Pastel

Chapter Twenty-Seven

You know, just an average weekend for me.

Do not look down, do not look down, do not look down, so don't look down.

Then I got dizzy. My head began to spin.

Oh great, great, great, yes, I love pneumonia.

Or horn pox. Or whatever this is.

Randall struck me in the face, sending me flying backwards, tumbling down a sudden dip in the slope of the door track. I landed hard, my spine hitting the narrow metal. My body buzzed from the electricity pouring through the track and into my bones.

Randall leapt down the slope, and casually walked up to where I lay, his hands behind his back in contentedness.

Many, many hands...

Miraculously, in my blurred state, I was able to remain centered on the metal type rope of death.

Oh I don't know. Maybe it's the tail on this stupid outfit—

"Get up." He reared back to kick me.

I dodged, narrowly missing the blow.

Because kicking me really helps with that.

I continued to crept backwards like a crab, trying to increase the distance between us.

"What's the matter, kid?" he mocked. "Too sick and weak to fight back?"

Worst. Smack talk. Ever.

Randall raised his fists, ready to land a punch in my stomach.

"NO!" a voice called from below.

I peered down.

Like little ants, Mike and Sullivan stood on the lowest floor against the wall, near the ground entrance, both clutching their faces in dismay.

"Ey, Sullivan!" I waved.

"NO RANDALL! DON'T!"

I veered my head back up.

Right. Bad guy.

Before he could land the crushing blow, I sprang to my feet and caught Randall's fists in hands. I shoved him backwards, anything to get him off me.

* * *

"Let's go, Mike!" Sullivan cried, hurtling forward, trying to get as close as possible...

* * *

I kept throwing swings at Randall. He stumbled backwards, holding his fists up, bouncing, ready to land another punch.

But as soon as I took a step towards him, he turned and skittered away, like the coward he was. I dashed after him, my balance on the door track locked like riding a bike.

After the sixth or seventh try.

If only I wasn't sick. Balancing on this would be a breeze for me!

I bound toward the reptile, and finally got a hold of his neck, head-locking him with my inner elbow.

He unlocked my arm, and with a thrust, threw me backwards.

Randall whirled around to see...

No one.

The thin door track ahead of him lay empty.

He looked over both sides of the track.

I hadn't fallen.

* * *

"Come on out and fight!" Randall cried.

Nothing.

Randall took a step forward. "Are you a coward, kid?" His voice echoed, then was lost in the thundering of the racing doors above him. "

Where did she go...

He checked the pavement far below him.

Nothing.

His paranoia grew. He laughed nervously. "Did you honestly think you could outsmart me??"

Randall looked out of the corner of his eye.

The kid pounced up from behind him.

He whirled around, throwing his fist into the girl's face.

* * *

I dodged his fist to my jaw. Boy I am sure glad he didn't look directly below him.

I couldn't even grip the whole rail. Just the thinned out spot in the middle.

I ducked my head to avoid another punch and slugged the lizard in the face. My fingers were going to ache for days. It was a miracle I hadn't broken any from dangling from the rail like that.

Someday I've gotta give who ever designed this contraption of death a piece of my mind.

Randall came back at me, recovered from my blow.

If a door had come down the track while I was dangling—

Randall punched me in the throat. I fell on my tailbone, clutching my larynx, inches from slipping over the edge. I stared at up him, stunned.

Uncalled for, bro. Uncalled for.

"It's over, kid." He snickered, towering over me. "You are mine!"

A Kubrick stare struck my eyes.

In an instant, I crossed my thighs around the track, my knees and feet locked together. Like a viper striking its prey I grabbed Randall's tail and turned over the edge, taking him down with me.

We both dangled from the track, swaying like blades of grass in the wind.

He was at my mercy.

"Yeah, you go gurl, Boo! YOU GO!" Mike cheered from below, jumping up and down while punching the air. Sullivan peered up at me with his straight hand pressed to his brow, like a sailor looking over the blinding ocean. His grin was as bright as day.

I grinned as well, blushing from Micheal's enthusiasm, shaking my head as I hung.

"Don't let me go, don't let me go! Please! Don't hurt me! I'll do anything! Anything!" The cold blooded creature begged, terror stricken.

I rolled my eyes.

Drama queen.

"Hang on," I said, and began to swing him back and forth. "Ha ha, it's funny because you're dangling and I'm—"

Randall, desperate to not fall, pulled up and grabbed my wrists as I swung him, and the surprise of it almost made me let go.

But not just let go of him.

I felt my thighs' grip around the track weaken, but I kept swinging.

Come on you cursed... Thing.

"You know, it's a really good thing your tail doesn't pop off as soon as you're cornered," I said.

Yeah.

I didn't forget about that.

With one final sway, I swung Randall up in reach of the track.

He successfully latched on with his two front arms.

I had saved him.

And, his true intentions revealed, the serpent like creature turned on to me, crawling on top of the track and grabbing my legs, trying to pry them apart.

I kicked Randall from below his chin, sending him flying backwards. He sailed a couple of feet through the air before falling over. He grabbed on to the track with his tail, curling around it like a choking vine on a tree branch.

My thighs slipped further and further.

If I let go, I die.