Free Champions of the Apocalypse by Michael G. Thomas Page B

about, hopefully making himself ready to jump. Synne gave one last look to the side of the train to check the ground, it was dark but this looked like the last stretch of grass before they reached the rocks and mountainside.
    “Now!” she shouted.
    With great effort, the six passengers lifted themselves up to the side of the cart. The ground below hurtled past at a frightening speed. It didn’t stop Synne though who jumped first, quickly followed by the other four. As they hit the ground and disappeared into the darkness a small group from Jonas’s cart did the same. Synne hit the ground hard but did her best to roll and she tumbled along the grass until coming to a halt. The rest seemed unscathed apart from Jenson who was howling in pain on the floor. Synne lifted herself up quickly and moved over to check him. As she moved, she heard shouting from the train. As it moved away, she spotted the man who had refused to jump. He was standing up on cart, presumably too scared to jump but waving his arms and drawing attention to them and himself.
    “Stupid moron, he’ll get us caught!” cried Jonas who was jogging back towards the group.
    A flash of smoke came from one of the guards on the train and the man tumbled in agony from the train and hit the ground hard. Synne ran over to him, followed by two of the others. When she reached him he was already dead, his neck or back must have been broken because he was completely still, killed outright.
    “Look, his stomach,” said one of the escaped prisoners.
    A pool of dark blood was forming on the man’s stomach and more dripped from behind him.
    “What kind of weapon could do that?” asked Jonas.
    “I think I know,” answered Synne.
    Several more flashes came from the train and the whistle and whine of crossbow bolts and metal rounds flew past them to thud into the ground. The oncoming fire forced the group to scatter and try to find immediate shelter in the open ground. A scream of metal came from the tracks along with shouting. The train was slowing and alongside the wheels, great orange sparks sprayed like a great display. A horrifying scream from the grinding metal of the wheels in the tracks was all the signal the group needed to know their escape had been detected.
    “You idiot!” shouted Synne, as she looked down at the man who had blown their opportunity,
    “Come on, they’ll be here any second!” shouted Jonas.
    Synne nodded and joined them as they turned and ran from the tracks and towards the rocks leading to the mountains. Synne and Jonas rushed over to Jenson who was still groaning as the rest moved ahead.
    “Move it, Jenson, we need to go!” shouted Synne.
    Jonas and Synne grabbed him about the arms and lifted him up. He howled but did his best to keep moving as they followed the rest as they made their way to mountains. Eleven prisoners were running as fast as they could, but the distance between the base of the mountains seemed to be just as far by the time the train had stopped. They kept moving though even though Synne felt her lungs would burst at the exertion. A flicker of light and smoke came from the dark train and another volley of ammunition blasted around them. It did nothing of note other than to give them all encouragement to keep moving. A dozen guards were now on the ground and running towards them. Every few seconds one would stop and fire his crossbows as they went.
    It all seemed to be working when one of the prisoners from Jonas’ cart was hit in the shoulder. The impact was heavy and he stumbled and then fell into the undergrowth. Synne saw him fall and would have rushed to help him apart from the fact that she was already helping to move Jenson. The wounded man stood up and as he stopped to pull out the bolt, a second struck him in the back of the head killing him instantly. His lifeless body toppled forward and to the ground.
    “We can’t stop, we need to get into cover!” cried Synne.
    The first of the group had reached the