Then, I heard a voice squeal behind me. “Georgie, where’s mommy?”
“Frankie!” I shouted. “Why aren’t you with the other kids?” She never listened. “I told you not to leave!”
“I had to come find you and mommy. Where is she?”
My gaze shifted between Frankie and the tall, burly cannibal barreling down the hall, headed straight for me. “Go back!” I shrieked. “Frankie, go back!”
She wasn’t going to move. I knew her too well. But if I moved and ran after her, I would lead the cannibal straight to the women and children. I was torn, unsure of which decision might be the best, so I went with my gut.
Getting to my feet, I zoomed toward Frankie, clasped my fingers around her wrist and took off running for the old Baker quarters. She was restless, dragging her feet as sobs crept out of her harder and faster. “Where’s mommy?”
In a bind, I did the best I could and came up with something quickly. “I’m not sure. Don’t worry. We’ll find her later.”
The cannibal behind us pounded his feet against the concrete walkway. Every time they smacked down against the cement, they reminded me of the slow, soft beating of a drum.
Racing through the closet, up the corner, and around the ramps, I kept a tight grip on Frankie’s wrist. She couldn’t keep up with me and I was practically dragging her. “You’re hurting me!” she whined, her sobs catching in her throat. I ignored her complaints and kept going.
Frankie’s life was in my hands. With both of our parents dead, I was her sole guardian. And if all we had left was each other, I wasn’t about to let either one of us be slaughtered.
At the end of the metal ladder, I helped Frankie up first. The hatch was still open and I kept my hand on Frankie’s back as she climbed. “Are you coming?” she whimpered.
“I’m right behind you,” I guaranteed.
May hung her arms down through the opening, gripped both of Frankie’s arms by the wrists and hoisted her up. Once Frankie was safely in the room, and out of the way, May extended her arms a second time. “All right, Georgie, your turn.” I ascended up the ladder as the sound of footsteps closed in on me. May glanced past me and her eyes shot open wide. “Whatever you do, Georgie, don’t look down,” May warned me.
The cannibal had finally caught up to me. And right before I reached the top of the ladder, I could feel his weight as he followed me. May was starting to panic. Her hands were shaking and her eyes were darting around the room. Stupid. I was so stupid for leading him here. But the only thing I could think of at the time was Frankie and how I had to save her.
Maybe it would have been smart for both of us to perish, we could join our parents and live happy in the afterlife, if there even was one. But I couldn’t give up. I couldn’t just let her and myself die. In this case, dying was giving up. And giving up was a cowardly thing to do.
As I climbed faster, so did the cannibal. May had one wrist and I swung my other hand around. She reached for it, fingers inching closer but the cannibal grabbed my ankle and started yanking on it. “Noooo!” I cried, trying to hang on. May tried to get a firm grasp, but my palms were sweaty and her fingers were trembling.
“Hang on!” she cried.
Every time I tried to pull myself up, my hands slipped further from hers. I kicked my legs, feeling my foot connect with the cannibal’s jaw. The loud echo of a body slamming into the dirt filled the room. But it was too late. I’d lost my footing and May had lost her grip.
My last two fingers slipped from her hands. “No!” May cried, desperation in her tone. Then I fell backwards, the full twelve feet, and my back smacked into the hard floor, as I landed right at the cannibals feet.
The wind was knocked out of my lungs and I gasped for air in huge gulps. “Uhhhh,” I moaned. Every bone in my ribcage throbbed and I struggled to sit up. My attention averted to the cannibal, who was stirring. I felt like a thief thrown into a pit of scorpions—more likely to be stung than escape.
On my feet, I rushed to the ladder. Frankie peered down from the opening her cheeks bright red, more tears flowing from her eyes. “Behind you!” she wailed. I spun around and the cannibal’s hand swiped at my shins and knocked my feet out from under me. Rolling onto my stomach, I pushed myself up with my arms as the cannibal inched closer.
Frankie started shrieking and May tried to pull her away from the opening. During that second I made a rash decision. “Close the hatch!” I shouted at May.
Frankie went berserk. “No, Georgie! No!”
My eyes centered on the machete that was released from the cannibals grasp when I kicked him in the jaw and he tumbled to the ground. If I could get to that, I could save myself and all of the women and children. But that wasn’t going to work if I could see Frankie.
I rolled on the floor, lunged for the machete, and felt the jagged edges cutting into my fingers as I swiped it from the floor.
When I stood, the cannibal’s attention wasn’t on me anymore. He was climbing up the ladder. I stared at May, ferocity in my eyes, and shouted, “Close the fucking hatch!” It wasn’t like me to speak disrespectfully to an adult like that but, seeing that cannibal, inching closer and closer to my sister, the sister I loved, cherished, and would kill to protect, the only family that I had left, twisted the fury in the pit of my stomach and sent it plummeting through every muscle in my body.
Clenching the knife, I let out my battle cry as May closed the hatch door—while Frankie tried to push her away. “Georgie, don’t leave me!”
But May shoved her aside. “Your sister knows what’s she’s doing.”
“Georgie, please don’t leave me!” That was the last thing I heard from Frankie because May had closed the hatch and a clicking sound rang out as she bolted it shut.
Releasing his grip on the ladder, the cannibal jumped to the ground, landing steadily on both feet. I spun toward him, wielding the machete horizontally, and swiped it across his stomach. He snarled at me, his white glazed over, glossy eyes fueled with anger. He huffed and ran his finger across his bloody abdomen, hopped to his feet, and lunged for me. I ducked and he stumbled forward as I stuck my leg out and tripped him. He went face first into the floor.