Please note this is a guest entry.

“...Time to start, three minutes.” The voice echoed from the nearby pipes.

“We have to leave” April said, fingers wrapped around Oliver’s shoulders. She wildly shook him.

“I know that!” He cried. “If we don’t make it in five minutes, the penalty--”

“You don’t understand. We can’t surrender a gladiator match.” April said.“I-It’s five on two.” Her teeth started chattering. “We’re going to be minced meat.”

Oliver spoke through his clenched teeth. “We can’t leave.”

“W-What do you mean, the door is right the--”

“No!” Oliver howled. “We tried already.”

“But... The door, it’s right there…” April repeated.

“April, last time we walked out that door with the intent of escaping” he took a deep breath, clenching his hand around his own wrist. “The nephilim came. Out there, they are just trying to catch you. In here, they tear troublemakers apart.”

“We can slip by. We have to try.”

Oliver raised his hand, stared at it for a few moments before tugging it close to his chest. “You have no idea.” His eyes glanced at April before landing on the ground. “Jason.” He shuddered. “They carved out the bones from his flesh. His entire arm hung down like a dripping red string of sausages before the screaming finally ceased.”

Oliver shook his head frantically. “We have to hurry, there’s under two minutes left--”

“Two minutes left?” April’s eyes drifted towards the door. “The voice said three--”

“Dee...Deee” A hoarse voice uttered from the pipe. “Dee-serters. Dee-ie.”

Oliver stared at April, who returned the gaze.

April gulped. She latched onto Oliver’s hand.

Rattle-rattle.

“Run!”

April darted towards the arena.

“April--APRIL! We can’t exit from there.” Oliver cried, as he was being dragged along.

“We’re not exiting. Find a rock, chair or something. We’re using the principle of levers.” She let go of Oliver.

“O-on the demon? Impossi--”

“Calm down, use your head.” April howled as she grabbed a handful of wooden quarterstaves meant for training.

Rattle-Rattle.

“Crap, it’s here.” Oliver howled.

“FOCUS. Get a fulcrum.”

“Here! A brick.” Oliver waved a brick from a broken wall.

“Too small.”

“We can stack them.”

“Gimme!”

RATTLE-RATTLE-RATTLE.

Oliver tossed a handful of bricks, one by one, to April.

“Last one.”

RATTLE. “Dee-ie.”

“No time.” April howled as she lodged several quarterstaves under the gate.

April threw herself on the end of the quarterstaves.

“Dee-iee.” The chain swung behind the beast’s shoulder.

KRRRR. The gate started opening. SNAP!

Oliver lifted the last brick. “HYAAA!” Boof.

“Graaah.” The beast shook its head.

“They broke, we’re dead.” April yelled.

Oliver darted to her side, grabbing onto her splint.

Clank-Clank. Oliver held two metal poles from the contraption. He shoved one into April's hand, while facing the demon.

“I’ll buy you five seconds.”

Rattle-Rattle.

Oliver darted to the side as a chain came crashing down, cracking the floor.

“Go.” April yelled.

Oliver slid under the opening, lodging his metal pole in the opening.

April threw herself under the gate as well.

The metal pole bent.

Crash.

April felt the air from the heavy gate lick her shins.

“I hope I can walk on two metal bars.”

“It’ll hold.” Oliver said. “For now.”

RATTLE-SLAAAM!

An indention extruded from the gate behind them. Oliver stared at the gate in horror.

RATTLE-SLAAM!

“It won’t hold long.” April said.

RATTLE-SLAM-RATTLE-SLAM.

“Crap.” April latched onto Oliver. “Go!”

Oliver yanked April back. “They don’t look too friendly.”

Five armed men stood in a formation with spears and shields.

SLAM.

April stared through a small crack, directly at the chest of the demon.

“They’ll get over it.” She yanked Oliver along.

SLAM

The gate crashed open.

“Brace for impact.” The man in the middle howled.

“Run, fools!” April howled at the men.

“She’s trying to break our for--” The man held his tongue and spun on his heels. “Scram.”

The sound of tens of boots hitting the ground filled the arena.

“The gate is closed, we’re cornered.” The man from the middle of the arena said.

Clank. Another pole from the splint was extracted. “Stack up four of your shields.”

Clack-Clack-clack-clack.

Rattle-Rattle.

She threw herself on the metal pole. “Last shield, lodge it and go.”

They slid under the gate one by one.

“What in the heaven’s name was that?!” The leader yelled.

“I’m April, this is Oliver. We’re leaving.” She reached out a hand.

“I’m Mike, this is--”

SLAM!

“By the Maker, it’s breaking through.” Mike said.

“It’ll hold ten strikes at best. We have to go.” Oliver said.

“We can’t escape, we’ll die.” Mike said.

April nodded towards the gate. “It’s that or die from that one--” SLAM!

Mike gulped. “Show the way?”

“Don’t know it.” April responded.

SLAM

“Uh… That's the chain.” Oliver said, pointing a finger at the arena gate.

Mike looked at his comrades and took a deep breath. “Move it!”

All seven bolted.

SLAM.

The chain tore the gate open.