Chapter 2

It was not Priars prerogative to have been soon hunted by his peers, but what other choice would he have? Bramblewood was a place for psychopathic individuals, as well as masochistic outliers within society. He'd been an outsider to the world all his life, but at least he would not have been killed for it.

"Escape the building by any means." Dahlia's voice projected in a midst of confusion. The hall was in uproar, mass clusters of trainees formed at the doors howling to be let free from their imprisonment.

BANG

A single gunshot rang his ears. He did not see where it came from, only that it was within the room. A rush of panic washed over him, most of those his age under the same duress. He needed to get out as soon as possible, it didn't matter if he trampled, maimed, or broke someone to do it.

The congealed crowd thrashed against one another violently, faces mingled to a single color. Priar could no longer tell one apart from another, quickly losing Slug in the cesspool of savagery. When the doors finally opened his head felt light from the shouting. The threat of failure quickly instigated violence. One of the faceless teens elbowed him in the ribs, another had kicked him in the back ejecting him further forward. In the frenzy they'd left the auditorium and tripped over themselves to get back to the front door, only to distressingly realize that the doors they'd entered had been closed indefinitely.

A hand tightly enclosed around Priar's wrist and yanked him back through a wall of crazed trainees. A slender hand of which belonged to Slug. In the scuffle he watched as many more of his soon-to-be classmates tumbled down the stairs. Worse than that he saw above the door was an opened window from the auditorium's balcony; a group of teens, little older than Priar, watched the class scramble for their lives. At the center was a dark skinned gentleman, his head shaven to a buzz with a long well kept beard housing a laugh of pure amusement. Unlike most of the people wearing various service garb, this man wore a clean tuxedo, with a bowtie to boot. In one hand he held a glass of champagne, the other a smoking gun, aiming it to the ceiling. 

Slug dragged Priar away from the crowd to a darkened spot under the stairs, covered from view of the potential threats that watched them fumble with the locks. "Are you alright?" He'd gotten to the tops of his toes to yell in Priar's ear. 

Priar's eyes still rolled around in his head. He could hardly stand up straight, but despite it he told Slug."I'm good." The breath hardly made it out of him. "What did she mean by threat?"

"I don't know, but I sure as hell don't want to find out." Slug frantically searched for a way out of their precarious circumstance. "C'mon this way." Slug led him through the crowd, but the sea of stubborn trainees did not allow him to pass. Those that knew of the door being sealed tight had no other choice but to go back, but those that did not, continued to push their way through to the only safety they had known. 

They pushed Slug back, stumbling over a dozen bodies. Slug, despite his lack of muscle, got back up and pushed even harder, sending three intermingled individuals to collide into the backs of those doing the same ahead, resulting in a small pocket of dominos falling one after the other, paving the way. The pair made it to a less condensed space along the wall, not at all comfortable, as Priar would still have to squeeze himself between people but at the very least it was towards something. A few short shoves further put them at the face door, it held the same intricate delicacies and continued to share that same golden lining. Neither of them had known where that door led, but anything was better than their current situation. 

BANG 

Another gunshot just as they squeaked through the threshold and out the other side. What awaited them was a long hallway, chandeliers scored the ceiling in batches of three. A handful of trainees followed, but not long after- split off in their own miniature groups. Slug shoved Priar into the first unlocked door he found, slamming it shut behind them. Freshly polished stoves lined the walls, mounted on such were ovens holding baked goods hidden beneath aluminum foil. A line of tables were opposite the walls stocked with prepared fruits and vegetables. At the very corner of the room was a large industrial fridge that hummed its unconscious tone. It would be the only consistent sound they'd hear for hours. It wasn't what he'd had in mind, but a "sanctuary" nonetheless. Even so- a sanctuary was not the decided savior. Slug had led Priar into a secluded room with only one way in or out. A sure death sentence for them both.

"How are we supposed to get out of here?" Priar asked nervously. 

"I don't know! I'm just doing what feels right." Slug stated with conviction. He pushed a table in front of the door, solidifying themselves in a hiding spot that was sure to be found.

"What's that going to do, Slug?" Priar snapped.

"Keep them out! What else would it do?" Slug replied, like he'd been the one with reason. His naivety angered Priar, but what else could they do. Everywhere outside would be a no man's land. What he needed was to think. Think of anything to get himself safely out of this mess and back on that plane home. He surely wasn't staying in a school full of psychopaths.

Slug moved one of the stools underneath the table to pile onto the barricade. Sweat formed at his brow as he went back to grab another object. "Would you help me move this? Kind of getting tired of doing all the work myself." 

"Hell no! You're crazy!" Priar's thoughts were frantic, he could only imagine his meaningless end. Shot by his own teacher, left alone in the world with no one to mourn his passing. To die like this would be a disgrace to himself. "You can keep doing whatever, while I look for a way out"

His fingers found hold underneath the table, and pulled it away from the door. Slug rushed to stop him pushing the table back in place. "You're going to give us both away by doing that!" 

"And only one of us is getting caught for it dumbass, now move!" he kicked Slug back to the floor, removing the barricade almost completely. Slug rushed to his feet prepared to fight for this argument.

Then the doorknob began to shake, whoever was on the other side was either desperately trying to escape or hungrily on the prowl. Slug's eyes widened as he rose to his feet, he hadn't thought about an outcome as dire as this.

"Shit! What do we do?" Slug whispered.

Priar backed away from the door, "Don't let them in." Priar replied in the same tone.

THUMP 

The person on the other side of the door had kicked it in, wood shavings exploding from the hinges. This was no trainee. 

Priar hid himself in one of the cabinets under the sink, tucking tightly beside a bottle of bleach. Slug hid in the darkest corner of the room and slid over the fridge to block him into the darkness entirely. The person had broken a hole through the door with their foot, what's left of the barricade toppling over. A head peered into the kitchen and saw the scattered tables and tossed fruits. He whistled in amusement. 

"Ms. Cath is not going to be happy with this, guys." the hunter said. From a shroud of darkness he yelled "Is there anybody here?" He sounded no older than 20. Maybe a year or two older than Priar. "I'm one of the good guys, you're safe with me." He attempted. "I'm supposed to help you all get to the exits so if you're in here let me know now." Priar would not falter, Slug the same. Neither of the boys giving themselves away. He was in the room now and all Priar could do was hope that he found Slug first. "Come on out, guys. I know you're here. You can trust me!" he checked a corner quickly, as something buzzed to life. He held a crackling taser next to his face, the light illuminating a frustrated glare as he fiddled with the switches on it. Long brown hair tied neatly behind his ears, his face painted with a frustrated glare. He wore a uniform much similar to theirs only his was darker shade of green. "You guys did a good job on the door, but I'm afraid we don't teach any courses on desertion, so sadly zero points."

The man crept closer to Slug's side of the room. He pulled himself further into the shadow, but it would only have the opposite effect as Slug bumped against the fridge, shifting it only slightly. 

The electricity popped in excitement as the hunter revealed a satisfied grin. 

Priar, from within the cabinet, heard Slug's pleading, before a deafening silence. He flinched when he heard Slug's body hit the ground. All he could do now was stay as still as possible. Priar moved his hand to his mouth to cover his breath, in his fear his hand hit the bleach bottle, causing it to tumble over. He closed his eyes hoping the man didn't hear it. Not long after his cabinet door swung open, his widened eyes painted an image for Priar's nightmare to run with for the next few years of his life. That same electricity crackled from a taser, held only inches away from his chest.