MF1.0 - 46 - Marathon for Life

Astrin ran, it was the only thing he could do. The cellblock was long, and the floor was wet, he assumed from where they had washed blood away. He heard the screams of the other prisoners, but saving himself came first. It had to, otherwise Natenal had no chance at all.

The alarms went off before he even made it to the end of the hall. He bounded up the stairs four at a time – for once glad of his long legs.

Fighting his way out wasn’t an option, he needed a quick escape.

He could hear the cultists scrambling, running, shouting, like a nest of angry rats. A soft breeze kissed his face and he turned.

A window.

He ran to it, and almost immediately dismissed it. It was covered in bars, and was far too high off the ground.

The sound of running footsteps got closer.

‘May the gods protect me,’ he prayed as he pulled the bars away.

There was a shout behind him as he climbed up onto the frame, an he jumped. As he fell, he wished that the void had gifted him with wings instead of…any of the other mutations. Anything that would have slowed the fall. Anything to stop the concrete from rushing up to meet him.

It would have been illogical to grab onto the side of the building, the only result of that would have been…damage similar to what his jailer had experienced.

His world spun as he hit the ground, he felt bones snap, he felt organs bounce, he felt his mind go blank. He fought to remain conscious – falling now would have made the attempt all for nought.

He took as step and stumbled.

Every fibre screamed for sleep, for unconsciousness, for the sweet thoughtless dark.

Natenal kicked, and he ran.

There were shots, and shouts behind him. A humming fence blocked off his exit – no matter how strong this form was, he doubted it would like being electrocuted.

The only other option was the river.

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">The river so dirty even the sun couldn’t penetrate it. The river that sang at night. The river that…didn’t contain anything as dangerous as the bullets he was dodging.

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">He made an inelegant belly flop into the river, allowed his fur to absorb the polluted water and sank beneath the depths. One foot down, then another, then another. Soon, he couldn’t hear them anymore, and all was peaceful.

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">There is a great peace in drowning.

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">Natenal kicked again, but for the first time in hours, he felt safe.

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">The water was cool on his limbs, and enough light penetrated so that he could keep a track of which way was up. He kicked his long legs and began his journey across the river.

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">All he had to do now as avoid being hit by boats, or seen by humans.

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">After a moment, he surfaced for air, just long enough to fill his lungs. Though, he reasoned as he resubmerged, should anyone have seen him, he was sure they would explain him away as a pile of rotting garbage.

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">The swim was harder than he expected, the adrenalin of the escape was wearing off.

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">Were he to die now, the Starbright god would take care of Natenal. It was part of the old legend. Should a pregnant parent drown, their child would become one of the merfolk, and swim the waters for their life.

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">Sleep…he just wanted to sleep…

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">One stroke after another, he was determined to make it at least to the shallows. He could sleep then, forever if he wanted to. He wanted to pass into the cold lady’s realm without guilt. Knowing he had failed Mela and his child…that wasn’t the note he was going to end his life on.

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">Stroke.

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">Kick.

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">Shallows.

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">He looked around with weary eyes…it seemed secluded enough. Enough so that he could get some sleep. Safe enough for now.

<p style="color:rgb(189,190,190);font-family:Verdana,CenturyGothic,Tahoma,sans-serif;line-height:normal;">The blessed darkness took him.