Kimberly's
Run
Chapter Eight
There is a Chill in the Air
By
Captainkodak1
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Ron
shook his head and raised his hands to wipe the sleep out of his
eyes. The mazecar was still traveling at cruising speed. He had no
idea where they were going or how long it would take to get there.
The controls had sparked just as they left MUFFI and the mazecar
snapped into a series of quick turns. The turns had thrown the two
of them back and forth across the cabin. Finally, the car settled
down on one track and they were able to get back in their seats.
Kim had taken Ron's face in her hands and started to leave kisses all over his neck leading to his lips. Reaching his lips, she started to slowly kiss him harder and harder, her arms coming down around his neck as she slipped into his lap. His arm came up to gently pull her to him. They relaxed and soon dozed off in each other's arms. Over time they had slid across the seat with Kim lying on top of Ron, a contented smile on her face.
A beep from the control panel caught Ron's attention. The mazecar was started to slow down as it approached their next stop. He shook Kim's arm.
"Kim? Kim? It looks like we're getting ready to stop."
Kim opened her eyes and looked around.
"Do you have any idea of where we are?"
Ron shook his head.
"Nope. Let's get our gear together so we can get off when the car stops. Is it me or is it getting a little colder?"
Kim rubbed her arm. Now that Ron had mentioned it, the temperature did seem to be dropping. Fast. She glanced around at their packs and supplies. There was not so much as a coat between them. There were a couple of emergency survival blankets but nothing they could really use.
The mazecar bumped a little as it slowed even more. Kim could see a light shining up ahead. Both of them stood and picked up their packs. The car pulled into the station. Through the mazecar windows they noticed the station walls were covered with frost. As they stepped from the car, it immediately whooshed off into the tube..
Kim checked her DS gun in her pack. They didn't know who they would meet but anyone who saw her carrying a DS gun might not welcome them with open arms. They stood around for a few minutes waiting to see if anyone would come to meet them. After awhile, Ron just shrugged his shoulders and picked up his pack. Kim put on hers and they headed up the stairs. The air kept getting colder and colder as they climbed the stairs. Reaching the top stair, they stepped out from the opening into snow. More snow was falling in sheets. They stared about in shock. Behind them, a steel door slammed shut, cutting them off from reentering the staircase.
Ron started to pull the emergency blankets from their packs and handed one to Kim. They wrapped the foil-like devices around themselves.
Ron turned to Kim.
"Do you think that your gun could blast through the door before we freeze to death?"
Kim closely examined the door, shook her head and then pointed out into the falling snow.
"I don't think so. Anyway, I don't think that's our biggest problem."
Ron stared back at Kim,
"What do you mean? If we don't get undercover or get some heat, we're going to be…"
Ron's voice tapered off as his eyes followed where Kim was pointing.
A semicircle of dark figures appeared from out of the falling snow. Dressed in heavy furs and boots, some carried long knives while a couple of other carried spears. The main figure in the center of the semicircle came forward. The figure's hands came up and pulled the hood off. A rugged, wrinkled face stared at them. The right side of the man's face was covered in scar tissue. His eyes surveyed Kim and Ron. Slowly, a grin spread across his face.
"You can call me 'Warden'. Welcome to Hell."
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Will went over the extra equipment that he had taken from MUFFI. Not many people used this type of equipment while at MUFFI, but it was held in supply when someone in the unit had to travel to an area where it might be needed. The heavy parka and pants, insulated boots and gloves were going to be needed at one of the destinations where he was heading. The first destination was in New Greenland. Not much was there, mainly some weather stations, and robofarms. If Kim and Ron were there, they would most likely find help. If you continued to make trouble in this society, you were sent to cool your heels and serve the society that you were against. New Greenland was not that cold but it could get cold, plus running there could cut a runner off as there were only a few mazecar stations. There were also those ready to sell out anyone to get out of there.
Will picked up the chart the technician had given him as he left. His eyes crossed the second destination and he frowned. If those two ended up there he would really need the cold weather gear. This station might was well be a dead end, "dead" being the operative word. No one choose to go to station AlphaCharlie235. You were sent to that station. This station was above the Arctic Circle. The worst of the worst were sent there. Once you received a death sentence, you were given the choice of death or a one way trip to AlphaCharlie235. Just about everyone called it by another name. Will promised himself he would chase those two to hell and back if he had to. It looked like he just might get the chance. This chase was rapidly turning into a ride to Hell.
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Ron stepped back under the overhang. Kim let her hands hang free along her sides as she faced the figure. The emergency blanket blew off her shoulders and up under the overhang. Ron grabbed it and held onto it. Kim watched as the figure stalked the two of them. The cold was already making her shiver.
"Where are the keys?"
Warden slipped a shiv from his sleeve and kept his distance from Kim while keeping an eye on Ron. He laughed at her question.
"Keys? Don't need no keys here. When you come to Hell, they throw the keys away."
Kim blinked. This place had been part of a briefing she had received a few months ago; the escape-proof prison of the frozen north. They were in one of the worst spots on the planet.
Warden took a couple of steps back.
"You are here now, whatever the reason. Come learn the rules."
The snow began to clear and the sun shown down to light the area in a brilliant white. Kim and Ron tried to cover their eyes against the glare as they trudged behind the man. Snow crept into their shoes as their feet began to numb from the cold. The other figures filed in behind the two new arrivals. Warden passed by a hole that had been dug into the ice and snow. The entrance was soaked red. Warden shook his head and turned back to Kim and Ron as he pointed to the red-stained snow.
"Harry didn't always play by the rules. He kept trying to escape instead of trying to live. He stressed himself too much and started coughing up blood. He didn't last long."
Warden came to a stop in the middle of a level area of snow. Kim could see a number of holes dug into the surrounding snow. Warden pointed to the holes and the other figures standing about.
"Your neighbors. We's got three rules. One, a new arrival draws the rock; the rock says who you fight. Two: the antagonist can use any weapon he has to defend himself and his goods. Three: the new man fights barehanded. That's all the rules we got, except the winner gets first cut. Since there is two of you, you each fight."
Kim shook her head.
"What if I say he's with me?"
Warden shook his head.
"If you arrive together, you fights together."
Ron stepped up next to Kim and took her hand.
"And if we don't fight?"
Warden grinned.
"Then you dies together right here on the ice. You better hurry and make up your minds. You aren't going to last much longer out here dressed like that."
Ron looked around at the figures and swallowed.
"Let's get it over with."
He turned to KP.
"I love you. After this is over, try and find a way out."
Kim held on to Ron.
"Hang on as long as you can. I'll try and beat mine quick and help you."
She turned to Warden.
"I take it that there are no rules against us helping each other."
Warden shook his head.
"Four goes into the ring; two come out."
He pulled a leather bag out of his pocket and opened the drawstrings.
"Pull your rock."
Kim reached in the bag, pulled out a rock and handed it to Warden. He took a look at it and smiled.
"Andy."
A thin figure stepped up and pulled back its hood. A woman's face came into view. The hair was done in an older fad style.
"Freaky!"
Warden turned to Ron.
"Pull your rock!"
Ron stuck in his hand, pulled out a rock and handed it to Warden. He glanced at the rock.
"Shaun."
A smaller figure advanced pulling back his hood.
"A-w-w-w-w-w. The skinny dude has to fight me. You know, you remind me of someone in my school. I took my time letting him die slow."
Warden stepped back as the others formed a circle. Kim and Ron set themselves back-to-back. Warden looked at Andy and Shaun.
"Pick your weapons."
Andy reached into her boot and pulled out a thin stiletto. Shaun pulled a double-headed ice axe from his belt. The two of them approached Kim and Ron, their weapons drawn. Kim and Ron stayed back to back, facing their opponents. Andy drove forward, slashing at Kim while, at the same instance, Shaun swiped at Ron.
Kim waited and then grabbed Andy's wrist as she spun out of the way. She brought her elbow up, driving it into Andy's face. The satisfying crunch of a good hit came to her ears. Kim continued to spin as she gripped Andy's arm. Kim used her momentum to throw Andy over her shoulder and onto the ice. Andy screamed as she landed on the ice. She switched her knife back and forth from hand to hand. Her eyes narrowed as she stared at Kim.
"There are only a few people who can make moves like that. I think I got me a…"
Kim did a handspring forward and completed a legsweep. Andy's legs were cut out from under her and her words were lost to the wind as she crashed to the ice. She slashed out again with her knife and barely missed cutting Kim across her stomach. Andy slid to her feet and again advanced toward Kim.
"Good move, but not good enough. How about your friend there? How long do you think he's going to last. He doesn't look like he'll last long. After Shaun guts him, I'm sure he'll share with me. Just like I'll share with him after I leave your guts on the ice."
Kim kept her eyes on her assailant. She wanted to look over to see what was happening to Ron but that was exactly what Andy wanted. Kim hoped with all her soul that he was alright. She didn't think she could go on if Ron was killed.
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Ron backed up as his shorter opponent approached. His eyes were fixed on the ice ax Shaun carried. It had been modified. The pick had been ground down extra sharp. The other edge had been completely ground down to a gleaming edge. Either end would be decidedly uncomfortable if he got hit by it.
Shaun grinned wickedly as he moved forward, flipping the axe between his hands. He slashed at Ron once and then made a backhand slash. The thin spike tore through Ron's shirtfront, ripping it away. The surrounding crowd cheered.
Ron slipped back as he continued to retreat. He scooped up a handful of snow and waited. Shaun leapt forward again, slashing in an underhand motion. Ron tried to get out of the way but slipped and fell. As he fell, he fired the snowball with all his might at Shaun's face, hitting him right between the eyes. Shaun stumbled and glanced down. A chunk of ice that had been in the center of the snowball was coated with his blood. He glared up at Ron. Ron smiled back at him.
"O-o-o-o, did I put that chunk of ice in that snowball? My bad."
Shaun screamed and charged at Ron as he brought his axe high in the air. Ron backpedaled to get away but once again slipped on the ice and fell. Shaun dove on top of him, extending his axe to pin Ron to the ice.
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Kim heard the scream and chanced a glance toward Ron. She saw Shaun leap at Ron as he brought down the adze edge toward Ron's chest. That was all that Andy was waiting for. The moment Kim was distracted, she tackled Kim into the snow.
Kim felt Andy slam into her chest and then into the snow. Stunned from the blow, she found herself with her face being ground into the snow. Andy had her wrists up behind her back and pinned with her leg. Kim thought her back would break when Andy gripped her forehead with her hand and pulled Kim's head back.
"Well now. I think I'll let you see your boyfriend's guts spill out on the ice. But don't worry, 'cause I'm going to slit your throat while you watch."
Kim whimpered as she watched Shaun struggle with Ron on the ice then both of them stopped moving. Shaun struggled to stand over the motionless Ron. Andy giggled as she leaned forward.
"Looks like my loverboy just took care of yours. You ready to die? I'll make sure you go nice and slow."
Kim watched as Ron began to move. Andy gasped.
"W-h-a-a-a…?"
Shaun stumbled back another step and turned to face Andy and Kim. The spike end of his ice axe was embedded in his chest. He stood there for a moment, and then opened his mouth to speak. A dribble of blood oozed out and he collapsed face forward into the snow and lay still. Ron got up and brushed the snow out of his hair. Andy whimpered and Kim made her move. Flexing her arms, legs and back at the same time, she knocked Andy off her back. Kim snap-kicked to a standing position and faced her.
Andy's face was livid with rage. She flipped the knife in her hand and with a scream launched herself at Kim. Kim waited for her to come then stepped inside of the knife lunge. Deflecting the knife, she drove the heel of her palm into Andy's face. There was a crunch as the bones of Andy's nose were driven into her brain. She took a few steps forward then fell face first into the snow.
"Kim!"
Kim turned to face Ron and felt her ribs nearly being crushed by his hug. She returned the hug with the same force. The two of them stood there for a moment holding onto each other until they realized that Warden was standing there watching them.
"Four entered; two leave. You gets their stuff."
Two of the others came up and dropped two bundles of clothes at their feet. Kim and Ron realized that Andy and Shaun had been stripped and their clothes were at their feet. They bent over and started to put on the heavy clothing that they had just inherited. Ron left the bloodstained shirt with the hole in it. His shirt for the most part was okay. Kim pulled on Andy's boots and finally started to feel warm. She noticed Ron was watching what the others were doing and saw his face turn white.
"Ron? What's wrong? What….?"
Kim turned to see what Ron was watching and literally felt herself turn green. She turned her head away as Ron joined her. Both of them turned away. In a few minutes, two of the other people came and lay two parcels in front of them and walked away. Warden stood over them.
"You get the best cuts. But since there were two down, we split up the good cuts of meat."
Kim pulled back the fur package and forced down the bile that was rising in her throat. Before them in the fur packages lay what had to be the upper thigh of one of Andy's legs and the heart and liver of Shaun. Warden pointed over at a hole carved into the snow and ice.
"That there is the hole they shared. It's yours now."
Ron swallowed hard.
"Is there any food in there?"
Warden raised an eyebrow.
"Food? You have the best food right in front of you. Now, the sun is going down. You best get in your hole. No one can survive in the night. We will speak in the morning."
Kim paled as Ron picked up the package at their feet.
"Well, I thought I could cook anything but this is too much even for me.. Let's get undercover and see what we can do. There's some of those rations in our bags. That should cover us for awhile."
Kim nodded and led the way to the cave. Crawling inside, they found a somewhat roomy space dug into the ice and snow. Andy and Shaun had used whatever they could find to insulate the space and create a living space. There was a ledge along one wall were there was some more food, mostly frozen fish and some other meat. Along the back wall was another ledge piled deep in furs. There was a leather rope spanning the space with more furs hanging from it. Kim noticed that if you pulled the furs across on the leather rope that it roomed off the sleeping area like curtains. There were a couple of small fires burning in lamps made of shells or carved out rocks. It was not frigid in the room but it was cold
Ron dropped his package on the ledge with the other food and laid Shaun's ice axe and Andy's knife along side of it. Kim dropped their packs in the sleeping area and waited for Ron to enter before she pulled the fur drapes closed. The flickering of the lamps gave a strange jumpy light to the room. Ron pulled up his shirt to examine his stomach. There was a shallow cut from one side to the other. Kim found the first-aid kit, pulled out a tube of anesti-skin and applied the synthetic skin to the cut. The substance spread out, covering the cut and soothing the pain. Kim pulled another shirt for him out of his pack and helped him to change. They stripped out of the heavy furs and slipped under the furs on the sleeping ledge. Their bodies soon warmed the space under the furs and soon they feel into a deep sleep.
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Kim shaded her eyes as she and Ron emerged from their hidehole into the full sun of the day. Warden stepped over to them.
"I sees you're making yourselves at home. Maybe you'll survive for a little while, at least until the next convict shows up and one of you has to fight them."
Ron shook his shoulders to get the furs to fit better.
"Dude, we aren't planning on staying. We've got to find some food and be on our way."
Warden laughed.
"Be on your way? Just where do you think you're going? As for food, you gots food. If you don't like that, then I guess you can try and find Box."
Kim pulled her hood back a bit to talk to Warden.
"Who's Box?"
Warden shrugged.
"Don't know if you would say he's more an 'it' than a man. He got caught in some machinery at a robofactory. There was no else around. The mechdoctors tried to put him back together. Well, they didn't have much to work with, but they put what they could find back together and then made up the rest. He's more machine and computer than man. If you can find him, maybe he'll help you. I wouldn't count on it, though."
Kim faced Warden.
"We'll take our chances. Where do we find this Box?"
Warden pointed to a tall spire of ice in the distance.
"They say he stays around the spire of ice. Very few people have seen him and even fewer have lived to say they've seen him. If you leave the compound, you forfeit your place. If you come back you'll have to fight to get it back."
Kim turned to look at the spire in the distance.
"We can't stay here, so we won't be coming back. Come on, Ron. Let's get ready."
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Kim's feet like blocks of ice. The cold seemed to penetrate even the heavy fur clothes that she was wearing. The snowshoes they found in the hidehole enabled them to make better time but the spire was further than they thought. It was twilight now and they could still see the spire growing closer. They had picked up all that they thought they would need and carry from the hidehole. Ron had checked the frozen fish and selected the best cuts. At least they had some real food even if it was frozen and raw. Kim stretched out her hand to make sure Ron was behind her. They took turns breaking the trail through the snow. Kim felt Ron's mitten pat her on the shoulder. He still had her back.
Snow started to fall and the wind began to pick up. Soon they could not see where they were going. Ron tapped Kim on the back again and she turned to face him.
"How are we going to tell where we're going? We can't see anywhere in this snow."
Kim snuggled against him.
"I don't know. We can just try and keep going straight." Kim stopped speaking for a moment.
"Wait. I have an idea."
Kim pulled out her backpack and opened a side pocket. Reaching inside, she pulled out a tube that was about two feet long and three inches in diameter. Depressing a button caused the tube to extend to about eight feet in length.
"If we drag this behind us, it'll keep us going relatively straight."
Ron nodded and took the poll from her.
"I'll take the next front shift."
Before Kim could say anything, Ron stepped off in front of her. She stood there for a few moments until the rope that tied them together became taut and tugged her forward. She trudged on behind Ron into the snowy twilight.
Ron kept going. He had lost the feeling in his feet hours before. Now he hoped that they could get under cover at the spire before they froze to death. He held his head down, staring off to the south just in front of his feet. The pole behind him kept him on a straight trail. Something smacked him on the head. He stopped and looked up. In the low light of twilight he could see a smooth wall of sheer ice. Kim stepped up beside him. Icicles hung from the fur around her face, but the two bright green eyes stared back at him.
"We made it."
Ron started feeling to the right and found what appeared to be an opening. Together they slipped inside. Kim pulled a light wand from her pack and turned it on. The wand illuminated a narrow hallway of ice with a rock floor. They slowly walked forward following the narrow path. The light shone on a heavy metal hatch. Grabbing the handle, Ron pulled it open and Kim stepped inside. He followed her, pulling the hatch closed behind him.
It was cool inside but not as cold as outside the hatch. The room was illuminated by a strange light that shown through panels of ice. They stepped into the room and followed a side hall. Sculptured creatures of various types and sizes lined the wall and hung from the ceiling. A polar bear stood menacing a seal and arctic birds flew above their heads. They marveled at the ice sculptures; they looked so real. Along the halls were also sculptures of men and women, some together and some alone. Each figure looked as if it could talk.
Kim examined one closely.
"Ron, someone has a serious talent here. I wonder where he got the ideas for so many figures."
"Talent? A-h-h-h! Someone who appreciates art for the sake of art."
Kim and Ron jumped at the sound of the voice. Behind them stood something they could not imagine. It was a man and it was a machine. Half of his face was shining metal with a glowing eye. One arm was normal, but the other was metal. His chest was normal, but below the waist was all metal. The face pulled into a smile.
"Greetings, visitors. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Box."
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Greetings one and all. I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. I hope that you also enjoyed this continuation of Kim's Run. They seem to be jumping from one fire to another. Now they are facing the creature known as "Box". Will is still after them.
Please leave a review. I would appreciate it.
The Captain
