Chapter 4

As Citrusella sleeps, I set my plan to return to Sugar Rush and find Vanellope by changing the time on her cherry clock. It would take hours for her to discover I was missing. The last thing I want, after all, is for her to worry. She seemed understandably adamant that I shouldn't go back, after what had happened to us yesterday. Still, I know in my heart that it must be done. And so I vow that no matter what happens, I will keep myself safe, for her sake.

Cautiously I stick my head out the door. The bunkers are under curfew, so normally you'd expect to see a Surge Protector or two patrolling the halls, keeping us in and the bugs out. Luckily, this happened to be their break time, and thus our Protector had fallen asleep at his post.

I tiptoe over to the Protector and begin to rifle cautiously through his jacket, looking for the key to reopen the portal to Sugar Rush. After a moment of sifting through every pocket, trying to distinguish each key in the dim light, I pull out a small key on a chain labeled "SR".

Without warning, the Surge Protector chooses this moment to begin to stir. Startled by his sudden movement, I let go of the key, and in a matter of milliseconds, catch it by the chain with my teeth. The key hovers within an inch of the Protector's nose as he stretches, yawns, and rolls onto his side to continue his nap.

Looks like I did it after all, I think only too soon. I'm built for speed, which means that when I have to go slow- which is almost never the case- I'm at my clumsiest. So of course I just had to trip and fall while trying to tiptoe out of the hall. As I go down, the key flies out of my grip and lands with a clang on the metal floor of the bunker.

That gets the Surge Protector up. I begin crawling to the key as he blinks, glances in my direction, then spots the key inches away from my outstretched hand. "Hey! What are you doing with that key?!"

Instinct kicks in as I charge at the key on all fours, snatch it off the ground, and take off running. I don't have time to sit and wait for the Surge Protector to call in backup.

I reach the second level of the bunkers just as an alarm sounds. As I catch my breath I can hear the clamor from several Surge Protectors coming from below, and I take off running again. They're kidding themselves if they think they can keep up with a Sugar Rusher. But that doesn't mean I can stop moving if I'm going to open the portal in time.

Finally I reach the main floor of Game Central Station- just as derelict and desolate as it ever has been these past few days. I don't stop running until I reach the entrance to Sugar Rush. Just as I jam the key into the slot on the door, a wave of Surge Protectors emerges from the bunkers.

"There she is!" yells one. "Grab her!"

With all my strength I give the key a firm twist, and the door slides open. Instantly, three large Cy-Bugs fly out, and the Surge Protectors stop dead in their tracks. As they busy themselves with fighting off the oncoming Bugs I slip through the door and into the portal, which closes behind me.

"Time to find that Glitch."

…

Why can't things ever work out?!

I take out my frustration on a chunk of rock candy, kicking it and watching it roll away in the dust. For what feels like hours I've been alone, yet again trapped in this nightmare that was once my home. I'm mad because I thought I had been prepared for everything- I'd completely thought out how I was going to break out of Game Central and escape to Sugar Rush. But what was I thinking- that Vanellope would just be waiting for me on the other side with a box of chocolates?!

Of course not- instead, I'm all on my own. That's not an altogether bad thing- at least there haven't yet been any more Bugs. They only come out at night, I remember hearing from somewhere in the arcade. They must be burrowing underground to escape the daylight.

The thought of being lost forever in this candy-coated nightmare starts to get to me. I realize that if I'm not found, I might die out on my own in here. Normally you'd just respawn if that happened, but Cy-Bug attacks are fatal in any circumstance. If you don't die from the initial attack, their very bite can corrupt your code, and in serious cases, it's only a matter of time before you fade away in a flurry of symbols and megabits.

I remember my promise to Citrusella, and suddenly I stop. I told her I was there for her, and I'd made up my mind never to leave her again. I can only think of how worried she must be for me down in the bunker, and the thought of that makes me forget all about Vanellope. No matter what happens, I have to keep my sister safe.

I take a shortcut past Diet Cola Mountain, one of the few landmarks in Sugar Rush that has somehow remained intact. On the horizon, as the Rainbow Bridge and portal to Game Central come into view, I take off running, only to trip over a small hole in the ground. As my body hits the ground for a second time today, I let out a cry of pain.

From beneath the hole comes a loud, deep, angry buzzing sound, like a million angry wasps. I don't have time to think about the mistake I've just made- instinct takes over, and I take off running again as the hole expands and a stream of Cy-Bugs comes shooting out like a geyser. Now I'm more worried than ever for Citrusella, who is about to nearly lose her sister for the second time in a row to a Bug attack.

But wait… the last time this happened… Vanellope saved me! Didn't she? Surely she wouldn't let these bugs kill me… Surely she would come to my aid like last time… Right?

I'm running as fast as I can, but the Bugs are easily gaining on me and I know it's only a matter of time before I'm Bug chow. I give up on simply sprinting for Game Central Station and begin running all over the place, anything to help to lose the bugs. Eventually, even I lose track of where I'm going, and before I know it I crash headfirst into Diet Cola Mountain. My head starts swimming, and the only thing I can think of is the last shred of hope I have left.

Vanellope will come… Vanellope will come…

But all I can do is drag myself off the ground, back away from the approaching Bugs, and embrace the harsh reality that the Glitch won't be saving me this time.

Or so I thought- All at once I have the sensation of being grabbed by the arm, then being tugged backwards… into the mountain? The sensation in my arm disappears, and I sink to my knees, relieved at having somehow escaped death once again. Before I can even wonder where I am or how I got here, a sudden, all-too familiar voice finds my ears.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't for Jubileena again. Welcome to my home, chump!"