"Run!"
The others didn't have to be told twice. Gold had been standing closest to the door, so Crystal and the juniors had to run harder to catch up with him. As they caught up, Crystal leaped over a few cracks as they opened up in floors. She barely managed to drag Pearl and Ruby over them as flames erupted from below.
She glanced back to see the faint shadows of the monster disappear, drowned out by the fire. She then looked to exit, watching it go up in flames as well. The others met her eyes.
Oh no..
Pearl's face was contorted in confusion and panic. Gold looked like he was ready to jump through the fire. Ruby… well... Ruby just stared at the flames, watching intently as they rose and fell, and began to eat at the wood.
"There must be some kind of way out of this," Crystal screamed over the roar of the fire.
Gold glanced at her. "Of course there has to be! Is it that easy for someone as serious as you to give up?"
"You're one to talk," she snapped, letting go of Pearl and Ruby's collars. "Do you even have an idea?" She doubted it, considering all of his 'solutions' in the past.
That annoying little smirk of his flashed across his face. "Actually, I do."
"What?!" A spark of hope flickered within Crystal. Her eyes brightedned. "You mean-"
Gold cut her off. "I think we can jump through through the flames."
Her hope was quickly extinguished. Crystal's eyes widened. "Are you crazy!? We can't do that! We'll get burned alive!"
Gold backed away slightly, putting up his hands in a defensive stance. "Chill! Not like that." He pointed to the flames, which flickered back in forth in all directions. "There's a pattern." The flames parted for a few seconds, before erupting out once more. "If we time it right, I think we can get through this."
Crystal glanced at the flames again.
1...2...3...4...5...6...
The flames parted long enough to show the hallway on the other side before rising once more. She sighed and shook her head. "I'm surprised I'm saying this, to you of all people, but I think you're right."
Gold's smirk grew wider. He patted her on the head, which only made Crys' face flare up angrily. "I'm always right! Remember all those times I saved y'all?" He turned to get into position.
As soon as Gold turned his back, Crys forced a cough. "Liar."
He whirled around, eyes narrowed. "What was that?"
Smiling, Crystal ignored him and turned to the others. "Ruby! Pearl! Get over here!" The juniors were smiling about their senior's little argument, but Crys' order brought their attention back to the danger. The two boys came close, albeit sluggishly.
Crystal suddenly realized how hot she was, waves of heat pulsed around the room, affecting her as well.
The flames were spreading. Smoke clouded the room. Soon it would be low enough to choke them. That wasn't the real problem, though. It was getting hotter and hotter, and the temperature was starting to take its tole.
They had to hurry.
"What are we going to do? We can't stay here forever." Ruby asked, looking back at the flames.
"Ya! We have to hurry!" Pearl tapped his foot impatiently, beads of sweat starting to slide down his face.
Gold didn't look like he was faring any better, but he still held his grin. Crystal never realized how strong he could be. Not until now. He glanced at the flames. "You can jump through the flames. Like this!" He suddenly leaped up and charged through the wall of fire.
Everyone else's mouths dropped open. Even Crystal's. She knew he could be stupid and rash, but not that stupid. "Gold," Ruby screamed. He reached towards the boy before the flames erupted again. Crystal pushed him back, not wanting the younger boy to get burnt.
"Gold," Crys called. No response. A lump formed in her throat. "Gold! I swear, you better answer right now!"
Another heartbeat passed. Then the flames lowered. There was the cocky boy, waving and grinning like an idiot on the other side. "I'm okay guys! You just gotta time it right!"
Crystal let out a sigh of relief. Ruby wasn't as relieved as her, though. The younger boy took a step back. "He's crazy!"
Crystal's eyes flashed like steel. "But it's our only hope!"
"Okay." Pearl stepped forward, his amber eyes blazing in the flames flickering light. He clenched his fists. "But I'm finding you if this doesn't work!" In that split second, he leaped through the hole in the flames. His voice carried over the crackling flames moments later. "I'm okay!"
Ruby shuddered, obviously not happy with this.
Crystal patted him on the shoulder, hoping it would help calm him down. "Okay Ruby. It's your turn!"
He gulped. "Really?" His body shook. He looked back at the room one last time and sighed. "Okay... It's not like it'll matter if I make it or not."
Crystal sighed sadly. So he's still upset after the deaths? He thought everyone here was a dead man walking.
1...2...3...4...5...6… Ruby leaped through the flames, but the moment before he leaped, he stumbled. The boy barely managed to get through the flames.
Worried, Crys edged closer to the fire. "Are you alright Ruby?"
"I think- oh crap!"
Crystals jumped in panic. Not thinking about timing the flames, she leaped after him. The fire parted before her as she arced through the air. Her long legs easily reached the other side.
Ruby had thrown his hat off his head, the of it aflame. He kicked it into the ground, trying desperately to disperse the flames. When he was done, The charred black mass sat on the floor. The fire was out, but the hat was too far gone to save.
"That was a hat?" Gold cried in confusion. He looked up at Ruby's black hair, gaping as he saw his forehead. Pearl looked on from behind Gold. Telling by his face, he just as shocked.
Ruby's eyes widened as he remembered his scars. "Agh!" He threw his hand over the scarred flesh, covering it as he tried to pick up the remains of his hat.
Gold still couldn't wrap his head around it. "That's a hat?"
Practically the only one with enough common sense to remember the danger they were in, Crys took action. "Not the time! Come on!" Crystal said. Grabbing Gold's hand, she yanked him away from the burning doorway and started to run. The others struggled to keep up as she pushed them from behind, dragging Gold along by his wrist.
While she was pushing Ruby and Pearl, and it seemed calmer now that they were out of the room, Crys figured this was as good a time as any to ask the boy a burning question. "So... Ruby, what's up with your head?"
The boy flinched as he began to cover up the scars once again. "I don't want to talk about it," he said. His voice was barely even a whisper.
"Okay."
Silence washed over their group. They ran in silence for a while, Crystal still being the one to carry the other three along. Despite what they had just witnessed, their hearts were pounding less and less. Finally, they started to feel somewhat safe. Too bad the silence didn't last.
Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr…
"Jeez Ruby," Pearl said, glancing at the other boy. "I know you don't want to talk, but you don't have to growl."
Ruby returned the glance. "That isn't me," he said slowly. His voice cracked on the last word, as his confusion turned into realization. A shadow flickered across the edge of Ruby's vision. "Guys..."
The lights went out. Crystal stopped running, making everyone fall flat on their face. Gold was the first to his feet. "What the f-"
Shadows rose out from the darkest corners on the wall, taking in the shape of small children. Only the shape, though. None of the details, as if the silhouette were nothing more than black holes in space. The things screeched. Their jagged mouths gaped open.
They all were thinking it, but Crystal was the first to open her mouth. "RUN!"
They raced out of there before the word had left her mouth. "Are you frickin' kidding me? Here we go again," Gold shouted.
The group scrambled back down the hall the way they came, practically tripping over their own feet. In fact, Pearl did trip. The youngest boy crashed to the ground behind the others.
"Pearl," Crys cried the moment she realized he wasn't with them. Her shoes squeaked as she skidded to a stop. Beside her, Ruby and Gold slowed to a stop.
Pearl was behind them, but the monsters weren't. The blond haired boy pushed himself back to his feet and waved at them shakily. "I-I'm Poke-Ayyyy. Get it?"
The others glared at him angrily, so he dropped his hand. Not the best time. Besides, it was Dia's joke, not his. Instead, he pointed behind him. "I don't think they followed us."
Both Gold and Crystal bent over panting. Ruby did the same. The run had exhausted them. It took a few breaths, but Crystal eventually managed to speak once more. "We should be okay now shouldn't we?"
Gold nodded. "I think-" He cut himself off. His eyes widened as they seemed to focus in on something behind her shoulder.
The world lurched as Crystal went flying. She slammed into the wall further back down the hall, making her shoulder throb with pain. Her other arm hurt as well from being shoved. It just didn't hurt as much. "What the- Gold!"
She watched as the boy swung his billiard cue at a monster, making it shatter and disperse. At the other end of the hall, another wave of shadows surged towards them.
He glanced back at her. Liquid gold eyes shone with determination. "Run Crys! Get out of here!"
A bolt of pain tore its way up her arm as she tried and failed to force herself back to her feet. Ignore the pain. She gritted her teeth. "I won't-"
The cue gave a sharp CRACK as it tore threw two more monsters who had dared come too close. And then, the truly unexpected happened. Gold laughed. "Just do it," he said, smiling sadly. "I don't want ya being the damsel in distress again."
By now, the two younger boys had made their way to Crystal. Ruby took her by her better arm and pulled her back to her feet. "Come on, Crys! He's right! If we stay here-"
"We can't just leave him!" She clutched at Ruby's shoulder desperately with her good hand. She tried to shove him out of the way, but he held her in place. She may have been older and taller then the contest loving kid, but he still seemed to be stronger.
"Oh come on!" Gold extended his billiard cue and pushed her back. "just go! I-"
Click!
The walls slammed shut, blocking both of the nearby rooms… and separating the others from Gold.
Crystal ran to the wall and pressed her ear up against the cold metal. She couldn't hear anything from the other side. "Gold are you okay!?"
His chuckle came through the wall muffled, but at least she could hear him. "I'm fine guys, I'll catch up with you as soon as I'm done with these b***. Now will you just go, goddammit?"
Reluctantly, she pulled her head back from the wall and stepped away. "Okay. But you better survive," she said. She meant it as a joke, but her voice wavered. The girl had already lost Silver. She wasn't ready to lose her other friend too.
Something banged the wall on the other side. Probably Gold's cue. "I will! Now go meet up with the others and tell 'em what's happening!"
Pearl, Ruby, and Crystal all nodded. "Okay," they said in unison.
Gold could hear their footsteps echo through the walls, then fade away. He faced the shadow mob. Their greedy eyes searched for a way past him and the wall. A way to get to the others. Smirking, he pointed his cue at them as he watched their numbers grow. "I will NOT let you a**** hurt them!"