Just one more(Molly) Life can end in a matter of minutes, some people find that out very difficultly. Like I did. Life isn't some 'live to die' thing, it's more complex then that. First you got the overseers and the people that will bet. Yeah, you heard right, the people who bet. I was a better, long ago. Look at me now, writing my life out, something I'd thought I'd never do. I thought that betting on men, women and children to see who'd die first was enjoyable. But when you're the one fighting and trying to survive, well it isn't at all what it seems. You've got -- wait. I can't tell you the entire thing in a single paragraph can I?

Guess not. All will come clear to you now...

It's a cold windy night. The last 'Game' is loading slowly. All betters' have given up the last of their cash to bet. They all sit eagerly on the edges of their chairs, I slouch in my chair gazing up at the large screen. "Now welcoming Lulu and Malcom." The commentator calls. A scrawny little girl about four or five is about to go head to head with a massively muscled man. She wasn't gonna stand a chance against the man, unless. No, but what I do know is I have lost the last of my pocket money on my poor gambling game. I should pay more attention when I pick my bets. I better just leave, I know that I'm gonna get the same results as last time I'm going to be murdered when I arrive home, at God knows what time, with my parents tapping and tutting as I'll have to explain everything to her again. I stand and wander towards the exit. The sign projects the words: "come back again!" I hate the sign, cause I most definitely will be back as soon as I have more money. Scanning my card it flashes, damn it. Mother called the police, probably cause she's had enough of me. I dash back in, finding the fire exit I finally leave.

The streets are emptier than yesterday. I mean, I'm the ONLY person on the pavement. Usually Alan is on his corner asking for spare change, he told me one time that he had hit negative thirty credits. When you reach a certain negative you vanish. But I don't really know what number, that is why I've got a bet limit. I should only bet 75 percent of my pocket money and any credits I get. Then I don't arrive into the 'danger zone'. Back to the street, it's good it's empty because I won't get spotted. Unless someone is around the corner? I hug the wall and stop at the corner. Peering round I see more empty space. Okay, the coast is clear. Crouching down, I make a low sprint across the road. I'm heading aimlessly to nowhere specifically. I can't go home, and I can't stay near the police or the overseers' towers. I need to go somewhere quiet and undiscovered. Maybe somewhere that children, trouble law-runners go. I hope he's there.

I get to the building. It's four stories, each with different 'décor'. That's what Becca said. The building was used for viewing cameras in the inner rings. But the connection got worse, they have no idea how it happened. It's a funny story, but it is a long one. Let's just say an old buddy of mine hacked into the mainframe and sabotaged the connection. They reconnected the mainframe once it was cleared. Nobody comes here, police and officials I mean. Any law breakers or those who didn't vanish because of the high negatives on their credit cards. That's a definite for Nate and Mike, their cards are definitely at like negative eighty. They never leave their 'stronghold', they're to valuable to lose, sometimes I think they thought wrong. Nate and Mike are never by themselves, so one can only image what they got up to. But all this was six years ago, I was nine maybe ten at the time. It was the only place I actually fitted in, I was excepted into their 'gang' for being myself. Not an innocent little angel like mother always wanted. I was and still am a rebellious seventeen year old girl who wants to 'disrupt the system'. Last I heard from the outsiders' gang, they were being raided. It was horrific, there had be a traitor on the inside, 'promised' to not be taken by the overseers. That's where they found out that you can't trust an authority. The authority here, always go back on their word and destroy any trace of any promise. But some find out the hard way. I do hope at least he's still here.

The walls are still crumbly, spotted with bullet holes and arrows. In the outer rings they couldn't get or make any sort of firearm so they had to go back to some ancient times where the warriors used bow and arrows, spears and swords. When the base was in it's glory days, I trained with a sword and a bow and arrow. They all had agreed I was one of the best. I follow the wall to the stairs, the same treatment had happen on the stairs. Small pools of blood have crusted over and dried leaving marks up the stairs. The sleeping quarters were on the top floor, so its only logical that I look there. Any sign of life would lead me to him eventually. The stairs are still the same, in effort to climb them of course, climbing the steep steps to the top of this four story building is tiring. Well, tiring if you leg it to the top. I just never learn from when I was younger. Half of the sleeping quarters has scorch marks all over. The other half looks untouched, like how it usually was. I slowly step towards the place where he slept. He was one of the first to create the gang. But he never wanted to become the leader of any of it. He refused the role, he wanted to stay with the 'commoners'. He was good at that. I reach the hammock, swinging softly in the breeze. The window is smashed, from the inside. The wall closest the door to the bathroom has marks and dents imbedded in the cement. Must have been some strong force that could have dented it. Beside the bathroom is another door, it is open a small bit. I tap the door. No answer so I push forceful to open the heavy door. The control room holds many scorch marks and bullet holes. I have a feeling that I shouldn't be in here. Looking over to the window I jump as I spot a figure slouched into a clearly uncomfortable chair sleeping. They're in the shadows, only their silhouette visible. I cannot tell who it is. There's a bow hanging loosely from their left hand, which is closest to me. It's redwood, it should belong to the best bowman (or woman) in the gang. Only 3 arrows are beside the bow lying neatly on the destroyed floor. I edge closer carefully, the person stays very still. I can see them better that I'm literally next them. It's a boy about my age a cap covers his face. I can see his uneven hair, poorly cut. He's wearing ripped jeans, but they're clearly supposed to be jeans without any rips in them. An army jacket covers the boy's torso. I feel like I'm being watched, I turn around and see that the door is closed. I left that open didn't I? Turning back around the boy is gone. I knew I had a bad feeling about this room. But I'm on a mission from - well no one. The bow and arrows are gone as well. I hear the faint sound of an arrow be pulled back. I spin again, there he is. Face now obvious as day. The 'perfect' face, deep blue eyes that have definitely seen death. The face that any girl would fall for with his 'perfect' peachy-pale coloured skin. But me of course. I pull a smile as the boy lowers the bow slowly. His goofy face fully visible now. It's Noah, he lead me to the gang, he was and is like my brother, my blood brother. I throw myself forward at him as he put the bow and arrows on the control panel. We embrace a friendly long hug. I feel my eyes tear up, I pull away from him and wipe my eyes.
"How the bloody hell have you been?" Noah says with his courageous voice. Picking the bow and arrows back up.
"Me? Well, I've been better." I reply simply, still smiling and tearing up.
"You've been better? What's that supposed to mean?" He asks bravely, looking deep into my eyes. Tempting me just to hug him again.
"Betting, I've got the habit of-"
"-That's where they go." Noah interrupts soullessly. "That's what happens to law breakers and negative credit people. Forced to play that wretched game!" His eyes pounding the floor. He clearly knows what happened to Nate, Mike and everybody else.
"What?" I ask pain in my eyes from the dreadful information. "What about the boys? Nate and Mike? Do you know if they're fine?" The words hurt, my heart throbs in my chest. Noah's expression lightens up a bit, his smile settles my fear. He reaches out his hand. Grasping it so tightly that I know it isn't some dream. Noah leads me to the window, pushing a loose panel beside it to the side, we squeeze through. Noah replaces the panel so perfectly it looks like it was never touched. From one of the pockets of his jacket he acquires a hand-hold harness thing. Attaching it to a line, he reaches out his hand again. I hesitate, my hands shaking a bit.
"Don't you trust me?" He says encouraging me with his eyes.
"Would I, Enyo not trust a strong man?" I declare bravely, staring into his eyes.
"Still got that nickname MJ?" Noah laughs, he's the one who came up with the 'nicknames' of our gang. "Then I Einar lone warrior, will keep you safe, Goddess of war." We laugh together. Noah pulls me close to him and holds me tightly. "Hold on Goddess." Then he stepped off the side of the building.

We soared down as fast as a bold eagle diving to its prey. Noah's assuring strong arm around my waist. The zip-line descents closer and closer to the ground. We aren't slowing down, my heart begins racing and I start to panic. I grasp onto Noah harder. He realises my fear, his lips meet my forehead as if to say don't worry. Noah then whistles loudly, a response comes in a sharp whistle back. The ground opens up like one big trap door. As we soar over the hole, which is vertically going down. Noah lets go and we fall into the dark abyss beneath us. Falling to our death quickly. I press closer into him. My head buried against his chest. Is this the end? Life was always to quick for me.

We collide with the floor. But it isn't hard, it's soft and safe. Noah screams in laughter as we bounce, once, twice, a third time. We stop bouncing, the pit we had fallen into bursts into light. There is no area in darkness. A door straight forward opens and two people peek around the side. They're definitely the same age as Noah and I. They look familiar, I spin my head straight at the boys in the doorway. Noah stands and front flips towards them, I walk trying to find balance as Noah childishly flips away. Noah and the two boys shake, it also looks familiar.
"Commando Shake?" I ask as my feet finally meet solid ground. The boys lift their eyebrows suspiciously at me. I reach out towards the shorter boy, blonde hair escaping the sides of a beanie. His brown eyes looking like a black hole. He's wearing jeans and a plain long sleeve top rolled up to his elbows. We fist bump and place thumb to thumb, little finger to little finger. Together we recite the Oath of The Warriors;
"In power we trust, but only of our blood. If portrayed may it be my burden and sin. Amongst my brethren I stay. Strong and faithful, together as one."
"Can you not trust a girl Nate? You always were so protective over Mike." I state remembering 'the good old days'. I nod towards the other boy, Mike, who stood in jeans and in a vest drowned in sweat. His mocha skin standing out as plain as day amongst the pale white walls.
"Enyo, I never trust girls. You're different, you're a goddess of war." Nate declares trying to stir the conversation from his protectively. I salute our 'Commando Salute', left hand over heart and right hand above the right eye. It's a little similar to the military's salute.
"So, why don't you come in?" Mike offers with his kind tone, eyes secured on mine. Noah pushes Nate and they chase each other through the doors. Mike and I laugh and follow suit.


TO BE CONTINUED

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