Hourglass

Lara and Kurtis hobbled toward the bit of light that seemed ages away...and the blind bug was finding its way toward them. The concrete structure around them was crumbling...if they didn't hurry, they'd be crushed to death. Lara tried desperately not to think about dying, but couldn't help herself. Kurtis' breathing was becoming weaker by the minute and Lara could see that his bandages were soaked with blood. 'He's going to die...' she thought.

"Come on you pansy-ass wanker!" she yelled at Kurtis. She had to keep him motivated, and this was the only way she knew how. Kurtis' face was extremely pale and his feet were dragging, but the sound of her voice seemed to put a little strength back in them.

"We're almost there!" she screamed, but she was drowned out by the shrieking of Boaz' child. Lara looked over her shoulder and saw that it was gaining on them. It kept bumping into the walls and was feeling its way around.

"Come on!" she said and Lara suddenly found power in herself that she thought didn't exist. She gripped Kurtis tighter and held more of his weight so he wouldn't have to exert so much energy. They were coming to the end – where the light was coming from. Lara saw that it was a metal grate and the light shone through it. 'Oh, Jesus Christ, this is not happening!' she thought as she wondered how they would get out. She left Kurtis by the wall – he was only hanging by a thread – and she went over to the grate. All that stood between death and freedom was a metal grille. Lara examined it and saw that it was rusted on the right side. She turned back to see where the bug was – and sure enough, it was right on their tail. She had to act now! Lara positioned herself a few feet back and with every ounce of force she could collect, she thrust her leg at the metal. It wasn't giving way. She glanced at Kurtis, who was sinking to the ground and then she looked back at the monster, which was oozing everywhere. She kicked at the grating again, this time with some result. The rusted parts were bending – but it wasn't enough. Lara was so exhausted that she could hardly stand, and at that moment she envied Kurtis' situation. She was losing hope and the foundation was falling to pieces around them. They were going to die one way or another – either by the mutation, or being flattened by the tons of concrete. Lara wanted to give up; she wanted so badly to just let them take her down. What was she fighting for anyway? So she could save some American who would die before they reached the hospital? So she could go back and be arrested for the murder of Von Croy? Who would believe her if she told them about the nephilim and Eckhardt and Karel? Her labor was in vain – and she was letting her state of mind consume her. She kicked at the grate, but with less and less force.

"L...Lara..." Kurtis said, directing her attention toward him. "Don't give up," he said as he looked at her. She felt herself coming back to reality. Lara saw him draw his weapon and before she could even ask why, she heard him fire at the beast. She soon realized that this was not her darkest hour...it was his. He was the one dying and he was the one that was fighting now– and so, she would too. Lara narrowed her brows and let out a warrior-like scream as she kicked the metal with every bit of vigor – and then some.

"I will NOT..." she began as she kicked again, "...BE DEFEATED..." she continued as the grating was almost completely busted in, "...BY ANYTHING!" And with that, the grating was pushed in, allowing them the chance to escape. Kurtis was still firing at the bug and Lara ran to him. He holstered his Boran X and gripped Lara's shoulders as she helped him up. The concrete was crashing down all around them and the blind, wounded monster was screeching at a vociferous volume. Lara held onto Kurtis and hoisted him into the tunnel where the grating once was. He began to crawl on through into the icy winds of Prague as fast as he could go. Lara followed right behind. As they came outside the Strahov and into the snow, Lara immediately began pulling a grenade and dynamite out of her bag.

"Kurtis, go as fast as you can away from here...NOW!" she yelled at him as he staggered away from view. Lara could still hear the rumble from inside the sewers and strapped the dynamite sticks to the grenade. She put her pack back on and crouched at the pipe that led to that horrifying insect.

"Go on and eat THIS bitch!" Lara yelled as she pulled the pin of the grenade with her teeth and tossed it down the hole. She began to run as fast as her legs would carry her. All she could hear now was the pounding of her heart in her chest. Her footsteps crunched in the snow and Lara's mind was suddenly very clear. She saw Kurtis up ahead of her and as she approached, she heard the deafening sound of the massive explosion behind her. She felt the heat on her backside as she leapt into the air, taking Kurtis down with her in the same way a linebacker would. The ball of fire and smoke hurtled into the sky while Lara covered herself and Kurtis as much as possible. Debris went flying all around them as thick black smoke billowed toward the heavens. Lara opened one of her eyes and saw the flaming wreckage. She felt a great sense of relief while she looked over to Kurtis, and saw that his eyes were closed and he wasn't breathing.

Hope you enjoyed it! Please review and I'll continue! I really tried on this!