Heavy breaths of air, pounding feet, darting eyes. . .worried frowns. All was happening at once. The eliminators were at our feet, I was near the back, too close to the back. People’s screams filled the air as someone shot a gun. I heard various bodies fall to the ground as they were shot. Someone tripped and was shot dead. The crowd of people stopped moving. I went on my tippy toes to get a better look. More of the eliminators were in front of us. I heard one of them yell,

“STAY BACK!!! DON’T MAKE ANOTHER MOVE OR WE’LL SHOOT!!!” Everyone began whispering, the person who was talking earlier shot his gun at the closest person. They fell with a thud, “NOW DO I HAVE YOUR ATTENTION?!?!” Everyone fell silent, “I’m Commander X. You will be obeying me and ONLY me!” Commander X looked at the various scared faces, “Are we clear?!” He yelled out, I covered my ears.

“YES!!!” Everyone shouted. 

The group of kids were all about 10-20 years of age. All boys. I couldn’t help but look behind me. The other people began moving forward, pushing the back of the group farther up moving EVERYTHING else up. I fell as someone tripped atop of me. I quickly got up, helping the other person up as well.

“You okay?” I asked.

“Yeah. . .sorry Thomas.” The boy brushed off his pants.

“Hey. No damage done, it’s all good.” I smiled, the boy smiled back. He looked around maybe 16 years old. 

“Oh! My name is Elijah.” He held out his hand.

“Nice to meet you, Elijah. . .” I shook his hand then looked around. Everyone else was listening to Commander X. I couldn’t help but scowl and shake my head.

“Something wrong?” Elijah asked.

“Nothing. . .just this Commander X guy is pissing me off. What a jerk.” I shook my head again.

“Tell me about it!” Elijah laughed, “If only there was a way to get out of this mess. . .” He looked down, thinking.

We were silent for a moment then Elijah’s eyes snapped up,

“I have an idea! Follow me.” He crept away towards the jungle.

I followed, hoping for some way to get out of this mess. My stomach turned as we had to tip-toe over bodies that were seeping blood. I gulped, trying to keep in my previous meal of an apple and a bottle of water. 

Elijah grabbed my wrist, he put his finger to his lips. I turned my head slowly. A black panther with metal wings was scouting around the area. I held my breath, I felt butterflies in my stomach. Something crawled on my leg. I looked down, a tarantula was crawling over my foot.

“Move slowly towards me.” Elijah motioned towards himself.

I moved the foot that the tarantula wasn’t on, then I slowly shook the tarantula off the other foot. It simply landed and crawled away. I slowly walked towards Elijah. The panther paid no attention. Then I stepped on a stick.

“Darnit!!!” I yelled as the panther’s head shot up.

“Run!!!” Elijah grabbed my arm and ran. 

I followed willingly. I turned at my own risk and saw the panther pounding ahead, almost right behind us.

“Over here!!!” Elijah turned a sharp corner and I hit my face.

“Ouch!” I rubbed the spot that I hit as I kept moving.

“Sorry!” Elijah kept running.

“The panther is right behind us!” I yelled.

“Well duh!” Elijah sighed.

“Could we go up a tree or something?!” I yelled louder, frustrated.

“Panthers can climb trees dummy!” Elijah tugged at my arm, “This way!!!” 

I followed and saw he was heading towards a river.

“A river?!” I yelled, not being able to swim I tugged backward.

“It’s our only option!” Elijah kept moving forward.

“Please! Elijah!” I yelled.

He ignored me.

“ELIJAH!!! I CAN’T SWIM!!!” I screamed at the top of my lungs.

“You can’t swim?! What?!” Elijah stopped moving, I ran into him almost making both of us fall.

“No, I can’t!” Elijah began moving again.

“There is no other way though!” Elijah groaned in frustration.

“Turn around . . .” A small voice in my head said.

“Uh. . .TURN AROUND!!!” I yelled.

“What are you nuts?!?!” Elijah yelled but he turned around anyway.

As we ran towards the panther, it stopped then something struck from the sky. Lightning. I looked at the sky, it was light, where did the lightning come from?

“Woah.” We both stopped moving and I stared at the spot that the panther had been. 

“How did you. . .” Elijah turned towards me.

“Don’t know,” I answered before he could finish.

“Dude. . .seriously. . .like how?” Elijah turned back towards the spot where the panther had been.

“I told you I DON’T KNOW.” I looked him in the eye and glared.

“Okay okay, sorry.” Elijah held up his hands in a defensive way.

“Dude, it’s fine. Just don’t ask again after I tell you I don’t know.” My eyes relaxed.

“Okay. Now, what do we do? Have any more “brilliant” ideas?” 

“No. . .” I tried to contact the strange voice from before that had told me to turn around.

“Hm. . . helpful, aren’t you?” Elijah chuckled, “Now we’re stranded in the middle of the jungle, with no idea where we came from. Isn’t this great?” 

“Dude, shut up. Let me think.” I shut my eyes, “Just let me think. . . “ I muttered.

Elijah rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything.

“Go to the right of the river.” There it was, the voice again.

“So?” Elijah sounded annoyed.

“How about we uh. . .” I wasn’t sure if I should listen to the voice.

“We uh. . .?” Elijah mocked me.

“Let’s go right of the river.” I decided to listen to the strange voice.

“Okay if you say so.” Elijah shrugged and went towards the right of the river.

I stood there staring.

“You coming?” Elijah asked.

“Huh? Oh yeah, yeah I’m coming.” I looked down as I ran up towards Elijah.

We walked a long way until we couldn’t feel our feet.

“Okay. Let’s rest.” Elijah crouched down, he sighed, “You know Thomas, your one interesting dude.” He chuckled, “I mean. . . somehow you're able to know what to do, in all situations. Dude, you're a complete legend.”

“I wouldn’t go that far.”  I laughed, “Sure, maybe people know who I am, but it’s not that big of a deal.” 

“Okay if you say so. Let’s go to bed.” Elijah laid down and turned, his back facing me.

“Night,” I said.

“Goodnight,” Elijah muttered.

I fell asleep quickly, to the sounds of Elijah snoring.

“Dude. . . wake up. We need to get moving.” Elijah was crouching in front of me.

I got up and stretched.

“You know you snore right?” I said, yawning.

“I’ve been told before.” Elijah shrugged.

“Woah. . .” I stood up staring behind Elijah.

“What is it?” Elijah asked as he turned around, “Oh my god. What is that?” Elijah stared wonderingly at the strange building that stood behind us.

That’s when the piercing cry filled the air. Whoever or whatever made it, sounded mad.