Past Secrets

Chapter 36 - Near Death

Shadow's POV

"NOOOOOOO!"

Eggman looked at me with rage as the detonator fell to ground floor. I smiled faintly and began to laugh in his face. Eggman's face turned red and full of rage. He instantly grabbed me by my jacket and leveled me with his face. I smiled some more and said quietly.

"Looks like you die here….hahah."

"I won't give you the quick death with no pain Shadow, I'm going to give you what you deserve. I one way ticket to your friend Maria!" Screamed Eggman.

Eggman with all the strength he possessed threw me right through what was left of the window.

I slowly closed my eyes as Eggman shouted.

"Fuck you Shadow!"

I smiled one last time and waited for the cold floor to finish me.

As I waited I remembered something Maria taught me. I quickly put my right hand in my jacket and took out my emerald. I quickly thought about her and the emerald did the rest.

I was probably ten feet from smashing into the ground when the emerald's power teleported me into the snow.

At the least it was a softer landing.

I slowly reopened my eyes and I couldn't believe I survived that drop. I guess luck was on my side, once again.

"Aghhhhhh…..!" I slowly lifted up my head and looked around my body. I was bleeding out. I could feel my life slipping away once again. I couldn't move, I didn't have the strength and there's no way the emerald will heal all this. "Hahah….looks like I'm screwed."

"Hahahah!" I laughed one last time enjoying every last second I had. I felt it coming. I put my head to the side and a huge amount of blood come out from mouth. It spilled onto the snow and my teeth were completely covered. I moved my head so I was looking straight into the sky and it began to snow again, but this time the snow was gentle and soft. It felt weird as if something was different about it. The sun began to get really bright and it overwhelmed my eyes for a few moments.

Shadow's mind

"Shadow!" I heard a familiar voice call to me.

I opened my eyes and I was standing in white room. I looked around and the walls were

covered in colorful wallpaper. I also found a door at the end of the room.

"Shadow!" I heard the same voice again.

I quickly ran to the door and above the knob was a id code. It said.

EI/MJ Shadow.

I quickly grabbed the knob and opened the door.

"Shadow please help!" Pleaded the voice.

I ran out into a hallway and it was empty. I looked to my left and it was a dead end. Then I looked to the right and it lead down further into wherever I was. I immediately made my way down the hall and found the person who was calling me.

A small girl was being drag at gunpoint by a G.U.N solider. I quickly remembered and shouted out.

"Maria!"

The girl and solider looked at me and the man began to drag her faster.

"Shadow!" Screamed Maria.

I charged as fast as I could at the man and leaped towards him.

The solider released Maria's arm and defended himself.

He blocked my punches and then he countered by grabbing my right arm and flipping me over his shoulder. I hit the ground face first and turned to look at the man. He pulled out his combat knife and lunged at me. He was too fast and I couldn't stop him. I put my hand in front of my face and the blade went right through,

"AHHHHH!" I screamed in pain.

The guard smiled and pushed on the blade. I held him back as best as I could then the blade went further into my hand. Almost the whole thing went through.

"AHHH!" I yelled out in pain again then my adrenaline took over.

I used my free hand and punched the solider straight in his mouth. He let go of the knife and stood back up holding his face. I immediately got back on my feet and used my same hand to punch him again in the side of his head.

The solider fell down and I lifted up my left hand which had the knife in it completely.

I used my right hand and grabbed the grip of the blade and began to pull.

I shut my eyes tighter and tighter as the pain increased in size.

"Ahhhh!" The blade slipped right through my skin and out of my hand. I instantly flipped the knife into my good hand and approached the solider who was laying on the floor.

He looked up at me and screamed.

I brought the knife down on his chest and started to rapidity stab him again and again. The man screamed louder and louder as each stab pierce an organ. I pulled out the knife after the tenth stab and smash it into his eye. The blade went clean into his pupil and he stopped screaming.

I slowly stood up and shouted at the corpse.

"Don't you ever touch Maria!"

From behind I felt someone take my hand. I looked to my side and Maria held me tight.

"Are you ok?" I asked.

She nodded her head in approval then pointed at a door at the end of the hall.

I took her by the hand and we ran to the door.

When we stood in front of the door I looked at the id code, it said.

EI/CPT Dark

I quickly opened the door and me and Maria walked inside.

It was another white room and inside was a body on the floor.

"No Dark!" I screamed.

I let go of Maria's hand and ran to him.

I got on my knees and flipped him over on his back. At least I thought it was him.

It was me. I was laying on the floor with bullet holes all on my body. I had four in my chest and one in my arm, I then looked at my legs and found three holes in my left leg and two in my right. I then ran my hand under the backside and felt the two holes placed in my spine.

I lowered the body and looked at the face. My eyes were closed and my teeth had been covered in red blood.

I let a tear hit the floor and it splashed next to my clone's face.

As soon as the tear hit the ground the floor turned into snow, and Maria approached my side. She rested her hand on my shoulder and smiled.

"Shadow, you know I love you right?" Asked Maria.

I smiled as tears poured down my face.

"Of course." I replied.

Maria then looked behind us and the soldier's body was there.

"Shadow, you stronger then you think, even after all that has happened, even though I'm gone; you still kept your promise and protected me from danger. You protect the ones you love and that's what I always liked about you and Dark." Said Maria as she pinched my ear.

I smiled and stood back up.

"Are you going to lay there and let your future slip away?" Asked Maria.

I looked at my body that was in the snow and then said.

"I'm not strong enough Maria."

Maria put her arms on my shoulders and brought me towards her. I looked into her eyes as she smiled in mine.

"It doesn't matter how strong you are, what matter is that you accomplish your goal." Stated. Maria.

"But….!" Maria reached down and put her fingers on my lips and squeezed them shut.

"Shadow you are strong enough trust me. Look right there." Said Maria while pointing at the soldier's body.

"You stopped him from hurting me, someone you care for." Maria then took my left hand.

"You did what you had to do to stop him even though the pain was unbearable." Maria then pointed at my chest.

"You are strong enough to accomplish your goals Shadow. All you have to do is trust in yourself and the one's you fight to protect. Me…Dark…Amy." Stated Maria.

I smiled.

"Your strong enough Shadow, I love you. Now please; wake up." Said Maria.

Maria then lowered herself down towards me and gave me a gentle kiss on the cheek.

I smiled and then Maria and the soldier's body disappeared.

I turned back around and looked at my body laying in the cold snow. I stared into my closed eyes and then I was overwhelmed by another bright light.

Shadow's POV

"AHHHHHH…..!"

I opened my eyes and looked around the snow. Under my mouth was a pile of blood and I noticed a few chunks of guts. I closed my mouth and felt around. Inside all I could feel and taste was chunks of blood. I shouldn't be alive and I know it for a fact.

"Go Shadow." I heard Maria's voice call out to me.

I lifted my head up and slowly pushed myself until I was on my feet. My body was torn and useless, but I kept pushing.

I looked up at the top floor of the base and saw Eggman looking down at me.

I slowly lifted my hand and gave him a gentle middle finger. He was furious.

I looked down next to my feet and found the detonator blinking in a red fury.

On the side was a timer and it was counting down, it was at fifty seconds.

I had time to get my bike out of the base, I just don't know if I had the strength.

"Your strong enough Shadow. You can do it." I heard Maria's voice call to me once again,

I smiled and a few drops of blood came out. I bent down and took the detonator in my right hand.

I then tried as best as I could and began to jog my way towards the garage.

Every step I took my wounds pumped out more and more. When I finally made it I found Dark's bike at the entrance. I ran up to the bars and it had no keys in the ignition. Dark must have them on him.

I quickly looked at the detonator and I had thirty five seconds left.

I looked next to my side at the garage door and it was closed, but not for long.

I readied myself next to Dark's bike and raised my left hand.

"Chaos Spear!" I shouted.

The garage blew open and my bike was parked all the way in back. I quickly maneuvered my way through all the trucks and car's parked in the area and finally grabbed it's handlebars.

I looked at the detonator and I only had left twenty five seconds.

I slowly threw my right leg over the side of the seat and set myself on. I put the detonator in my pocket and took my keys out. I quickly put them in the ignition and started the engine. I used what leg movement I had left to push on the gas. I drove up to the entrance to the garage and I stopped in front of Dark's bike. I knew if I didn't do something the motorcycle would be destroyed. I put my hand on the gas tank and I'm sorry Dark, but I pushed it over onto it's side. Once it landed onto the snow, I drove as far as I could away from the base.

I found a small tree line alongside the base that I finally managed to reach without collapsing. I stopped my bike by the side of one of the trees and slowly got off. Once I was stable; my body began to give way, my legs weren't responding well. I fell down and landed back first on the tree into a sitting position.

As I sat there I took out the detonator and lifted it to my lap. I smiled and began to countdown.

"Five…Four…Three…Two…One."

I dropped the detonator in the snow and watched as Eggman and what was left of his followers burn away in the fire's blast. The blast came to the tree line and scorched my fur with it's heat. The fur on my face and some on my chest began to burn and some of it turned into ash.

Once the blast was over, I looked around. The snow I was sitting in was turning redder and redder as my wounds spilled. My fur was hot and my chest fur was almost gone due to the extreme heat wave. Some of my red streak's have also begun to fade away. I looked back up and watched as the snow attempted to put out the fire. In about a minute I began to feel cold again and tired. My head began to slowly fall into my chest as my eyes began close. I didn't want to die and with what I had left I tried to shout.

"Chaos Control…"I closed my eyes and passed out.

1 hour later

"Wake up!"

I slowly opened my eyes and in front of me stood Maria.

I smiled at her, as I began to drift away once again.

Maria approached me and put her hand on my chest.

I slowly lifted my head up and looked into her eyes.

"Everyone counting on you." Said Maria.

"Who…?" I asked quietly.

"Me, your brother,….Amy." Replied Maria.

"And what do you want me to do about it?" I asked.

"I want you to go find help. That emerald I gave you can only do so much. If you want to live you have to go now." Replied Maria.

"But…I'm not…strong enough." I stated.

"Stop saying that! You are strong enough! If you weren't then you wouldn't have made it this far already! I swear your such a stubborn hedgehog!" Shouted Maria.

I was getting angry. I slowly sat back up and looked into her eyes.

"I'm not stubborn you hear me! I'm always opened minded to anyone that needs me! I help everyone that's in need! I protect everyone I care for! I even have a girlfriend and a brother who love me till the end! Don't you tell me I'm stubborn!" I yelled at her.

"Look at you Shadow! Your laying her like a new born pup with a broken legs! Your worthless and you know it! You couldn't save yourself even if you wanted to! I thought you were the ultimate life form! I guess your just not what I tried to get you to be, a hedgehog who makes his own choices and decides his own destiny!" Shouted Maria.

I was furious. I stood back up and pointed at her in rage.

"You look at me and you look at me good! I'm the only one that decides my path! Not you! Not Dark! Not even Amy! I'm not worthless! I am the ultimate life form! You tried to keep me from turning into another slave and I heeded your words throughout my life! I'm stronger then you! I'm stronger then Dark! I'm stronger then anything anyone can imagine! I have a reason to want to survive! Her name is Amy, Amy the hedgehog! I fight and I live to protect her and my brother I will not die here! You just watch!"

I began to take out my emerald and I looked back at Maria.

"I'm proud of you." Said Maria as she faded away.

I smiled and shouted.

"Chaos Control!"

South End

I used every little bit of energy I had left to teleport me to the one place I knew where to find help from people I can trust. I was transported to South End's limits sign. I looked around and got on my bike. The emerald somehow managed to stop most of the bleeding but my legs were getting useless. I tried my hardest and started to drive down into the towns perimeter. As I drove down the road it was clear to everyone I was in severe pain. I had to find Paul and Amber. The only problem is I have no clue where they found a home around here.

I stopped my bike along side the sidewalk and called out to a man who was looking at me with complete amazement.

"Hey you! Come here!" I ordered him.

The man looked around to make sure I was talking about him.

"Yeah you! Please help me!" I pleaded.

The man ran to my bike and stopped once he saw the blood coming out from under my tee.

"I need to find two people who just came to South End a couple of day's ago. They bought a place around here and I have no idea where they live. There names are Amber and Paul. Do you know where they live?" I asked while holding my side.

"Ahhh….yeah I know them there really cool. Ahh. Are you ok?" Asked the man.

"No! I been shot! I need to find them and fast!" I shouted while almost falling off my bike.

The man caught me on my side and helped me back up.

"Shit what did you do Shadow!" Asked the man.

My eyes widened and I asked in confusion.

"How do you know my name?" I asked.

"Everyone in South End knows about you killing Eggman. Your basically famous around here, thanks to Paul." Replied the man.

"I …ahhh…never mind please, where are they?" I asked.

"Down the road last house on the left." Replied the man.

"Thank you." I said with graduate as I started the bike again.

I left the man behind and quickly drove down the road with blood beginning to spread across my face, because of the wind blowing up the blood from my chest wounds.

I was getting dizzy again and I was losing my will to keep going on. I reached the house and stopped my bike out front next to the sidewalk. I tried to get off my ride but I collapsed onto the grass.

"Get up…I have not…come this far…to die now." I said to myself as I pushed myself to keep going. I barely got to my feet and I approached the door.

"Bang! They better be home." I said to myself.

"Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!" I knocked as hard as I could.

Behind the door I heard.

"Calm down I'm coming!" It was Amber.

She quickly flung opened the door.

Her eyes widened, in complete shock. She was terrified.

"Shadow!" Shouted Amber.

She looked me over quickly and I knew how bad it must look.

All the bullet holes, all the burns, my chest fur almost gone, and my red streaks where almost completely covered by black burns. I was bleeding on the steps in front of her.

"Please…help me….aghhhh." I fell down as Amber quickly caught me by my chest.

"Paul!" Screamed Amber.

Amber immediately dragged me in the house and into the kitchen. She threw off everything on the table and leveled me with the table itself.

"Shadow stay with me! Paul!" Amber screamed as loud as she could.

Paul came running into the room.

"Amber what's wrong? Shadow!" Paul panicked and rushed me and Amber.

"Shadow what the hell happened?" Asked Paul in shock.

"Eggman…and control….Ahhh!" I screamed out in pain and my eyes began to close completely.

"Shadow Don't do this to us! Stay awake!" Shouted Paul.

Amber and Paul quickly laid me down on the table and took off my cloths.

Amber covered her mouth too scared to touch me, while Paul looked me over.

"Jesus Shadow…I don't know if I can fix this!" Stated Paul.

Amber reached into my pocket and took my emerald and handed it to Paul while also getting her yellow one she stole from Eggman.

Paul took them in his hands and begged me to say the words.

I could barley say them but I managed it.

"Chaos Control…ahh." The emeralds power went into my wounds and did there best to heal me. Once the power stopped Paul took his emergency med kit and got his scalpel and a couple of cloths to hold back the blood. My eyes began to shut again and this time it was the one.

"Shadow!" Screamed Amber.

"Stay awake!" Yelled Paul.

I couldn't I moved my head to the side and blacked out.