War

Chapter Six

"Amity, watch out!" He screamed and I ducked out of reflex as he rushed forward and brought the pipe down on the monster coming up from behind me. "Are you okay?" He asked me looking up from the monster to meet my eyes with his. I gave him a vigorous nod as my mind tried to process things while I attempted to settle my nerves. However, when he moved to look over my shoulder his eyes grew wide.

"Amity, we need to go, now!" He ran forward to grab my arm before dragging me toward the windows. "Edric, no! The rain!" I yelled and he looked toward the window to see it had now been pouring heavily outside.

"Then we need to get somewhere safe now!" He said with panic in his eyes. I turned to see a few more monsters turning the corner to come toward us. "Go now!" He shouted before shoving me forward in the opposite direction. We sprinted away from them only to find further hazards. A monster came out from an isle beside us but Edric was quick to shove it away and grab my arm so we could continue once more. We both froze to look around us at our options. "That right there," he said, pointing out some scaffolding. "We need to get up that. High and far enough away from them where they can't reach us." I went to argue but I knew that it wasn't my choice.

Then Edric stepped behind me to fend them off temporarily as I moved to place my foot on one of the beams. It slipped and I clung to the scaffolding as my fear of heights tried to take over my thoughts. But my better judgment knew how I needed to get up there fast so my brother could as well. The monsters were already so close by now and Edric seemed to be growing tired. So I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and shakily made my way to the top before calling down to let him know it was his turn. He turned and ran forward jumping and gripping one of the beams and slowly pulling himself up.

Once he'd made it we both fell back and turned to look at each other. "That wasn't good Edric. It could have gone a lot worse." I told him, my tone serious as I gazed at him in anger. "We can't joke around like that in a world like this. It could have cost us everything." My voice cracked as I thought of all the ways it could have gone wrong. Tears slipped from my eyes and trailed down my face.

"I know," he started bringing one of his hands forward and brushing a tear away. "I'm sorry-" I cut him off before he could speak any further by rushing forward into his arms

"You could have got hurt. I don't want to lose you." I whispered weakly and it took him a moment to return the embrace as he let his shoulders fall.

"I'll be more careful next time okay? You won't lose me. I promise." He whispered in my ear. But I guess not all promises were meant to be kept.

I wasn't strong then when I had my brother. I wasn't strong when I was alone without him. I wasn't strong when I had Luz or even when I had my sister too. I had to be strong to survive, but I wasn't strong.

... ... ... ...

Only the strong survive. That's what they kept saying. My greatest strength has never come from my weakest moments. At least, not from me. There was strength around me in the people who cared. Those who chose to protect me. Just as Luz had done when she first saved me, how Hunter had done when he helped us escape, how Emira had when she pulled my mind from dark moments keeping me grounded, how Gus had when he made up for his mistakes by helping us escape the lab; all of these are just a few of the countless other times people around me showed strength.

Others were brave. Others were strong. Others showed everything but weakness. While I on the other hand did not. Yet these past few hours? Days? Weeks? I couldn't keep track of the time anymore. But whatever time had passed, I had to prove otherwise. Because in this prison you had to be strong to survive. And when you are tossed in a pit filled with monsters you have to fight off there is no other choice but to become strong.