Keys of Chaos - Short Story

“This is how we leave each other?”

I ran as fast as I could, high-tailing my way out of there. “Ryan, anytime now!” I screamed into the phone. “I’m getting here as fast as I can, Ben!” He replied. I checked my surroundings, I saw a car racing towards me, a high-school aged boy in the driver’s seat. I sped towards the open passenger door, stumbling with every step. “I’m coming!” I yelled out to Ryan. My legs hurt, my vision clouded from exhaustion. I can make it, I can make it! I told myself. The car was just a few feet away. All of a sudden, someone’s foot whipped out in front of me, tripping me. I fell head first onto the concrete sidewalk. Half conscious, I lifted my head from the sidewalk, only to see blood dripping out of my nose. I felt gashes all over my face and bump on my head. When I felt it to see how big it was, I realized it was huge, but I felt something more. I looked at the finger I had used to feel the bump, seeing a tremendous amount of blood on it. I laid on my back, looking at the sky. Two heads came into my view, one elderly man, and Ryan. He quickly dismissed the man, then turned to me. “I will have whatever is behind that door, and nothing will get in my way.” Tears in my eyes, I said, “After all those years, this is how we leave each other? We’ve been friends for years!” He turned his back on me, then said, “You brought this on yourself.” With his legs trembling, tears streaming down his cheeks, he left. Seconds later, my vision went black.

Jail

The next thing I knew, I was laying on the cold floor of a holding cell. I groaned, “What… what happened?” I looked towards the metal bars, and saw an officer standing there, watching me. “You were arrested for stealing two pricless gold balls from a senior citizen,” The officer explained. “The chief is coming to see you.” I stared at the cold, rough ground with no response. Just minutes later, the chief walked in, accompanied by another man. It was Ryan! Everything came back to me. He’d betrayed me, and I was so full of anger I could punch him. “You are dismissed.” The chief told the officer. “Thanks to this young man, we caught you trying to steal some very expensive items from an old man. And according to your record… let’s see, Ben Isima… You’ve had countless arrests trying to steal rather peculiar items.” He said. “You’ll stand trial in three days.” I gulped. As many times as I’d been arrested, I’d never really gotten into trouble. Ryan smirked. “I’m going to leave, see you!” He said happily, then he walked out. “I’ll be going too. Another officer will be coming to watch over you.” The chief said. As the new officer came in, I told him this was all a big misunderstanding, and that Ryan was bad, but he wouldn’t budge. “I’ll tell you the whole story!” I said in a last desperate attempt. “Spill it.” He said, intrigued.

Revelation

I revealed it all, everything I swore not to tell anyone. “Those gold balls that’re on the ground right now, they’re keys. Keys to something beyond us. The man we stole from, he’s a Keeper. He might not know it, but since the dawn of humanity on this Earth he has kept those. Kept them safe from evil.” I finished with a big breath. “How do you know all of this?” The officer inquired. “I’ll show you later.” I said calmly. “How do I know you’re not lying?” He asked. “This story is insane!” “Give me my phone, I have some pictures on that.” I said calmly. With little hesitation, he took the phone off the counter and slid it through the cell bars. I unlocked my phone, but instead of heading for my photos, I texted another person who I knew. She knew about the Keys, and was right outside of the station, in case something went wrong. “Actually, nevermind. I don’t feel like proving myself innocent, because I’m not!” I said crazily. Seconds later the ceiling fell on top of the officer, no doubt ensuring his future on a wheelchair… or completely destroying it. A woman in full black leather jumped down. “Hey, Ben.” Ava said cooly.

Escape

Man, she really does know how to make an entrance. I thought as I drove a black KIA SUV. “So how’d you break in?” I asked. “Pulsar 2.0. Don’t worry, I perfected it so we don’t incinerate SSIT Labs and half of the city.” She joked. Wait, was she joking? “O-okay then.” I said. “Anyways, you ready to see what’s behind that door?” Ava said with excitement. “Natural criminals, always excited to do things that’ll get them killed. Although I can’t be talking.” I laughed. She chuckled. “Oh, yo-” She was interrupted as the car jolted to a halt. I heard a loud explosion in the back. I turned my head to her, and started sobbing instantly. Ava had a metal piece of the car stuck in her chest. “Open that door.” She exhaled for the last time, and her eyes closed. Ryan opened the passenger seat door and said, “You can’t open that door. Give me the Keys.”

Attack

“Never!” I sobbed, trying to run. He grabbed me by the arm and whispered, “You don’t have to do this. You know what you could do, you know that opening the door could unleash unspeakable evil on the world.” “I do, and that’s why I’m doing it!” I yelled. I punched him in the face and grabbed the Pulsar and the Keys from the wreckage. Moments later, police sirens blared onward. We were just a mile from the cave, all I had to do was get there with the Keys and open the door. “You took Ava from me!” I screamed at him, as I ran into a bush out of sight.

All I was doing was running for what seemed like forever with no water, and 50 pounds of shiny golden balls and a Pulsar in my hands. Ava, I really need you right now… I told myself, wincing at the thought of my dead best friend.

Opening the Door

I finally reached the cave. There was an entrance in the village, so I jogged around looking for one. It was a primitive landscape, just a few families with straw roofs and sticks for walls. I hurried up, knowing Ryan would be coming. C’mon, c’mon, where is it? Darn my forgetful head! I screamed at myself, worried a car would show up any minute. I saw a small crevice in between two houses, so I ran to it, and saw the entrance. It was blocked up by boulders, so I grabbed the Pulsar 2.0 and shot it. Boom! The boulders exploded into hundreds of tiny pebbles, opening up the entrance. This is it. I thought, and jumped in.

I dropped the Pulsar at the entrance, thinking I wouldn’t need it to open the door. I trudged down the dark and damp cave, following the faint glow. After just a few minutes, I saw the door. It was more enchanting than I had remembered. It was a Victorian style mahogany door that was in perfect shape. I took out the Keys from the pouch, and put them in the spherical holes in the doorframe. As I put in the last Key, I heard a voice that made my blood run cold. “You don’t have to do this.”

It was Ava. “A-Ava? I thought you were dead!” I exclaimed, excited yet confused. “You might have thought that, but I’m alive, now listen up. I said you don’t have to do this.” She said coldly. “You know what’s behind that door. You know it would turn the world into a hub for chaos. Countless would die, why would you want this? You’re not a murderer!” She cried. “Well maybe I am.” I said, turning the handle and opening the door.

“No!” Ava roared, as she pushed me down onto the ground and closed the door simultaneously. “You’re right, I shouldn’t have done that…” I whispered. “Thank you.” We got up to see Ryan with the Pulsar 2.0 in his hands. Just then one of the Keys started glowing a blinding white light. It started flying towards Ryan. He panicked and started running, but it was too fast for him. The second it made contact with him, his eyes turned red, then he said, “Time to die!” and fired the Pulsar straight at us.