<div>

I ran faster as the sound of footsteps echoed through the empty lobby, and a loud, manly voice yelled something I couldn't quite comprehend. I recognized the deep voice and knew at once whom the heavy footsteps belonged to, and I felt frightened, like an ant inches away from a charging elephant. The wind blew my long, dark tresses across my face, obstructing my view, and my feet felt like toothpicks, fragile and ready to snap at any second but I ran on, I refused to be defeated this time.</div>
<div>

I jumped into a bush decorated with crimson flowers, filled with the sweetest nectar, and caught my breath. There was an unbearable pain on one side of my stomach and a heavy pounding in my head, but despite that I was charged with enough adrenaline to run a marathon.</div>
<div>

All of a sudden, I felt the leaves of the bush I was hidden in rustle, and then a slim figure fell beside me, panting rapidly. She was an ally, we had spoken twice at the most, yet at a time like this we were family. Her wide eyes and alert posture told me she was as afraid as I was, possibly more as I was one of the fastest and most agile, while she was much slower and clumsy in comparison.She gripped her gun firmly, and scanned the grounds for our enemies, and once sure we weren't being followed, she turned to look at me.</div>
<div>

The question in her brown eyes was clear; should we run to the safe house? It stood just ten meters away, a wooden swing with a little rooftop, presently without anyone guarding it, but the risk was immense. If we were caught this would be the end, we would loose not just the battle, but the war altogether. We had to hurry, there were a few minutes left before the navy-blue sky would darken further and the guards would assemble at the safe house, and the chance of the two of us succeeding against several of them was one in a billion.</div>
<div>

It was now, or never.</div>
<div>

I grabbed my gun and jumped up, and so did my companion, and we crept on to the muddy grass surrounding the safe house, my ally following my careful lead. It was good that our uniform was a dark-green and black, as we camouflaged well with our leafy surroundings.</div>
<div>

We stood closer than ever, at the edge between our territory and theirs, but there remained no sign of the guards. One step, another step- and then out of nowhere the adversary I feared and at the same time admired the most, the only one known to defeat me, dashed out from behind the hedge he was concealed in and pulled the trigger. The sound of bullets became louder and louder as he closed in on us, and it became very difficult to dodge the bullets. We were near the safe house, but the enemy was right at our tails, ferociously shooting every inch of us he could. I could spot his strategy, he was trying to shoot my friend, trying to get the weaker one of us, the obstruction, out the way. Then, his aim would be me.</div>
<div>

“We have to split up!” I shouted at my ally, just as a bullet headed for us. She didn't see it though. She was too busy running to the other side of the safe house, splitting up like I had commanded her to. I zoomed in front of her ready to pull her down, but it was too late.</div>
<div>

I managed to duck just in time, but my partner, my comrade, wasn't as lucky. The sound rung in my ears as the red light in her chest slowly disappeared,leaving just one red, and one yellow light remaining.</div>
<div>

“No!” I cried out. “No we were in this together!”</div>
<div>

We were both supposed to make it. The two of us together. Now I was the only one. It was all down to me.</div>
<div>

“Go!” my friend screamed. “Go on without me!”</div>
<div>

There was determination in her eyes, determination to watch me succeed. I couldn't let her efforts go in vain. I owed her, I owed my team this.</div>
<div>

I ran and ran and ran, faster than ever, channeling every last bit of power I had in me, and didn't stop until I was in close vicinity of the safe house. Then I turned around and aimed directly at the enemy's chest, and fired. It must have been luck, for I had never been great at shooting, but I got him. I got him right on his heart, and I watched the tiny yellow light slowly fade away. I did it. I knew I could, and I did it. We won. The battle, the war, it was over.</div>
<div>

Our teams entered the safe house and I could see the many emotions in their eyes- anger, disbelief, admiration, jealousy, and then a booming voice called out, “GAME OVER!”</div>
<div>

My team and I cheered and hugged as the other team groaned and complained, and to my surprise my worst enemy even ambled over to shake my hand.</div>
<div>

“Good game” He praised, “Who knew there would come a day you would beat me at laser tag?” </div>
<div>

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