The God Codex

6. Waterfall

BOOK OF MIA: 2081

Chapter 6: Waterfall

My lungs are on fire. My legs are trying to run away from my body, so I stop torturing them with this running nonsense. As sweat drips down past my brows and into my eyes, my vision blurs. I'm wheezy and breathless, like I'm dying — whoosh, whoosh. I may as well be holding a foghorn to signal my location. There is no way I am quiet. I am Forrest Gump — from that movie we had to watch in Language & Communication — running through these woods.

I'm not enjoying this. The bitter taste of the night lingers on me still. The distinct rust of the blood I'm covered in wafts up my nose, getting stronger and stronger. I try not to gag out of respect for those who will never see another sunrise.

Beside me, Nate looks as lithe as ever. An athlete barely breaking a sweat while I'm bathing in my filth. My t-shirt clings to me like a scared child to its mother's leg. I need a shower and a change of clothes, not to mention a pair of shoes. I lost my flip-flops a while back and my feet are bleeding from cuts, but I can't think of that right now. We need to get to the other side of the river, to safety. How and why is it safe? I don't know and I don't care. As long as no one's hunting us like we're game, I'm good.

We still dodge bullets intermittently as Sentries spot us dashing through the trees. As I run, I realise, more are being fired in my direction than at Nate, a whole other level of discrimination this is. I feel like every Sentry wants to turn me into a human sieve, but not Nate. I feel hurt by this, but then again, that's a tiny issue.

Relentless yells of Sentries still in pursuit pierces the air. I hear them flanking us like they did before. To my right. To our left. They seem to be faster than us, but then again, that is what they're built for — to hunt, protect, survive. Me? I'm new to being a prey and I'm doing the best I can. I should have paid attention in Politics & Warfare classes. The class I had no choice in taking because Dad insisted it would be handy when I work for the Hive. I wanted to do drama or sculpture instead, but I can barely disagree with him right now.

I glance at Nate, knowing his mind is an endless reservoir. Once he learns something, it's unlikely he'll ever forget. His brain imprints all data and saves it. Asshole! I bet even now, he is imprinting the path we took in case he ever has to escape Camp Sweep again. Camp Sweep. The name sounds ominous now and I can't help but mutter the name, not paying attention to my surroundings.

My foot catches on a root and I hurtle forward, ready to facepalm the ground.

"Watch it!" Nate scoops me up before I hit the ground, my saviour for the second time tonight. I'm aware of his arms around my waist as he pulls me back to my feet within a second. The motion is so fast I almost get whiplash.

Feeling a blush spread across my cheeks, I push him away as several gunshots ring around us again. They are close. We eye each other, knowing very well it was my yelp that alerted them to our location.

"Camp Sweep!" I say again, but Nate is not paying attention to my gibberish.

"Come on, we're close!" He looks through the trees as though he could see the river already. "I can hear the water."

So can I. The definite sound of a rushing river ahead of us. "I know why they call it Camp Sweep!" I grit my teeth as I break out into another run, chasing Nate's round little bottom. To distract myself, I ask, "Why did Gems say we'll be safe after the river?" I look behind us and suddenly feel vertigo set in as my sight zooms eerily to register ten higher heat signatures of Enhanced CodeTech Sentries. I turn to Nate. "Are you seeing this?"