper that my mind could hear. I stopped running and I felt Chivas pull.

“Come on, Halley.” He said through gritted teeth.

“They are coming.”

And then there was just silence and my heartbeat ringing in my ears.

A Sanguinarian appeared out of the fog, it bared its teeth; bloodthirsty. I let out a shriek and I hear chains and metal cluttering in the background. I fell on the ground and I felt it grab one of my feet. It dragged me down with it and my fear was doubled my heart rate. I could not even hear myself screaming. I grabbed of Chivas restrain. The beast stopped for a moment letting out a whimper as if it was just hit. And then it started to make sounds between a wail and a growl.

Athren cleared off the fog with a hurricane, showing the number of adversaries we should face. He set out his swords and dives through the air slicing every brute in his way. Conleth set his glaive on fire and he let it fly through the air eliminating five Sanguinarians in one swing. His flames never left his hands not even as he tries throw a punch at the beasts. Bri has her gun out firing at Sanguinarians head as they enter the maze in groups.

I was dragged back down by Chivas movement as he wrapped his restrains around the Sanguinarian. He summoned the earth from below and a sharp emerged pinning the beast from chin to skull.

“Cut me loose.” He said as he offered me his restrains.

I shook my head.

“If I’m gonna die out here at least let me fight!” he gritted his teeth.

A Sanguinarian found its way towards us and I made the decision I was sure I’d regret later. I broke Chivas restrains with one struck of my hand.

“Thanks.” He smirks at me, turns around and runs away leaving me with a hungry Sanguinarian snarling at me.

I should have known better than to trust anyone. The price of being a sheep is to be eaten and the price for being a wolf is to be alone.

Well I don’t want to be alone and I won’t be eaten.

The Sanguinarian lounged at me. I pulled out my father’s knife from my boot and I buried it deep into its gut. I pulled it out as fast as I could move behind it and burying another blow at its back. Faster I drove my father’s blade in every inch of its body until it could heal no more and it fell on the ground. It opened its mouth to wail and I dropped my father’s blade right into it silencing its cries.

I pulled the blade off of its gaping mouth knowing that others are gonna come for me. I looked up and three others were ready to strike. I did what I was taught. With my father’s blade I sliced through the beasts. One had got me from behind, locked me in its arms and opened its mouth, ready to take a bite.

I felt it twitch behind me and then its head rolled on the floor. I fell on the ground with its body. I looked up to find Chivas holding a pair of hook swords.

“Behind you!” I warned as a Sanguinarian leaped behind him.

Chivas moved in a whirling motion, slicing his opponent in half. Its head still moved and Chivas stepped on its skull making sure it stays dead.

When the numbers had run low Bri called for us to make a run for it, we ran farther into the maze. The walls started to divide, the edges were sharp as steel. It moved directly at us and we tried to avoid them. Every minute it would make unpredictable vertical movements that could get you sliced in half. Sanguinarians were still right behind us but some were not that so lucky to survive the dance of blade walls.

The noises were left behind us as the walls continued to change. Once again we found ourselves outside in another abandoned place where tall building lurched. Tall glass windows decorated almost every skyscraper and cars lined up on traffic. Athren leaped up on one of the cars and started moving ahead.

“They could still get after us.” Conleth said.

“No sign of Sanguinarian here.” Athren said. “But the temperature is dropping again. We need to move.”

Con helped Bri up on one of the cars while I scrambled on my own to get on a car’s butt. Someone lifted me up and hauled me on the roof of the car. Chivas followed in one cocky move, sliding up the roof of another car without much of a side glance.

The Frost had its hands on the glass window and I felt my hands get cold. We moved faster and settled inside an old convenient store not too far from the city’s entrance. Bri sealed the doors and we hid behind the rows of frozen food containers. The air went rigid and the glass withered as it captured the cold. I blew on my hands to save myself some warm. Con set off a little spark of flame for us to share. But then it triggered a knock on the door. His flame went out immediately and we all placed our guards up.

Athren moved slowly to peek at the door. The knock came again.

“Somebody help me!” a girl said. “Somebody help me please!”

As if recognizing the voice, Con made a move for it. He stood up, Bri tried to bring him back but he’s already at the door.

Bri followed him first.

“What an idiot.” Chivas murmured as he stayed on the ground.

I stood up and followed Bri.

Right at the door, in the bitter cold of the Frost lying on the ground was a girl with hair as black as the raven’s feathers. Her skin was pale and her body was already half frozen.

Imogen Morgenstern opened her eyes one last time before she shut them and surrendered to the Frost.