The Mirror City

thirteen

I didn't plan to become a monkey boy

Okay, first thing first, Sara is dead and now we're surrounded by more Growlers than I could count. Second, they're just outside as if waiting for us to leave the room.

My eyes went to Sara's lifeless body, where the boy who killed her just throwed away the flesh he teared from Sara. Willow is behind me but she's been quiet ever since I grabbed her. Kane managed to grab a knife that must be Sara's property earlier. And all I have was a cooking pot I grabbed nearby. There was still a few ounces of soup inside but I have to spill it.

The boy who killed Sara is slowly trying to advance to us as if he's not visible. I want to call him Frank, because I hated a kid once with that name. I wonder where he is now. But I'm starting to notice how the other Growlers just stood there outside. One tried entering but Frank growled at her but she insisted. Instead, they both turned into each other and started to fight. When I told Kane and Willow to run, the Growlers followed us as well. Kane forgot to bring the flashlight he had earlier, and Sara's candles won't do much outside.

Once we're out of the Diner, my plan was to head onto the other side of fourth level, if only the path is wide open. I saw Growlers roaming the road ahead of us, but they stopped wandering when they took notice of us, which means more trouble and we're going to get cornered on both sides. We're running out of options, we'll get squashed from front and back.

I guess this is it. I whispered to myself. Knowing full well that there's not a single path to open up for us. But as soon as I was ready to accept my death, the air whistled in front of me. When I slowly opened my eyes, Willow is attacking them swiftly. She's like an Olympic, she's agile and flexible, almost made me want to ask Kane if he ever does that. I mean, even him was surprised. The girl he thought was dangerous, is out there kicking and probably ending a Growlers happy days.

She just kept on switching to one Growler to another. Jumping from the top of their heads, her small build allowed her to hang on their bodies like they're nothing but hardwood. She swings in the air and would land on a Growler's face with her feet creating an impact. It was as if she was trained for it, and being exposed with the gas, it must've elevated her skill. But I'm still finding out an acceptable reason why she's not turning like them. I saw other kids too, but they already turned. So what makes her special?

I realized we were too enthralled to watch her, we forgot we have another problem from behind. Although Willow noticed this, she flew over us and went on heavy with the other side. With a loud grunt, the group collided with each other as they collapsed. I raised my cooking pot and Kane with his knife, a Growler was near me and I was ready to whack him in the face, when suddenly Willow appeared from above and broke his spine. I just kept on watching when she switches from one Growler to another.

It took her exactly twelve minutes to completely eradicate the entire Growler platoon. They now remained slack and unsresponsive—and mostly dead—on the floor. Willow also collapses out of exhaustion but I quickly catched her. She's breathing heavily and all I could do was let her lay on the floor and loosen her belt that I didn't noticed she was wearing one. I urged Kane to back away with me, for a couple of seconds. Back at the ratways, it's pretty common that someone would find it hard to breathe. I remembered how Nolan would always do this method and sooner, they're better.

Willow opened her eyes and quickly rose when she fully regained herself. She saw us and the rest of the Growlers she demolished like she's counting all of them. I could tell her they were a lot. I mean the fourth upper level might consists of rich and famous people in Mirror City, but it's still a lot who lived here. I'm starting to wonder whether Kane lives here or not.