4AUTHOR'S NOTE: Hiya. I hope you enjoy this. I have played and defeated the game many times and really liked it. It takes place after the game. Enjoy and Review please!
Monday, July 18-
I read about the runners in the newspaper. I read that they are a threat to society, a threat to our way of life. I heard about the runner who helped her sister and now is a wanted criminal.. My father is policeman, and used to tell me about his fights with the runners. I hung on every word, not because I was excited about his 'success' with the runners, but because I wanted to learn about the runners. Everything about them I found festinating. Their way of life, running on edge, always running. Part of me wants adventure. Part of me wants to be what my family is fighting against.
Desiree
I put her diary underneath my red plush pillow and locked the gold snap. I got up, stretched my arms. and walked out of my pink room. I shared a room with my older sister, who was the one to make it pink. I hate pink. I accidentally ran into my dad in our narrow hallway. He wore his worn navy blue police uniform, adorned with his badge and I knew that he was about to go to work. His squad had been working overtime to catch whatever runners.
"Hey Desi," he said patting my head and messing up my hair. At the age of sixteen, I still enjoyed my dad's kid affection. He treated me like I was still ten, but I didn't mind. "Are you still going for gymnastics tonight?"
"I have the competition tonight. Are you going to make it?" I asked. He shook his head and walked to the door, my heart sank. He gave my mother a kiss on her pale cheek and walked out the door heavy metal door and pushed it open, walking out. My mother gave me a apologizing glance as my older sister came prancing into the kitchen, her curly strawberry blonde hair bouncing with her step.. She sat down at the small metal dining table.
"When is dinner?" Fran said. Fran was a year older than me and looked like my mother, rich strawberry blonde hair, misty grey eyes. I looked like my father. We both had dark wavy brown hair and stronge, piercing blue eyes. I was tall and limber, like my dad too. I was basically his female carbon copy.
"About now," Mom said. She brought out a pot of Mac and cheese and put it on the table on top of an oven mitt. I sat down too as she scooped the pasta on the yellow floral designed plate in front of me.
"So are you coming to my competition?" I asked my mom. She looked at me and shook her head, making her short curls shake with her.
"Maybe, I might not be able to make it," She said. Fran laughed.
"That's because she is coming to my soccer game," Fran said in a 'they love me more than they love you' voice. I looked at her our eyes meeting. Her eyes shone with a triumph and I felt tears wavering in mine, I slammed my fork down, making the entire table shake and my moms glass of water fell, shattering on the floor, and left the table despite my mother yelling at me to come back. I walked into my room and slammed my door, sliding to the ground landing on the hardwood floor. We lived on the ninth floor in a steel apartment building complex ever since I could remember. I went to the window and shimmied it open, letting the cool breeze hit my chest. The building was about twelve stories high so I rolled up my light yellow blouse sleeves and adjusting my white under tank top. I jumped on the iron fire escape and began to climb up to the top, jumping and bringing myself up to the concrete roof. I flipped out my red cell phone and called my friend Dylan, who I happened to be in love with, but he doesn't know that.
"Mmff, hello," a muffled voice said. He was probably sleeping.
"Hey Dylan, it's Desi. So I was wondering if you wanted to come over after my competition?" I asked him picking at my short fingernails. I had to be at the gym in fifteen minutes. "I'm done at eight thirty."
"You have the competition for three hours!" I heard him exclaim. I rolled my eyes at him and he agreed to come over. I looked at the time on my phone and quickly got up, dusting off my jean shorts . I climbed back down the fire escape and into my room, I grabbed my red gym bag and walked out, passing my mother and Fran watching TV, sitting on the leather couch. I walked out the door, slamming the door harder than I meant too, and down the hall to the silver elevator. I pushed the elevator button and waited for the bing of the open door. I stepped into the elevator and pushed the first floor button, and as I watched the door slide close, suddenly an arm came through the door and pushed it opened. I gasped as a woman with red clothes and black marking on her arm burst through the door and jumped up, pushing through the middle panel of the elevator ceiling. She jumped up and disappeared after putting the panel back. I pushed the closed door button and waited. I screamed as another arm came through, this one holding a gun. I fell to then floor holding my gym bag as a SWAT member pushed his was through the door and I screamed again as he pointed a very large gun in my face. His eyes relaxed. Well I thought they looked relax, there was only so much I could see through his mask.
"We lost her, there is only a civilian in the elevator," I heard him say. He left without saying a word. I just sat there, then scrambled to the buttons and hit the close door button. Hopefully that was the last of them.
The bell rang as the elevator opened on the first floor. The elevator opened right to the outside, and I saw a lot of police patrolling the streets, one after another. There seemed to be no end to them, but it was uncommon to see that many policemen outside at once. But there had been overactive runner activity lately, according to what I overhead while I was eavesdropping on my dad's conversations with the other police. One I saw down the street, was my dad. I walked down the block and across the street. I saw the lights of the gymnasium and the cars in the parking lot and picked up my speed to make it on time.
"Desiree," I heard my friend Liya say to me as I entered the changing room. "Your late, again."
"Yeah I know, but I'm a quick dresser," I said, wrapping my hair in a bun and began to undress. In no time flat, I was dressed in my black and yellow uniform leotard and gymnastic socks. I walked out with Liya in the small room next to the gym and saw the other people on our team. I could hear the bustle of people sitting in the stands, waiting for the teams to come out.
Coach Loren sat on the balance beam next to Missy McLain, the mayors niece.
"Okay the competition starts in fifteen minutes." Coach started. "Today is the day that we can show our stuff. Let's beat the Falcons and the Wolverines and show what the Cougars can do."
After the pep talk, Missy and her best friend Betty gathered the girls together. They had it in their head that having sparkles in your hairs and around you eyes will make you win. Betty sprayed the glitter in my hair and Missy dabbed the glitter around my eyes.
"Okay girls, let's get out there!" Coach yelled. We walked out there, the crowd cheering us on. I looked at the stands and saw Dylan sitting at the end. I caught his eyes and waved. I sat down on the hard wooden benches, waiting for my turn. I was the last one to go.
The time passed by quickly an before I knew it, Coach called my name. I was the last competitor of the last section of the competition. I jumped up as the announcer called out "freestyle."
I walked over and stood at the corner of the mat where the white line marked the border. the blinding lights shined, making my eyes squint. The hall was deathly quiet. I exhaled, I stood en-pointe on one foot briefly, transferring the motion to the other foot and pressing downwards to ease my muscles. Lingering there for a moment, I ran though my routuine that I had been practicing for over a month, clearing my mind of all distraction and visualized moving fluidly to land a Round-Off, Back Handspring, Triple Twist.
I broke off at a run, launching into an accelerated cartwheel and snapping my legs together in mid-tumble just before my palms touched the floor. Feet following suit, I pushed off using all of my strength, my body arching through the air as I moved backward to land on my hands. Using my momentum, I propelled myself into an arch once more, establishing an ever-so-brief contact with the cushioned surface before I was airborne again. Arms tucked into my ribcage and fists crossing my chest, I kept my body in a straight position as I went into a back somersault, executing three pivots around my midline axis at the same time. I landed on both feet with a thud, a tremor shooting through me dangerously before I stood straight again, arms raised above her head.
Above me were a few bars. They were there for me to use in my freestyle performance. I jumped up, grabbing the bar and flipping around, flying through the air, rolling into my land, then unrolling into a hand stand. Finally, I push myself in the air, using all of my energy to flip back upright. I raised my hands in conclusion.
Everyone clapped. My arms burned and ached. Overall my performance took eight minutes, but it only felt like a minute.
"Thanks to all of our competitors today. Judges will score and will send in the final notes in a few minutes," the announcer said as I walked back to my team. I was rewarded with pats on the back from my teammates. Dylan looked at me and winked.
My team and I sat on the bench, waiting for the scores.
"We have the final scores. Third place in the balance beam, Kelly Rippler, second…" The announcers called out the names and places. Finally came the Freestyle. "Third place, Missy McLain," I looked over at Missy, who looked pissed. "Second place Hanna Freemont and first place, Desiree Valor."
My teammates pushed me up to the middle arena area, where I received my blue ribbon.
…
I walked out of the locker room in my yellow blouse and jean shorts, along with my slim running shoes, and my hair loosely curling around my shoulders and my duffle bag slug across me chest. I held my blue ribbon and looked up to see Dylan hiding in the shadows. I noticed that he wore a red shirt and black pants.
"Hey Dylan, why are you…" I started, but was cut off when Dylan slapped his hand over my mouth and dragged me into the shadows. He let me go. "What the hell Dylan?"
"Listen, I came tonight because I won't be able to meet you later. In fact, I probably won't be able to see you ever," He told me.
"What? Dylan, what is going on, why all the secrecy?" I asked him.
"Well, do you know my dad is a doctor?" he asked me.
"Yeah."
"Well, my uncle worked for the Runners," he started. My eyes widened. "One day, he showed up at our door bleeding to death from a few gunshot wounds. My dad helped him and then my dad was arrested for helping. My dad is in prison for helping a family member. I couldn't take it. So I joined my uncle Mercury. I joined the runners."
I stood there, mouth open. "What?"
"Listen, I thought I would tell you before you found out from your dad or someone," he said quietly. "I know that you dad is a blue. I, I hoped that maybe you wouldn't say anything to him about this."
I exhaled. "You're just… leaving. Just like that."
"My uncle almost died, and no one helped him. The one who did help him was arrested. I hate what this city has become. I know that you love your dad, but he is not the good guy here," Dylan told me.
"When are you leaving?" I asked him.
"I'm leaving right after this. I'm sorry Desi," He apologized. Dylan drew me in and hugged me. I noticed several markings on his arms. He looked me in the eyes then began to walk off into the shadows.
"Damn it Dylan!" I practically screamed. He looked back at me, confused. I marched up to him, I felt hurt and confused. "Did you think you could tell me this and leave me hanging? No! I'm not going to take that."
"What are you saying?" He asked me.
"I'm saying that we have been friends ever since I can remember. We covered for each other and broke the law how many time. Because of that I am not letting you walk into a death wish of becoming a runner," I scolded him.
"Okay I'm confused," Dylan raised his brow.
"Of course you are. It's easy to confuse you. That is exactly the problem. When we were young, I covered for you and got you out of so many jams. Same with you for me," I explained.
"Can't you just tell me what you really mean. I hate when you are all cryptic," He shook his head.
I sighed. "I'm saying. I want to join you. I want to join you and the runners."
"No."
"What? Why not?" I explained.
"I am not going to risk your life…"
"Wait. Are you worried about me?" I asked him, laughing a bit.
"Yeah. Of course I am," He sternly nodded.
"Who was the one that walked across the pipes above 12 stories of open space? Who was the one that always took the risks?" I asked him.
"It's not about me being worried about you falling or anything. I am worried about the blues killing you. You're dad has no mercy. He won't think twice before shooting you. I don't want to put you in that position," He said worryingly.
"Listen. As far as my family is concerned, Fran is perfect daughter. I was the mistake. They only planned on having one kid. They won't notice I'm gone for at least a week," I shrugged.
"I am not taking you with me," He sternly proclaimed. "That is final."
I smiled and laughed, then grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back. He stood his ground but I could feel him wavering a bit. I wrenched his arm a bit more. "Now I am going with you."
I let go of his arm. He looked at me with worry. Finally he said, "Fine. I knew I should of just left."
"Yeah but if you would have left. I would have killed you. Just let me grab some stuff at home, then we can leave," I said.
"Why do I have a feeling that this is going to turn out bad?" he hung his head.