Beyond the Thorns: A Novel

The entirety of the Tested formed around me as we walked to the beds. I climbed to my bed, for the last time.

We’re breaking out. Tonight.

I lay down, pretending to fall asleep, as was everyone else. We waited, and waited, and waited. The Curio had shut and lock the doors, a loud sigh was heard from below me.

The Curio are gone.

Me and Iris kicked our blankets over the one-sided mirror, as did two other Tested did with the other side of the room. The four of us silently descend, Iris opened the bottom half of her white polo shirt, a map of the Lab was jotted on her stomach with pen and marker. I narrow my eyes to see it before making my way to the correct door, I stare at it intensely as it made a muffled click.

Someone rolled over, signaling to the others to get up. They silently make their ways down and around. Sam walked forward and camouflaged himself, he silently walked out as Sonia watched him via. her heat vision. After a second she glided out, followed by Knives, Micheal, and Ty. Then Joanna, Louis, Missy, and George. Then the rest of us.

We speedwalk (thanks to Ghost’s abnormality), pause in some areas, and speedwalk again until reaching the intersection right in front of the final door.

The door to freedom.

I stare at it with daggers as the keypad on it goes green, as it does, Sam darts and exits.

Sonia waves up Ray and they look to each side, signaling one at a time to leave as I unlock it. Lemon. Harper. Daniel. Iris. Mary. Annabelle. Slate. Mosa. Antadon. Most everyone has left, Honeycomb was about to go when Ray scrambled behind the wall.

Someone is coming.

Everyone froze, Flit pressed his hand into the wall as we were enveloped by a spectral sense.

All except for Honeycomb.

Knives stepped forward, the always angry expression he wore faltered. Until rage ensued. His flesh contorted in his arms as sharp bones began to carve their way out of his skin. When they breached they were stained with the red of his blood, they floated in the air beside him as he aligned them telepathically towards the hall Ray was keeping watch off.

He was out to kill.

He stepped forward, the rage reddening his face. Coil quickly took to action, her fingers becoming thick, flesh-colored cords that enveloped the raging Knives. She pulled him back as Honeycomb’s skin began to look encased in a thick fluid, her figure warping underneath until she looked like nothing but a part of the floor.

A Curio walked right on top of where Honeycomb once was, thinking nothing of it as he walked out the door. And left. I hope and pray for the others outside to already be far, far away.

Until the walls are lit red.

“Run,” I hiss. “Run. Run!” I push everyone ahead of me aggressively.

They found us out.

I froze in fear. Luke shoved me off of balance, “run! Hurry! Get outta’ here! We have to run!” He shouts, panic encouraging every action he does.

I spin around and help him rush people out as a loud crunch causes the door before us to fly away, wind rushing towards us.

Real wind. I pause again before shoving Flit towards the door. Luke, again, shoves my forward, “what are you doing? Go, Cana! Go run away and hide before they find you!”

“But what about you?” I pause.

“No buts- who knows what they will do to everyone after this. You have to run. Now.” I feel someone grab my wrist.

It was Mist.

“Do you want to die here? This is our only chance. Did you believe in me for nothing?” Her eyes were clear. Cold. Scared.

“Wha-”

“Luke will be fine, but you won’t if we don’t run and hide.” She yanks me out the door and runs. I grab onto Luke and bring him along.

I don’t want anyone to die.

He pries his hand away and pushes me away. His eyes melancholy, he knows.

He knows this is his end.

I falter but Mist yanks me up again. We barrel over and roll. Roll, roll, roll until we crash into a wall.

Or so I thought. Was that a pole? I didn’t have enough time before Mist drags me into a ditch of wetness.

What is that? Where am I?

That’s right. I’m out of the Lab.

I’m free.

Dammit Cana- it’s do or die and you plan to let them capture you. After all this? Are you insane?

I grab her and pull her over the hill, which results in us tumbling and tumbling until we hit a rusty pole. I hear a sickening crack from one of us as we crash into it, before we could think I drag her into a ditch of brown water. I pull her towards me, if one of us gets caught we’re both dead.

I flatten my hair and ears and close my eyes. Under my eyelids I see Luke. He’s running off to the right of the Laboratory. That is until a Curio tackles him. Strangles him. After a little while I jolt back to the wet ditch. My face slightly sticky as I return, I slowly reach my hands to my face.

It was wet. Like water coming from my eyes. Tears. Am I… crying?

Cana nudges me, “are you okay? What happened? Was it a vision..? Was it Luke? Is he okay?”

I look at my hands, they are shaking. Shaking. What is happening to me? I feel Cana start to tremble beside me. She knew.

Luke is dead. Because of the Curio, he is dead.

Crunch-. Someone is coming. I smack my arm across Cana’s torso, making her go into the brown water fully as I hold my breath and do the same. Water rushes into my ears and nostrils as I sink. I see a small light, a lantern being held by a yellow-beige blob.

A Curio.

Anger rises in my throat as I draw into darkness.

They will pay.