Built to Live

Chapter 3 - Part 3

"There it is!" Natasha pointed up ahead.

The warehouse loomed ahead as the girls and I rode on our bikes. Its once sturdy walls are now covered with rust and peeling paint. Broken windows gaped like empty sockets, and wild ivy crept up the cracked bricks. Upon getting closer, the air around us began to feel heavy, tinged with mildew.

I felt my messenger bag shuffle when Z lifted his head from the fold. He looked up at me with concern in his eyes. "This is such a bad idea, Madgie," he whispered, preventing the girls from hearing a talking cat.

"Just stick with what we've discussed, and everything will be fine," I whispered.

"I sure hope you're right."

We followed closely behind Natasha as she led us toward the back of the building. Coming to a stop, we hopped off our bikes and hid them behind some debris left behind the chain fence. Below the fence was a gaping hole that must've been made long ago. Natasha crawled head-first through the hole and waved her hand at us to follow. I stood there on alert, looking at our surroundings while waiting my turn. Coming around the corner across the street, I spotted a patrolling WormWood. It hadn't spotted us yet, but it was still too close for comfort. I could see Z's eyes dilating, the back of his fur rising.

Damn it. I turned to look at the girls and whispered, "Get to the building quickly!"

Nodding in sync, the girls quietly crept toward the entrance, hunching down to keep themselves hidden from view. Z jumped out of my messenger bag and looked up at me. "Leave the distraction up to me. I'll see if I can get it away from here as far as possible," he said.

"Be careful. I owe you."

"Big. Now go."

I nodded and slipped through the hole in the fence, something within me pounding. Turning back, I watched Z dart toward the WormWood, his movements so light and precise that the monster didn't sense the ambush. Z launched himself at the WormWood with a feral hiss, claws flashing as he raked its polished boots and uniform pants. The WormWood glanced down, its default expression betraying only a hint of irritation, but I knew anger was bubbling beneath the surface.

It leaned forward, its gloved hand reaching to grab Z, but the black feline was too fast. In one swift motion, Z sprang onto his hind legs, swiped the patrol hat clean off the WormWood's head, and bolted in the opposite direction, away from the warehouse. The WormWood froze momentarily, then took the bait, chasing after Z to reclaim its hat. Seizing the opportunity, I hoisted myself and ran toward the doorway, disappearing into the building.

"Coast is clear," I whisper aloud. Like groundhogs, Natasha, Angel, and Anya popped their heads up from behind what looked to be a moldy old conveyor belt.

"Wow, look at this place," said Natasha, her head tilted back as she looked around. "It's bigger than what I expected."

"It doesn't look like there's not much left in here either; there's just a bunch of old machinery and debris lying around," said Angel.

"This place is big; we'll find some good treasures eventually."

"Hey gals, look over here!"

We each looked at Anya, who was standing near another conveyor belt a couple of rows down. Scattered along its surface were a few unfinished metal toys, their once bright paint now dulled by years of neglect.

"Check this out," Anya said, picking up a small metal toy robot. Half-painted in a faded red, its antenna wobbled as she gave it a flick of her finger. She turned it over in her porcelain hands, blowing off a thin layer of grime. "What do you think happened here? Why would they abandon all of this?"