[Rich]

Chapter 5

“Quick run!” said Ben, as the Sligs got closer.
I ran through the door the led to the tunnel out. They all followed me. The Sligs could hear us and began to run as well.

The tunnel was leading up and round. It probably led to the surface. I was tired, I hadn’t moved for weeks and my body was stiff.
Scar-eye helped me up the tunnel whilst Nat ran up ahead. We soon reached the surface. We were in an Elum Pen. Ben began moving large feeders and other things to block the tunnel entrance. Slig Bullets were on the floor. Dead Elum were everywhere. I sat on a pile of hay gasping for breath.

“How are you doing?” asked Ash.
“Okay” I answered.

The others were blocking the tunnel. I had a sudden thought. Why were they following me, they would probably end up dead as would I. I had no idea what to do.
I felt like I must leave them. I stood up and walked round a corner. There was another Elum Pen in front of me.
I entered it. All the Elum were alive. There were seven of them. I looked at the first one I came to. It’s nametag read ‘Bill’.

I mounted it out of my desire to leave my friends. They deserved to live a happy life; I would search for a solution myself. I pulled on the reigns and Bill bolted out of the door. Of course having lived in Slavery all my life I had never ridden an Elum before in my life. I fell off a few meters from the Pen.

“Jim!” Cried Dac
“What’re you doing?” yelled Nat.

I clambered to my feet. It was time to tell them.

“Listen Guys, I love you all as my Brothers but I got myself into this mess and I shall have to solve it. I don’t want you to come with me, you might die. Besides they are after me. After my chip. They want to dispose of me and get rid of the evidence” I sighed.

“I disagree,” Said Scar-eye. “We were all in this together, apart from Leo but he knows the story as well. We are all wanted. We all have the information and we shall solve this together”

“I don’t know,” I said. “I feel that you are following me needlessly”

“Jim! Do not worry. Your friends are making a honourable decision and are doing the right thing. Please be happy…” Said Rob.

I sighed again. “Do as you will”

They ran to the Elum Pen and emerged later with five Elum.
“We leave first thing in the morning” Called Ben.

I was relieved that they were coming because they wanted to free themselves of the Glukkons as well.
I thought about many things as I drifted into an uneasy sleep…