You Are Me

Part 5 - Escape

I was glad I left off the alarm as the door opened. Behind me, I was sure I felt a shadow and heard a creak. I ignited the gas and shut the door. Flame curled under it and blasted to the ceiling. The room across from my dorm was absolutely dark. I closed the door behind us and paused to listen.

The crackling of flame was subtle but mounting. I could smell the gasoline with every breath. Myra flashed an LED around. There was no movement. We crept carefully but still managed to stumble on every piece of furniture before finding the window. Naturally, it was locked tight.

Working on touch through our gloves and with my broom helping, we grabbed a small table and slammed it towards the window. The shattering was thankfully muted by a sudden explosion from the other direction. Still, the noise kept me on edge.

Getting through the window was fine with how we were dressed. Still, the metal sides of the windows stabbed into my hands. At least I wasn't bleeding. Myra went first onto the side. She looked into the next room but didn't use her LED. After a moment, she ushered me onward.

I thought I saw a shadow move in the darkness of the next dorm. I tried to keep still but no terrors burst forth from it. I thought I could hear a voice somewhere in the darkness, but I ignored it. It felt far away.

The journey on the ledge was long with my broom and pack on my back. My gloves were pretty cut up by the end. Myra promised to scout ahead in the fire escape. I waited once she entered.

I counted and knew that if it took more than two minutes then I would have to make my way back to the fire escape on the opposite side.

As the seconds ran, I felt fear ripple through me like I'd never felt it in all my encounters. I could feel the flames. It was warm even this far out. I wasn't sure if there was enough safe area to make it to the other fire escape.

Just as the counting inside my head approached the limit, the door creaked open and Myra ushered me through. The stairwell had only a sliver of crimson light at the bottom, the EXIT sign. Only one window. It was the perfect spot for an ambush.

I listened for a moment as I took the steps in the darkness. I could just hear the scuffing of my boots. This was far too easy. It felt wrong. But I kept moving despite my worries and pulled my broom out from behind me.

At the bottom, I listened above. The smoke was pungent and dense, but I could only hear the growing flames. Through the window, I saw the dorm opposite was aflame. Our blind throws worked. There was enough light to see the parking lot. No cover for our run, of course.

Myra looked at me and muttered, "Let me get it started."

That sounded strangely sacrificial of her, but I nodded.

She slipped out the door quickly and quietly. I could barely see her on her way to the van. I glanced up and bent my LED up the stairs. It was a visible beam with all the smoke. I suppressed a cough and shined the light around.

Then, I heard an upper door slam open. Quickly, footsteps dashed down the stairs.

I ran through the door and into the parking lot. The buildings around were bright with flame. The dorm looked fully-consumed in the middle. My room was gone.

I didn't pause. I ran the distance to the parking lot and clung to the van.

Myra was already in the driver's seat. I pulled open the door as her screwdriver turned and the ignition started. Despite hearing a dozen horrible sounds behind me, I watched her. She looked strangely calm.

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She turned and said, "I'll drive."

"No! Move over!"

She looked bothered, but she moved aside on the front bench. I made sure my broom was set at my feet and locked the door. I slammed the van out of park, turned the headlights high, and drove with my foot to the floor.

I hit the edges of cars along the way, but I jumped the curb out of the parking lot and onto the side street that cut through the college.

More than watching the road, I watched Myra. She didn't lock her door and she avoided looking behind her. The area behind the front bench was dark, especially with the electricity off in this area. I noticed the main road still had some streetlights on.

I took a breath and swerved. Two feminine-shaped shadows rolled in the rearview mirror and caught a flash of streetlight. It was them.

Before I could yell, Myra stammered, "I'm sorry. No choice. I had to serve. Make a deal…cooperate." That was all she managed before I grit my teeth and slammed the van the other way.

Together, even their words flailing, they spoke, "You are us. We wanted you in our own way. How we desire. We deal for two."

Myra gasped and looked behind her. I could see them dimly in the rearview mirror and swerved again. Myra screamed, "That's not the deal! I give him up in my way. You get him. Only him! That's our deal."

Despite the tight curve over and onto the curb, one of them lashed out at Myra. She fought with keeping her escape route of an unlocked door from opening and grabbing the broom to fend them off. But it was one thing too much.

One girl flailed to grab me by the head, but I was already down. With my next swerve, her hand pressed right into Myra's face. A heavy bump kicked her back, but Myra was frozen in terror with the rippling conversion of her features. Glaring her down, I raised my broom with one hand and hit her into the door. It was enough for her to tumble through and out into oblivion.

I could only think then that Ethan would've had the perfect thing to say. But I only indulged the thought a moment before I ducked down and reversed. The two tumbled dangerously forward and flailed at me again. I could feel the air disturbed by their grabs. Their fragrance was everywhere.

Just when it seemed they were right at my hairy arms, the van vaulted over a low wall. I was jerked back and so were they. With a little flash through the rearview mirror, I could tell the back doors were broken. Tensing, I gunned it and squealed the tires down the street.

The tumbling was too much for them as they rolled through the broken doors and out of the van. One of them clawed onto the back for a moment but I soon heard them fall off too.

As the streetlights flashed overhead and the passenger side door shut on its own, I glanced down at my right arm and yanked off my glove. They had gotten close to touching me. I couldn't quite tell for sure with the brief flashes, but my arm didn't look quite as hairy as usual.

I took a deep breath and checked it between screeching around abandoned cars in the road. I felt fine otherwise, but I knew two minutes would tell for sure.

As I sat there and drove into the unknown darkness beyond the lights, I felt my pounding heart slow. There was nothing I could do. Not for Ethan. Not for my family. Not for Myra. Maybe not even for me.

Slowing the van a little, I worked a candy bar out of one of the side pockets of my bag and bit deeply into it. It was one of Ethan's favorites.

It was delicious.

END SECTION ONE - "YOU ARE ME"