The Last Wish

14. Descent to Death

"Correction one, hazel not green eyes. Two, 5"4 not 5 feet." Belle counted the mistakes of her description using her fingers.

Despite the circumstances, she was highly offended by the error of her marvellous description. Rather than being grateful that no one would recognise her as the 'runaway girl'.

She turned left, another alienated hallway. Unlike the rest of the corridors she had run through, this was dimly lit with least amount of rooms and seatings.

"There she is," a gruff voice shouted from behind.

She looked back and immediately regretted. Two bulky security officers were on her trail, like heated black hounds.

Suddenly, she had a feeling of being a weight of thousand pounds. She mentally pleaded her legs to not give in and fall, presumably a 9.7 earthquake would shake the ground if that happened.

She hauled herself with much difficulty, alarmed and out of breath. The corridor ended in a 'T' junction, separating to two paths. Mentally praying she wouldn't end up in a dead end, she drifted right. The hallway was the same as the rest, dimly lit and empty.

Her heart beat escalated with the sight infront of her. The corridor wasn't the same as the rest, this had heaven in the form of elevators. That's it, she didn't have to run anymore.

She stopped in front of the double door of the elevators. As if karma was on her side, the elevator was open and ready to lift her.

Almost smiling, she entered the elevator in a haste. Her jaw fell down, literally that is, upon looking at the number of floors in the lift board.

"Fifty freaking five floors?" She gasped.

"Oh, that's an alliteration," she grinned goofily. Great times for literature, Belle.

Seeing the black hounds, a.k.a the security guards, coming her way, she was hit with the weight of her situation.

She simultaneously pressed the button for 55th floor and the close button with much force.

The guards were advancing towards her, mere metres away from the lift. She repeatedly pressed the close button, but the dang thing wouldn't move. As last resort, she hit the button with such force that a bruise was sure to come, but gladly the door closed with a ding sound.

The guards were sure to have their heads smacked against the door of the elevator as it closed.

She was too exhausted to squeal, which resulted in a weak 'yay' to come from her mouth. It was more a whisper hardly audible to even her own ears.

With the cessation of all the running she had done, the pain wasn't apparent. But now that she had decided to give rest to her body, the pain fell upon her like a lightning bolt. Her legs gave way and she slumped to the ground, grateful.

She rested her back against the metal fittings of the lift, and pulled her legs to her chest. Her head resting against the wall, she closed her eyes.

Laughter echoed around her, running, playing and laughing. Over the top of the red slide, stood Ivor waving while Ian was hanging leisurely on the monkey bars, grinning and showing off to Belle. She laughed, waving at the two kids. Belle was sitting on the grass at Windsor Park.

One hand was holding 'Safe Haven' by Nicholas Sparks while the other was busy plucking grass and casting it all over her. The tattered grass fell on her like mild snow, she smiled. Oh, how she loved winter.

"Belle," shouted a panicked Ian. "I'm going to fall. Hold me..."

His hands slipped giving way to his body to free fall. Within the blink of an eye, Belle was on her toes speeding towards her brother, her book flailing amidst the heap of grass.