Note: I had my sister complaining that my story wasn't fast paced enough, so I tried to do more action and finish some smaller plots that I had started earlier, here.
Hopefully it is fast enough for her, but I doubt it.
[align=center]Chapter Six: Part Two[/align]
A few hours later it looked like they were almost organized. Not very well perhaps, but still it was better than nothing. Cindy sighed. There was no way she could care for all these people. They had counted 54. How would they get them all out of here? Then she remembered someone who hadn’t joined the groups – Niemand.
Sure, Niemand had hit her, but could she leave him here? Cindy decided against leaving him. “Mycia, get these people out of here. I’m going back for someone.�
“No Cindy. You can’t go alone. We need you here.� Mycia replied.
“Mycia, remember you said that I was your boss?� Cindy waited for Mycia to nod and then continued, “Well now I’m giving you an order. Get these people out of here. Now.�
“But Cindy…�
“I said now, didn’t I? I made a mistake – now, as in, hours ago. Get moving!� Before Mycia could reply, Cindy darted off down the hall thinking, ‘I sure hope he can follow orders.’
Now which cell? Aha! There it was. Just to make sure, Cindy whispered, “Niemand, can you hear me?�
Cindy was delighted when she heard Niemand’s voice say, “Go away.�
“You don’t want me to go away Niemand. I got the keys…� Cindy giggled as she shook the key chain.
“You came to get me out of here?�
“Yes, but only if you want me to…�
“Yes I want to get out of here. What is the catch though? I didn’t treat you very nicely.�
“No, you didn’t.� Cindy kept talking while she searched for the correct key to unlock the lock. “But I couldn’t leave you here either way.�
As the lock gave way and the door swing open another voice said, “You should have left him here. Put your hands up.�
Cindy sighed and slowly turned around. It was another guard with a zap gun pointed at her. “Listen mister, I need to take the next flight out of here. I can’t do that while you are thinking about zapping me.�
“You aren’t going anywhere. Other than to be a sport… yes, that would be a perfect place for both of you. Didn’t I say put your hands up?�
“Yes, you did. No, it ain’t happening.� Cindy glared at him, daring him to shoot her.
“Fine I’ll shoot your buddy instead – and not with a zap gun.�
“Hey, but I got my hands up.� Niemand put in.
“It is her choice.� The guard nodded at Cindy who didn’t do anything. “Fine, you have until I count to three. 1, 2…� His voice trailed off as she raised her hands. “Much better.�
After waiting for a few minutes for the guard’s reinforcements to come, they finally showed up. Having her hands tied behind her back wasn’t what Cindy had in mind, but neither was risking the life of Niemand. They were blindfolded and walked down several halls and up several flights of stairs.
When Cindy was about ready to collapse from the pace and the distance, they stopped. The blindfold was taken off of her, the ropes were cut that held her hands in place, and she was pushed through a doorway. She quickly looked for Niemand. He was calling something about not making her do this.
What was it that he didn’t want them to do? Looking for an answer, Cindy took in her surroundings. A circle of high walls with many seats above them surrounded a large arena. The seats were packed with people who were deathly silent. A door at the other side of the arena opened and a large animal came rushing out.
Cindy stood perfectly still as the beast took in its surroundings. She saw it see her and gather itself for an attack. So this was the sport? Get killed by a wild animal… how nice a thought. She banished it out of her mind. Concentrating on only the animal she closed her eyes.
Cindy heard the pounding of her heart, the extremely loud silence of the crowd, and the animal charging. Focusing on the sound of its paws hitting the sand in a steady rhythm, she quickly side stepped to avoid its charge just in time. Opening her eyes, she saw it hit the door she had been pushed through and bounce right back out into the arena.
The crowd started cheering, but Cindy focused on the animal. What would be its next move? Almost immediately after the animal decided its move, she knew what it was going to be. It was getting tiring though, waiting for the animal to decide to attack her time after time. She decided to end this.
Everything grew quiet as Cindy advanced towards the beast. It would rush at her, she would dodge, and as it planned what to try next, and she would advance towards it again. Singing a lullaby she remembered from a long time ago, she focused on trying to calm the animal. Time after time she had to start all over again, but she kept at it.
The huge beast finally dropped its head at her approach. When she got within feet of it, it laid down. Still singing, Cindy reached out and touched the animal. As she did, it quivered in fear. “It’ll be ok baby, nothing’s going to hurt you if I have anything to say about it.�
The gate opened a second time and another animal shot out. Cindy stopped singing for a split second and the first animal was back on its feet moving away from her. Both the animals charged at her before she was ready. Jumping out of the way, she hit the wall. “Not good.� She mumbled as she struggled to get back up and focus properly on them.
After several attempts at focusing on her attackers and leaping out of their way, Cindy was breathing hard. This obviously wasn’t going well for her. The crowd cheered louder and louder sending the animals into a frenzy of excitement and causing her to lose all of her concentration. The animal’s charges kept getting closer to where she was.
In a split second, Cindy’s whole life flashed before her eyes. She remembered everything that had happened to her. She remembered being in this predicament before. As the animals charged one last time, she sank to the ground. If it was time for her to die, it was time. The crowd was yelling that she was a coward, but she didn’t care as she closed her eyes.
Cindy listened to the beats on the ground as the animals got closer and closer to her. The heartbeats in her chest started to match. She felt a little bit of strength come back. The animals were almost upon her as she started humming another song.
Cindy heard them change direction right before they got to her. Focusing on matching the rhythm of her song, the beats of her attackers, and her own heartbeat she just lay there. The shouting got dimmer and dimmer until she had her perfect concentration back. The animals were pacing in a large circle around her as she stood up.
Cindy stopped humming and just stood there quietly. The animals stopped walking and watched her. She breathed a deep breath and relaxed her body. To her joy, the animals did the same. Two words popped into her brain and without thinking about it, she said them. “Occidere hostes.�
The result was nothing that Cindy could have imagined. The animals looked at her, at each other, and then at the crowd above them. Before she had a chance to determine what she had said, the animals rushed at the walls. Climbing the walls weren’t so hard for the first animal that looked like a giant cat, but the second animal which was more like a buffalo couldn’t manage it.
As the crowd saw what was happening, they quickly vacated their seats. A gun was fired. The first animal fell to the ground. Another shot was fired and the second animal was down. Cindy could still hear their hearts pounding, so it must have just been a zap like shot. The door she was pushed through opened and she was motioned back inside.
“I liked it out there.� Cindy said as her hands were tied behind her again. “Can’t you think of any better ways to kill people? Or are you not that smart?�
“There are other ways. Ways that there can be no possible way of your escape.� Her guard said.
“Do you want to bet? If you can’t kill me next time you try, Niemand goes free, ok?�
“Nope, you both will die.�
“Oh… I am sorry to hear that.� Cindy said as she saw Mycia peering out from behind the next corner. When they were almost to Mycia’s position, Cindy tripped herself and fell. Quite a few dinging sounds rang out and the guard escort helped themselves to a few hours of rest.
Cindy got up with the help of Mycia who asked a few questions very quickly as he untied her and Niemand. “What do you think that you were doing? Were you trying to get yourself killed? And who is your friend?�
“My friend’s name is Niemand. I was not trying to get myself killed and as for what I was doing, I was rescuing someone.�
“Cindy. You really need to think things through. You could’ve gotten killed out there!�
“Could have is the key phrase. I didn’t, but if we don’t get moving, they will have another chance at it.�
“You are lucky I agree with you about getting out of here. I have a lecture ready for you that is way overdue it seems.�
Cindy giggled. “A lecture won’t amount to much compared with that.�
“Before we go anywhere, I’d like to say thank you to Cindy for risking it all to comeback for me.� Niemand said.
“Don’t thank me yet Niemand. We aren’t out of this place yet.� Cindy replied.
“This way is the hanger bay where they keep the ships, Cindy. Come on.� Mycia lead them, quickly, in the direction of the hanger bay.
Cindy knew there was a whole new life for her to piece back together from what she remembered, but she was ready to try her best. A smile spread across her face as they kept up the fast pace to the hanger bay. Whether or not she was ready, it was time for Cindy to officially come back into the universe.
Of course she did. Of course it was.
