SIXTY-SEVEN

After my third effort, the pin was mangled beyond recognition and I wondered how long it took Luis to memorize the process.

The people cried in agony, begging me not to go, but I just took the gun from the guard and fired at the locks of all the doors, from left to right, in a zigzag manner...from one standing point, I know, I'm awesome.

The gun got jammed so I threw it away and was about to leave when I heard a blood curdling scream.

I looked back to see a woman and her child were still locked within their cages.

I tried to assure her that I shall return but after all she'd been through, she wasn't ready to let go of her and her son's last hope, but I still had to leave, in order for me to free her

I originally wanted the people to stay in the cells, but they wouldn't hear of it and my calling it safer was treated as blasphemy, I just had to be more careful with them.

I walked out with them literally clinging on to me and was instantly met by a bunch of priest coming to take, ' the sacrifice ' .

I looked back at the people, over my dead body...which would actually be far fetched because what were they going to do? Blast me with tambourines, incense and Ankh talismans?

They did just that.

Their service instruments immediately turned to all-sorts of armament, of all genus and species, then they opened fire and I told the people to run.

The people wept for the injured and all of this was because of me...I let this happen.

I stood up with death in my eyes and walked out to face them and this time, only two people were hopeful, strong and yet, scared enough to follow me... then I ran at them...

***

The girls were in their bourgeois, while their clothes were being changed back to normal by the maids, when someone barged in and fell to the floor.

The maids screamed and the guards were ready to attack when Rose ordered them to stand down as Lucille screamed,"Mommy!"

She ran to Lucy, who was dripping blood everywhere from her leg and Rose and Ruby followed as Ruby demanded the maids helped her, but Lucy said with urgency in her tone,"No... there's not enough time..."

Taking a deep breath, she spoke again,"Mr Welshes is going to kill the three of you and perform some ritual to get you possessed by something...a demon."

"What?!"Ruby asked.

"That's what all this is for, you have to go to Luis, Tommy and Mack."

"They're here too?!"Rose asked.

"They're in great danger."

"We aren't leaving you mommy!"

"Not in this state."Ruby said,"We could find something to do, get you a...a..."

"Please, we're running out of time, he's alone with Mack and possibly Luis, he might not spare them this time..."

"I'm not leaving you..."Ruby said.

"None of us are..."Rose said.

Lucille hugged her and cried as she lost consciousness, then ordered the guards to place her on Lucille's mat.

They were hesitant, especially as to what the Pharaoh would do to them if he found out, till Rose reminded them of what he'd do if he found out they refused a direct order from them.

The maids began attending to her wounds while Lucille cried over her and Ruby and Rose stood by, then Rose saw something Lucy had dropped...

***

I had beat up the high priest beyond recognition and sent the others running, then took one of their timbrel khopesh swords, then smashed through the last lock with it and turned to leave when all the people screamed and ran behind me, and I gasped when I saw Mr Welshes there, holding the barely conscious Luis and Mack by the collars and grinning.

I knew Mack was a bad omen.

He was about to come closer when I took the nearest thing to me, the gun from before.

I did everything I could to make it work again as he slowly walked closer and there was a click.

I pointed it at him and yelled,"Stay back!"

"You aren't going to shoot me Tommy..."He said,"... you're too weak."

"I said stay back! And let them go!"

He grinned then flung them, one by one, back first into the cage doors to his sides then continued coming closer and my hand shivered violently as I said,"Stay back..."More audibly to myself than to him.

He then yelled,"Yes, take the shot! Show you are as much a monster as I am!"

Luis said with his last breath for me not to do it, but I had no way out, from last time, I knew he was fast enough to stop me from escaping even if the passage was ten meters winder than him on each side, not to mention that I couldn't leave the people.

He stretched his arms and yelled for me to shoot then I yelled and pulled the trigger, and opened one eye after the other, to see his hand on the nozzle of the gun, blocking the bullet's motion.

I looked at him in surprise as he clenched my neck tightly then said,"You stupid peasant."

He lifted me about a foot above the floor and was tightening his grip and mine was loosening, till he yelled in pain and dropped me.

I gasped deeply for breath and saw someone holding Luis' Zap Gun.

She yelled for me to run while he couldn't move then I helped the injured to their feet and went to get Mack and Luis as she took another shot.

I then said,"Rose, let's go!"

"He would catch up if I followed you, just go!"

I kissed her on the lips then ran off with the people as she kept shooting him in his slowly healing wounds, then he asked, with much strain in his voice,"Rose, why?"

"Because you aren't a father, you're a psycho..."

She took a step back then placed her hand on the lock and it automatically closed as he banged, hard on the other side of the door.

She turned and ran into her mother's embrace, then said to leave but heard a click.

She turned back and saw her mother's hand on the scanner and the door opening.

She widened her eyes as her father walked out then she asked,"Mother? You too?"

"The thing about marriage is, you tell each other everything and are by each others' side no matter the situation, I'm truly sorry Rose."

She ran off as their mother said,"Jonathan, discipline our daughter..."

Then he dashed forward.