The Way Out

Melissa snapped her eyes open.

“Holy shit!” she said. She pushed herself to her feet.

“Wow.”

Spencer lay naked at her feet unconscious. Melissa poked his head with her foot.

“Hey. Hey. Get up!” She poked him again. He let out a low groan. Okay, he’s fine. She shrugged to herself. She’d deal with him later. Melissa took a glance around. Good, it was here. The question was where. She looked to the left and then to the right. The thief pointed forward.

“There,” she said. Melissa began walking forward.

----------

So much white everywhere. It didn’t feel like Melissa was moving. Still, she knew that she was close. Tiny pulses filled the air. The thief could see the gold.

“Heh,” she said. “Hello, Pride.” Looked like she was close. Fifty-fifty guess, really. The thief whistled.

“My, my. My. He really is that powerful.” Maybe too powerful. She was going to have to make it quick.

“Reily! Reily, where are you?” Melissa took a pause to listen. Low hums filled her left ear.

“Hmmm.” Her chest felt warm. “Oh.” Melissa looked down.

“Ah.”

-------------

“Reily! Reily, wake up! Reily! Reily!” A hand reached out and shook her shoulder.

“Hey! Hey!” The shaking grew rougher. The girl slowly opened her eyes.

“Oh good. You’re still here.”

Reily’s vision became clearer. Melissa stood, leaning in front of her.

“Yo!” she said with a wave.

“Huh?” Reily asked.

“You alright?” she asked. The girl’s mouth hung open. Melissa held out her hand.

“Here,” she said. Reily stared up at her, blinking. Melissa put emphasis on her hand. The vessel took hold.

“There you go,” Melissa said.

“Quinn?” Reily asked.

“Hm?” the thief asked. The girl lifted her head.

“Quinn? Quinn?” she asked. Melissa took her by the cheeks.

“Hey!” she shouted. “Stay with me here!” Reily started looking around.

“Quinn! Quinn! Quinn!” she shouted. Melissa rolled her eyes. Really? They were going to do this? Melissa took a breath. Fine, time to do this the hard way.

Whack!

Reily dropped like a stone. Melissa looked down.

“Sorry about that,” she said. She wasn’t really. There was still shit to do. Melissa picked up Reily and carried her off.

-----------

Quinn was harder to find. Melissa clicked her tongue. That wasn’t the only problem.

The air started to shake around her. Melissa slowly looked up.

“Oh.” Looks like she would have to pull out her last resort. She clicked her tongue.

“Damn it.” What choice did she have? She would have to do it now. Melissa held her fist in the air. She took a deep breath.

That’s when something caught her attention.

“There you are,” she said. Quinn’s body twitched, but he was still alive. Melissa put her hand to his forehead.

“Damn,” she said. “He’s not going to last long at this rate.” Melissa heaved him up onto her other shoulder and teleported back to Spencer.

She had to put all three of them around her feet. Melissa drew in another breath as the air shook around her. She closed her eyes and held up her fist. The thief opened it and light purple dust fluttered out. Melissa chanted as fast as she could. She could hear the seconds ticking away. The thief just hoped she had enough.

Things grew dark around their circle and then…

They were gone. All of them.