Michael: That Nagging Feeling

You know that nagging feeling that you have in the back of your head when you feel like you're forgetting something important? Well, that feeling was bugging me ever since we got to the giant room right after the lasers, the one with the super-high ceiling that looked at least fifty feet high. Something about it was bothering me, so I decided to try and think about something else, like my upset stomach.

I'd still felt a little queasy ever since the laser trap. I had been standing right in front of Ryan when the lasers got him. I actually saw the lasers cut straight through him.

Eugh... I mean, I knew that Ryan would be fine later, and he'd be back in one piece eventually, but... I just couldn't get the horrifying image out of my head. I kept hearing that agonized scream over and over again in my mind. It was all just too much for a fourteen-and a-half-year-old to process.

Both my thoughts and my feet stopped in their tracks as we all heard a loud, creaking noise from above us. Everyone froze.

"What was that?" Naylor asked, looking around for the source of the sound.

I looked up to find that the ceiling appeared to be... getting bigger? No, that wasn't it. It seemed more like it was just getting closer. And closer.

Insert swear word of choice here.

Use your imagination. I've always been to squeamish for cussing, even when I was alive.

Getting back to the story, I simply stared up in shock as the ceiling grew nearer and nearer.

"Oh, no, I forgot," I gulped as it appeared to be approaching faster than before. "This is the trap where the ceiling comes down on you..." I started running towards the exit, thinking that just maybe I could make it if I ran fast enough.

"Don't forget important things like that!" Naylor screamed as he started running with me, along with everyone else.

We were about two feet away from the exit when I felt something firmly pressing against the top of my head, slowly forcing itself down. We were too late.

I squeezed my eyes shut, crouched down, and threw my arms over my head, as if that might provide any protection against the giant wall of metal about to turn us all into a bunch of pancakes.

After a few seconds, I began to wonder why we were all still three-dimensional. I opened my eyes and saw TK crouching in front of me. Holding up the ceiling. With his arms.

Whoa.

"Hurry up!" he grunted as the metal made this really loud groaning noise, as if protesting against his strength. "Run to her and hug her tight!"

Used to TK saying interesting things like that, I simply disregarded his second sentence and began crawling towards the exit on my hands and knees. Everyone else did the same, mumbling a word or two of thanks as we passed him by.

As soon as I had made it through the doorway and was finally able to stand up again, I heard a loud thud from behind me. I turned around only to find a giant metal panel lying flat on top of what used to be the floor.

So we lost another one, then. Four down. Only six of us left.

I couldn't help but feel a little guilty, just leaving TK there like that, and making him die for us.

"C'mon, let's go," Alex said from behind all of us in the doorway as she started to walk away. "TK's sacrifice won't be for nothing. I'll make sure of it."

Somewhat Minimal Author's Note

Hey, guys. In case you haven't noticed already, many of the chapters of "Guild" will be a lot shorter than the chapters of "Departure". This is probably because I keep switching back and forth between narrators in this story.

So anyways, I apologize if they seem too short. But don't worry, a long one is coming soon. :)