Utopia

Part 8

8.

   We run. My feet explode in pain that is getting harder and harder to ignore. It’s growing steadily darker until I fear the whole world will be devoured by the darkness but thankfully Kai knows this place. It’s his home. Even in the scant light he finds his way, guiding me through the unknown.

   His hand is warm in mine, linking us together so that I’m not left behind. Guilt curls in my stomach and rakes its claws down my throat. I tell myself that there is nothing for me to feel guilty about but something deep down tells me that isn’t exactly true.

   I try not to focus too hard on it. Instead I concentrate on not tripping over my own feet and the erratic flashing of Kai’s bracelet.

   “Kai,” I wheeze, unable to breathe let alone speak. “Kai,” I repeat a little louder.

   He turns, we don’t stop. “Yeah?”

   Something sharp stabs my ankle deep and wet seeps through the fabric of my shoes. “I can’t go much longer.”

   He squeezes my hand, “Just hold on a little longer. We’re almost- “

   “Stop!” A male voice yells at us and Kai’s eyes go wide. I freeze in my tracks, scanning for another crevice – somewhere to hide. I can’t see anything besides thin tree trunks and twining branches.

   Leaves rustle to my left. Kai’s grip holds tight but with my free hand I reach into my pocket, past all the discarded clips and dig out a scalpel. The silver glints off the starlight like a promise.

   A figure bursts through the cover of trees and into our line of sight. The unmistakably male frame towers over my head, even compared to the boy at my back he seems huge. Moonshine slides off his milky skin revealing the terrifying face of…

   Wait.

   “Cray?”

   He startles at his name, face going from grim determination, to bewilderment before settling on pure surprise. “Lyra? What the hell are you doing here?”

   I stuff the scalpel back into my pocked before barrelling into him, nearly sending him scattering. “You have no idea how good it is to see you right now,” I say, nearly breaking into hysterical laughter at the relief. I thought that was it.

   “Lyra,” Kai says, and at the sound of his voice Cray stiffens.

   All of a sudden I’m being thrown from Cray’s arms and when I look back, both boys have drawn guns. They point at each other. If what they told me was true then Kai’s will only temporarily paralyse Cray. The standard issue gun nested in Cray’s white-knuckled grip however thirsts for blood.

   “Wait! Stop!” I shout and both boys whip their heads to face me with twin looks of incredulity.

   “Lyra do you know who this is?” Cray asks me, gesturing towards Kai with the barrel of his gun. I wince.

   “Yes,” I say calmly and slowly walk to stand next to Kai. “He’s an Outsider. He’s helping me.”

   “Helping you? But…” He looks from Kai to me, understanding dawning on his face. “You weren’t kidnaped were you?”

   “No, she wasn’t. She wanted to come,” Kai answers, not bothering to quell the harshness of his voice. I guess I wouldn’t like to be accused of kidnaping either. Then I think of Vixen, she wasn’t exactly a willing volunteer.

  Ignoring Kai completely, Cray speaks only to me. “I should have known,” He says, giving me a small smile. “I take it that you were the one who took the creature as well?”