On the Verge of Death
Today seems like an average summer day in Ninjago city. The bustling civilians make this place lively and bring a bit of adventure. Occasionally, the other ninja and I get an emergency and have to drop training Lloyd to take care of some issues. We haven't had anything to take care of an entire week. It's my turn to go grocery shopping and I figure I couldn't get a better chore than this. I'd rather purchase necessities than clean out the apartment, that's for sure. I amble through a crowd of onlookers and halt. I look up and see two shapes on the top of an enormously tall building. It is too high to determine anything, however, I believe there is a man and a woman on the edge of the roof. People are on their phones, videotaping this, I suspect. "Has anyone called the police?" I shout over the screaming and gossip.
No one hears me and I push past the crowd. When I reach the front of the building, several security guards come to stop me but let me in when they recognize me. I race into the building, pulling on my red ninja hood. Inside, the place is clear of any people, making it easy for me to spot the elevators. I press every button, all in a row, until the first one opens. I hurry in it and press the button for the top floor, number fifty-two. I swallow as the doors close and the elevator ascends. Every ticking second wastes the precious little time there is to rescue the people. The thought of not saving them on time makes my stomach drop. I rub my gloved hands together nervously, watching the numbers on the elevator. I am passing floor fifty now.
"You're almost there, Kai," I say aloud, "Be patient. You don't even know what kind of situation this is." The doors slowly open, showing a concrete rooftop with a man and woman, with their backs to me. Do I draw my sword? No, if they are mentally unstable, doing it will only aggravate their condition and result in death. If this is a hostage situation, doingit will also result in death. Too bad Garmadon has my Sword of Fire as a portion of his Mega Weapon.
I stealthily approach the two as the man starts talking, "If I can't marry you, then no one can! Come back with me Leah. I am better than that useless husband of yours."
"No! I will never marry you!" she screams.
This is a hostage situation! I keep moving cautiously towards them, step by step. My foot suddenly touches something, producing a bit of noise. It's a crumpled up soda can. Why did it have to be up here of all places? The man whirls round, with a gun in hand, pressed against the woman's head. "Don't come any closer, ninja!" the man warns me, stepping a little closer to the edge of the roof. Leah is crying, wild fear in her eyes. I halt. What do I do?
"Calm down, sir," I say, uncertain of how this will turn out, "You don't have to do this." I inch closer and closer, attempting to barely make it noticeable.
"Don't come over here or I will throw her off!" he shouts, making the woman scream.
He moves closer to the edge again. "Listen to me, sir. There are many other women in the world. This one's married. You could find another girl to love."
Without replying he removes the gun from her temple. Is it really this easy? The man shoves her off the building. That's it! I draw my sword and charge the man, who fires as I swerve to the side. He misses by a hair. I run in a zig zag pattern, while ear piercing bullets whine through the air. I have some ground to cover, and it could already be too late. I shake the though off and concentrate on the gun. He is shooting wildly. It has to run out of bullets soon. It's a Glock .17! I am almost there; just a few more feet and I'll be on him. He fires again. The bullet rips in the floor, next to my foot. I start to move to the left, then dash suddenly to the man's right. I raise my sword and slash the man's right side. He drops to the ground and I let go of my sword. I get on my hands and knees and peer over the edge. Leah is holding onto the rooftop with both hands, screaming at the top of her lungs. As I reach for her, one of her hands slip. I grab her left arm with both hands and pull up.
Wow! I never thought she'd be so heavy. My arms feel like they will rip apart as I haul her up. She's up! We both roll away from the edge and lie on the roof, out of breath. I stand up in a moment or two and stretch out my hand to her. She goes to take it, when I feel a ripping pain in my left shoulder. I drop on both knees in agony, blood pouring from the wound. The man approaches us, gun in hand, and brings the weapon a few inches from my head. I can see his finger move to the trigger. A silver object whacks him in the head and the man falls to the ground, unconscious. It's Zane.
"Kai! Are you alright?" he asks and rushes up to me as the police arrive on the scene. "Let's take you to the hospital."
"I couldn't agree more," I say.