Homesick: Ashes Of An Angel

Chapter 14

Troy included, we all blinked in utter confusion, trying to whirl and twist around to find the guards as an explanation for what went wrong. His yell didn't seem too good. It sounded like a warning, listening to the sirens blare nosily on the walls and see the red light dance around the arched room, shutting on and off, leaving us in both darkness and light. There was now no signs of the guards that had escorted us here. Several newcomer Mutants began to stir, some got to their feet, and wild screaming and crazed laughter began ringing from them We all got to our feet, Pollax helping Troy to his.

"We're all going to die!" The Mutant yelled, bandy-legged, not even noticing we were in the dark room. He banged on the creaky swings and fell into gales of laughter, rolling around on his back. My heart was beginning to race now.

A voice suddenly bellowed to our left in the reddish gloom.

"I said run! Run, you idiots!" The toad-guard yelled, spit flying from his voice at his shriek, his voice full of cracking fear and terror. We could tell it was him from the electric grenades that were fizzing from the tube of his Stun Gun, as the blue light bobbed over.

"What happened?" I asked loudly, as the din of the Mutants was just starting to grow louder, wailing, but they seemed to be sane enough.

"How should I know?" The toad-guard bellowed roughly, just as the other guard pelted into the room, huffing and puffing, finger hovering over the trigger. We could make out their faces in the red light when the sirens flashed every few seconds or so, over the blaring. "Something faulty happened in the control room, maybe a goddamn Mutant! But never mind that, we've got to get out of here! The Mutants in the upper levels have all been released, and they're going to start going after our smokin' butts sooner or later!"

My heart sank quickly, and I scrambled up to my feet again. I exchanged horrified looks with the others, their faces reflecting the same expression, understanding building in me. The Mutants in the cells - hundreds of them, they were released. The insane creatures, bloodthirsty for us, were running amok Mutant Mansion. That meant danger - for all of us. They were coming for us, left and right.

We could already hear and smell the terrible stench, the deranged laughing, jeering and douses, snorts, aggressive wails and douses giggles from levels above, feet thudding on the stone floor. Our eyes locked with the timid-looking guards, the toad-guard looking very seedy and shrivelled, when we realised the noise was growing louder. The locks clanged above, there was rattling, red lights, blaring and the dread knowing we could be dead within seconds.

"Get a move on!" The other guard exclaimed, terror rising in his voice, waving his Stun Gun and shielding himself. I didn't have time to think, so my feet take off when I do, the others close at my heels behind me. That was instinctive - partially because I remembered the danger we had faced back in that Mutant-infested train station with Troy and Watchee. Luckily, my speed and nimbleness while training as an assassin has adapted me from these sort of situations, and we sped off, the others close behind my heels.

"Let's go!" Troy ushered, although his voice sounded resentful and harsh and we started to take off. Someone swore. 

The guards didn't even seem to be so focused about the money now - terror was stricken all over their faces and it was clear they didn't care about us, only themselves to save, especially the toad-guard, dashing out of the now-awake, dingy room, one eye peering through the smoke, fingers hovering above the glowing trigger. The events had escalated, and we took off, through the misshapen door and skidded to a stop at the entrance of the ramp, smoke drifting through the nets. We all planned to follow the two guards, who had both brandished small flashlights that emitted a neon blue colour, lighting up the reddish vicinity. We could hear catcalls and whistles above our heads.