Gifted Youngster
Old Fiat
Currently Listening: "Pocketful of Sunshine" by Natasha Bedingfield from her album, Pocketful of Sunshine.
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Chapter 10: Running
Jack stared at Scott, horrified.
"What?"
"I'm going," said Scott simply. "Next test day, I'm running."
"You're insane, Scott! They'll catch you before you reach the door. And besides, how will you find your way out?"
"I don't know," said Scott, shaking his head. "And I honestly don't care. I can't stay here."
"You've been here two years, Scott," said Jack, grabbing his shoulders. "Why do you have to leave now? You've been fine for this long—"
"No," Scott interrupted, working his way out of the other boy's tight grip. "I've not been fine. I've been harassed, poked, prodded and studied for two years. I've not been fine. If I was anywhere else, I would've been cured and, if not cured, at least loved. I wouldn't have been treated as some sort of combined sex toy and specimen—"
"So I'm not part of those two years?" asked Jack, letting his arms fall to his sides.
Guilt suddenly stabbed Scott. That's not what he'd meant.
"Jack, I didn't mean—"
"Scott, don't you think I'm going crazy up here too? I've been up here for six years. I've not been outside; I've not treated as a human being for six years. Up until when you came up here, I hadn't had a spoken conversation that wasn't on the stairs down to the test room!" He took a deep breath, trying to calm down. "If you really have to leave, then go, but don't act as though I was never there, please."
Scott pulled him into a hug.
"I'd never be able to forget you, Jack…" he said, biting his lip. "Never…"
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A week later, they were all trudging down the steps. Jack and Victor were chatting as usual while Scott ran over the escape route that had been drilled into him by Jack. Victor glanced at him and his eyes widened.
Leaning closer to Jack, he whispered as softly as he could and still be heard by his friend, "He's running away?"
Jack glanced from Scott to Victor and nodded. Victor grinned.
"You going?"
"No," said Jack with a shake of his head.
"Are you kidding?" asked Victor, incredulous.
"What are you two talking about?" asked a girl with long black hair and dark brown skin.
"You're that girl that was trying to run away from the doctors, right?" asked Jack. She nodded.
"Name's Christi," she said, annoyed. "Now, what are you talking about?"
"Running away," whispered Victor. "My friend here doesn't want to join his friend over there in the blindfold in his escape attempt."
"You going?" she asked Victor, one eyebrow raised.
"I dunno. I'd rather have my own with Jack, but you can go."
She thought for a moment, and then nodded.
"Will you guys back us up?" she asked softly.
They both nodded, ready for the moment.
As they reached the ground floor, Jack leaned over to whisper in Scott's ear.
"Are you
ready?"
Scott nodded, shaking slightly.
"Okay, Christi, the girl that was trying to run away before, is going with you too. She'll help you out."
"Jack?"
"Yeah?"
"I… I'll miss you… a lot."
Jack bit his lip.
"I'll miss you too."
They turned down the hallway. Jack looked over at Christi and nodded.
"Go Scott," he whispered in the other's ear.
The two teens took off down the hallway. The doctors leading them down froze for a second in shock before tearing after them. It seemed as though the hallway had extended and their feet were taking too long to help them reach the door.
Suddenly, one of the walls burst into flame.
The other kids were helping them, trying to slow down the doctors and other guards.
Jack and Victor ran after their friends.
The guards started to close in front of the large group.
"Take off your blindfold, Scott!" shouted Jack, jumping on to one of the doctors and knocking them to the ground.
Christi looked over at Scott. His face was twisted, conflicted and confused. She grinned. The kid had a set of morals and a damn scary power—good match.
"Do it, kid!" she said. Scott bit his lip and brought his hands up to the back of his head, feverishly working at the knot.
Taking a deep breath, he tore it off and opened his eyes.
A blast of red energy burst between the guards on either side and punched straight through the wall. The force of it blasted through the wall, but he didn't shut his eyes again until they were outside.
They kept running. The blindfold, though still in Scott's hand, hadn't been put back on yet so he felt the fresh air on his face for the first time in years. They tore together across Omaha, whooping and dancing. Christi could see Dr. Milbury arguing with the guards and other doctors, who were reluctant to pursue them by car, since it would cause too much attention with the police.
Eventually, they both had to stop. They ran down a small alley and leaned against the walls, panting heavily but still laughing.
"We did it," said Scott, putting his head back and laughing loudly.
Christi grinned and shut her eyes for a few moments.
"Here let me redo that blindfold."
To her surprise, Scott looked a little reluctant to have her do this.
"Look, kid," I'm not gonna hurt you or anything. I'm trying to stop you from hurting other people."
He nodded slowly. "Fine." Her long, bony fingers twisted the knot back into place in seconds. He felt in gingerly, as though he wasn't sure it was there again.
"Where are you going now?" she asked, looking down the alley. "We've both gotta get out of Omaha."
He thought for a second.
"California," he said finally.
"Okay, first we'll both take a train to Kansas, just to get out of the city; you've got money, right?"
"Heaps. I've not got to spend any since I got here and I hid it in a box they brought up to my room."
"Good, com'mon."
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Whoo! Scott is out of the orphanage—or is he? Just kidding. I know it's ludicrous that Milbury's doctors didn't try to pursue them, but it would cause a lot of attention!
Anyway, review please!
-OFsI