The Running Man: Chapter 22

Stuart's P.O.V.
I watched as Josh stepped through the portal. His body was instantly wisked away in a flash and I presumed he was at Nadine's Castle. I continued to watch as one by one, other memebrs stepped forward into the portal. I didn't hurry, I wasn't desperate.

That continuous thought was edging through my mind: ''This is suicide. It didn't work the first four times we tried, and it always failed''. Not very inspirational like Josh's speech about the time before this. Each word he spewed was a pleasant memory of home, before nadine's rule when being half immortal was an adventure, and camp. . . there were plenty of those: places of fun and mischeif, places of survival and discipline, places of. . . of. . . brotherhood. Places that it didn't matter who your parent was, places where they didn't care where you were from. Everyone was your family, they would watch your back as you watched theirs.

I stared down at my missing arm: a solid, cold mirror in metal of itself attached to the stump of my elbow. Never again would it bleed, never again to grasp, never again shall it feel. I rubbed my patch, where the sight of my eye remained in eternal darkness. The horrible manifest that remained was sickening to look at and was covered up by leather on a strap over my head. I patted my chest, in remeberence of the pain that had been inflicted on it so many times: physical and emotional: The times we tried and failed, escaped and burrowed, captured and tortured. Death was never there to take the pain away anymore. Too long have we lived: wandering with no end like a hamster on a wheel that doesn't come off.

I saw as the reamining of the team continuously stepped through the portal. I couldn't help but remember the poem by Alfred, Lord Tennyson: The Charge of the Light Brigade. As I stepped forward to take my steps into the portal I read outloud the words to myself:

Half a league, half a league, Half a league onward, All in the valley of Death Rode the six hundred. "Forward, the Light Brigade! "Charge for the guns!" he said: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.

When ever I look back at the time and planning of this, I haveonly myself to blame. Those men and women marched right in when i hadn't a clue of what would await us.

"Forward, the Light Brigade!" Was there a man dismay'd? Not tho' the soldier knew Someone had blunder'd: Theirs not to make reply, Theirs not to reason why, Theirs but to do and die: Into the valley of Death Rode the six hundred.

I thought back at those days, when we were many, during the earlier rebellions. There were armies verses armies of half immortals. Probably our most glorius was our third rebellion: We won every battle till it came to Nadine's castle when they always ambushed us.

Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon in front of them Volley'd and thunder'd; Storm'd at with shot and shell, Boldly they rode and well, Into the jaws of Death, Into the mouth of Hell Rode the six hundred.

We were ready for this, we worked our hides securiong no reinforcements would come to aid Nadine. we seemed to have her on the ropes.

Flash'd all their sabres bare, Flash'd as they turn'd in air, Sabring the gunners there, Charging an army, while All the world wonder'd: Plunged in the battery-smoke Right thro' the line they broke; Cossack and Russian

Everytime I close my eyes I remember that dreadful assault. Our forces were broken the minute they attacked with such swift in speed. the lines were smashed and the discipline faded. We stood no chance to Nadine's force. we had to retreat.

Reel'd from the sabre stroke Shatter'd and sunder'd. Then they rode back, but not Not the six hundred.

Cannon to right of them, Cannon to left of them, Cannon behind them Volley'd and thunder'd; Storm'd at with shot and shell, While horse and hero fell, They that had fought so well Came thro' the jaws of Death Back from the mouth of Hell, All that was left of them, Left of six hundred.

Before I placed my foot into the portal. I still questioned the outcome: Should we lose this day again and end up captives again with the worst of the worst of tortures awaiting us. Should we win and live on with the possibilities of immortal life forever? If I should die, I will want it to be this day of all. If not, life is still full of oppitunities.

When can their glory fade? O the wild charge they made! All the world wondered. Honor the charge they made, Honor the Light Brigade, Noble six hundred. I stepped through the portal and joined the Charge.