Chapter 7 - No Escape
As the vehicles drive away Minerva quietly groans. Cherry calls out to her frantically.
“Minerva! Wake up!”
The helmet on Minerva’s head vibrates slightly.
“Come on! You have to get out of here!”
Minerva slowly sits up and removes the helmet. It clangs to the floor as she wipes the blood from her nose and mouth.
“What…? Where am I?”
“Hammer shot at you! The blast knocked you in the head!”
Minerva puts a hand to her forehead. “I… kinda remember that. Are they gone, Cherry?”
“Yes! But this place is going to blow up!”
“What?!”
“One of them said that as they were working on something on the desk!”
Minerva unsteadily gets to her feet, grabs her camera, and stumbles to the table. Her eyes grow wide as she sees the timer counting down.
“I… we have to get out!”
“Can’t you turn that thing off?!”
Minerva shakes her head. “Not on my BEST day! Messing with that might just set it off!”
She turns to hobble awkwardly toward the main entrance, but finds the trunk of a large tree blocking the now smashed doors. Frowning, she turns around.
“Let’s try that back way!”
As Minerva makes her way down the corridor as fast as she is able Cherry breathes a sigh of relief.
“Good idea! No guards now!”
They arrive at the loading dock. Minerva checks every overhead door but finds they all have old, rusted padlocks on them. She shakes her head woozily.
“This… this isn’t good.”
Cherry gasps. “What’s wrong?!”
Minerva falls to her knees. “Everything… floor is shaking!”
“What?”
“Did… did bomb go off?”
“No, Minerva. Nothing’s shaking.”
Minerva puts a hand to her forehead. “Are you sure?”
“Yes! Listen to me, Minerva! You took quite the blow to the head. I think it might have done more damage to you than I thought.”
Minerva holds her stomach. “I… I don’t feel good.”
“We have to get moving! There isn’t much time left!”
Minerva straightens up slowly but deliberately. “Where to then?”
Cherry looks around. “No idea. I… wait! Over there!”
“Where?”
“Over by the door you came in!”
Minerva weakly stands and shambles over to the door.
“What now?”
“To the right! See that diagram?!”
Minerva squints. “Y-yes. But I’m having trouble focusing. What is it?”
“It’s an egress map.”
“Really?”
“Yes! Try to hold your head still.”
Cherry looks over the map and sighs.
“Those were the only two ways out of here.”
“What… now?”
“I… I don’t know. A window?!”
Minerva shakes her head. “Not a chance. They’re really thick to prevent… patients with mental problems… from escaping the hospital. That and I don’t… I don’t have the strength to break one.”
“What if we found something really heavy?! How about that wrench over there?!”
“Where?”
“On the shelf to your left!”
Minerva turns and tries to pick up the wrench. However her fingers seem unable to hold it properly.
“Nope.”
“Keep trying!”
Minerva shakes her head. “Sorry. My hands just aren’t working right. The blow to my head maybe?”
She falls to the floor holding her head.
“Everything’s spinning again!”
“Minerva, I… I’m sorry.”
Minerva puts a hand on her stomach again. “What… what for?”
“Earlier I told you I’d look out for you. I failed in that task.”
“You tried… your best.”
“Yes, but I failed you!”
“It’s okay.”
“How can you be so casual about this?! I mean, you’re going to die!”
“I… I’m going to go out doing what I love. Everyone should be so fortunate. But what about you?”
“Me?”
Minerva nods. “A helmet won’t survive the entire building… coming down on it.”
“Nothing can happen to me… that hasn’t already done so. If there was anything I could do for you now, I would.”
Minerva brings her knees up to her chest as she lies on the dirty floor. “Just… stay with me please.”
“That I can do.”
Minerva is silent for a time.
“Ch-Cherry?”
“Yes?”
“What… do you think happens to us when… when we die?”
“It’s a very… surreal experience. Your body feels so heavy as you pass, but then you become light as a feather as the end approaches. Things get dim and your eyes slowly close as you grow drowsy.”
“…what? How… how do you know all this?!
Cherry sighs. “Minerva, I… I died quite some time ago.”
“H-how are you here then?”
“It’s kinda complicated and we don’t have much time. But I guess the short version would be that a strange form of magic allowed me to enter the gemstone in the center of the Hero’s armor. Eventually I found my way into his helmet.”
“Can… can I do the same?”
“I don’t think so, no. That gem was only part of the reason.”
“And the rest?”
“My devotion to him.”
Minerva closes her eyes and smiles. “That’s… it must be nice.”
“Not really. I can’t move in this thing as it stands. Not without the rest of the armor, that is.”
“No. I mean… to be so dedicated to someone that you can shrug off death.”
“You don’t have anyone?”
Minerva shakes her head. “No. It’s… just me. No family. No friends. Not even a pet to greet me when I come home.”
“Sorry.”
Minerva forces a smile through her discomfort. “Don’t be. I made my choices in life and lived with the results. But I didn’t think it would lead to such an end. Any advice?”
“I suppose you should try to fall asleep.”
“Why?”
“So you won’t feel anything, I guess.”
“I think I can do that. So… so tired anyway.”
“Go ahead and take me off if it would make you more comfortable. I’ll watch over you to the end.”
“No thanks. But there is one thing I never got to do.”
“What is it?”
“I always wished I could have taken… taken the time to stop and smell the roses.”
Cherry sighs. “But your job didn’t give you a chance?”
Minerva shakes her head. “Even when I was a kid, I was always busy with something. Looking for what came next. Not… not looking at the now and here.”
“You mean the here and now?”
“Isn’t that… what I said?”
“I… yes, Minerva.”
Minerva turns her head left and right. “You think… there’s any flowers around here?”
“No. But there was something I used to do when I had time.”
“What’s that, Cherry?”
“Lie on my back and watch the clouds floating overhead.”
“Why?”
“It was always very soothing. Imagining what animals they were as I watched them pass.”
Minerva smiles. “Sounds relaxing. I wonder if there’s any out there now.”
“There was earlier.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes. I was looking at them during our drive over.”
“Well, there aren’t any windows around here.”
“I have an idea. Can you move?”
“A bit. Why?”
“Go back to the corridor.”
Minerva shakily gets to her feet and shambles out the door.
“Just across the hall.”
Minerva looks ahead. “That door?”
“Yes. Can you open it?”
“I… I think so.”
Flailing at the handle, Minerva eventually is able to push it down hard enough to disengage the latch. The door swings open slowly. She looks around, confused.
“A… patient room?”
“Lie down on the bed, Minerva.”
Minerva slowly does so. She rests her head on the pillow and smiles.
“That… that is a bit more comfortable than the floor. Thanks, Cherry.”
“Yes, well… look to your right.”
Doing as she is told Minerva slowly turns her head. The blue sky stretches out before her through the large hospital window.
“C-clouds!”
Cherry giggles. “Yes. We can watch them together if you want.”
“That would make me… happy.”
They spend a few minutes watching various cloud shapes.
“I think it looks like a cherry.”
Minerva smiles. “Well, I still see a camcorder lens and microphone.”
“There really are no right or wrong answers.”
“I suppose not. But… but this is really fun! Why didn’t I do this sooner?!”
“Life got in the way.”
“Yeah.”
Cherry sighs contentedly. “I should have done this more. At the end, you realize that much of what you held to be so important really isn’t.”
“You’re right. I’m seeing that now.”
“Many fall into that trap, I suppose.”
“I… I wish I could have a second chance.”
“What else would you do different?”
Minerva thinks for a moment.
“Make and keep some friends.”
“You don’t have anyone? What about your cameraman?”
Minerva shakes her head. “He’s just an employee of the station. Truthfully, I don’t even know his name.”
“Friendship really is magic, you know.”
“It is?”
“Sure! Friends share the good and bad times together.”
“How about now?”
Cherry sighs. “Definitely bad times here.”
Minerva smiles. “Thanks. I was kinda scared lying on the loading dock floor. But here… I’m more a peace.”
“That’s good to hear. I… wait a minute!”
“Cherry?”
“Look out the window!”
“I am. Remember we were…”
“No, no! Look down at ground level and to the left!”
Minerva does so. “What exactly am I supposed to be looking for?”
“There’s a tree out there!”
“That’s another thing I never did. Find the beauty in nature. I was always too busy…”
“No, no! It’s close to the building!”
“So?”
“We could climb down it to reach the ground!”
Minerva shakes her head. “The windows on the second and third floors are just as thick and don’t open either.”
“Right! But what if we jumped from the roof?!”
“I’d break my neck. It’s okay, Cherry. Meeting my end here is just fine with…”
“That tree probably extends well past the roof line!”
Minerva grins. “You’re right! I COULD climb down it!”
“Let’s go!”
Minerva sits up and sighs. “That timer has to be almost expired by now.”
“We have to try! What would Walter Cronkite do?!”
“What would he…?”
“Would he give up, or would he make sure the truth got out?!”
“He… he’d do his very best!”
She pats the crushed camera at her side.
“I have… I have the truth right here.”
“If you die here, it dies with you!”
Minerva nods. “Okay, I’ll try.”
Cherry cheers. “That’s the spirit! Let’s go!”
Minerva nods as she shakily stands and walks out of the room.
“How do you suppose we get to the roof, Cherry?”
“Straight ahead and to the right. There was another set of stairs leading up from the third floor.”
Minerva frowns as she shuffles toward the stairwell. “How do you know it doesn’t go somewhere else?”
“Because this building only has three floors. Where else would it go?”
“Makes sense. Sorry if I’m a bit out of it.”
Cherry sighs as Minerva opens the door and stumbles into the stairwell. “It’s okay. We’ll keep trying to the very end!”
Grabbing the railing as best she can, Minerva pulls herself up the stairs. Reaching the third floor landing she collapses to the floor.
“Minerva!”
Minerva lies there, breathing heavily. “I’m… just so tired.”
“Don’t give up now! You’re so close! Just one more flight of stairs to go!”
“Things are spinning again.”
“Feel your way up the stairs! I’ll direct you!”
“Y-yeah. Okay.”
Minerva slowly crawls up the last flight of stairs. Reaching a landing they find a large steel door with a large ‘R’ painted on the wall next to it. Cherry gasps.
“That has to be it!”
Grabbing the doorframe Minerva pulls herself up. Putting her hand on the handle she leans with all her weight. The door flies open and she falls onto the rubber roof.
“To your right, Minerva! Look!”
Minerva turns her head. She sees a large tree fairly close to the building. Slowly but surely, she drags herself to the edge.
“Almost… there...”
“You can do it! One hand in front of the other!”
“I… I can do… this!”
Minerva comes the edge of the roof and reaches for a branch.
“Cherry, I…”
“What’s wrong?! You’re almost home free!”
“My hands. They… they still won’t work right.”
“Don’t give up now! You’re so close!”
Minerva flails at the branch again, sighing. “I think this is the end of the line.”
“No! Keep trying!”
Minerva smiles as she pulls off the helmet and looks at its faceplate for a moment.
“Hold something for me.”
Fumbling, Minerva turns the helmet upside-down and puts the smashed camera inside it.
“What are you doing?!”
Minerva shifts her weight and leans over the edge of the roof. Cherry gasps.
“Be careful! You’ll fall!”
Minerva chuckles. “Don’t worry about that. You just hold my camera, okay?”
“Um… okay. But what about…?”
Minerva holds the helmet over the edge of the roof as she smiles. “This… this has been Minerva Moore reporting… her last story. Back to you… Tom.”
“Minerva! Stop!”
“Sorry, Cherry, but I want you to survive. Just… get my camera to the station somehow, okay?”
“MINERVA!!!”
Using all her strength Minerva tosses the helmet over the edge. Spent, her body lies partially hanging over the roof’s edge. She smiles as she closes her eyes.
“Thanks Cherry. Just make sure the truth about… about what happened here is known.”
A voice rings out nearby.
“Tell that story yourself!”
Minerva looks up to see the helmet caught in a branch against the trunk nearly at eye level.
“Cherry? How did you…?”
“This is where you tossed me!”
Minerva looks around. “Maybe I can find a stick or something.”
“There’s no time! You have to climb over here!”
Minerva shakes her head. “I can’t. And even if I could there’s no way I could climb all the way down safely.”
“Can you stand?!”
“I think so. But how does that…?”
“Trust me!”
“Well, okay.”
Shakily Minerva stands.
“Get a little bit closer to the edge!”
“But… this is dangerous enough! I could go over at any time!”
“Exactly!”
“What?!”
“Listen to me, Minerva! If you stay on that roof you’ll die! Your only chance is the tree!”
“How do I do this?!”
“There’re a lot of branches between you and the ground! Lean forward and let gravity drop you onto me!”
“Even if I do get my hands on you I still can’t climb down.”
“I know this might sound like a bit of a crazy plan, but you might be able to just let your body go limp and drop from branch to branch.”
“Three floors?!”
“There’s no time! Just please try!”
“I… um…”
Minerva gulps and looks down.
“We’re so high up though! And my hands…”
“As you drop wrap your arms around me! Can you do that?!”
“Maybe.”
“I’ll take a maybe right now!”
“But…”
“JUST DO IT!”
Minerva takes a deep breath and lets her body fall forward. As she nears Cherry, she throws her arms around the helmet as best she can.
“GOTCHA!”
Holding the helmet tightly to her chest, Minerva rolls off the limb and lands heavily on the one below. Gravity pulls her down a dozen or so branches. A few moments later Minerva finds herself lying on the grass next to the building looking up at the sky.
“Am I… alive?”
“Yes! But you won’t be if you don’t get moving!”
Minerva rolls over onto all fours and grabs the helmet.
“Where… do I go?”
“Straight ahead to get back to the van!”
Minerva cries out in pain as she crawls. “I… I’m not sure I can…”
“You can do it! After all, you’ve come this far! It’s just a bit further!”
The young woman strains to keep going. Each movement sends searing pain through her entire body.
“Y-yes. I’m… I’m going to make it. I’m going to live!”
Minerva reaches the foliage. The helmet tightly in one arm. Her hand slips on some wet leaves as she crashes to the ground. Her face lands in the mud, but she does not let go of Cherry.
“I can do it! I can!”
“Yes! Keep going!”
A minute later there is an earth-shattering explosion as the timer reaches zero. The blast throws Minerva a dozen or so feet forward as Cherry is ripped from her grasp. Her head crashes against a rock, but she forces herself to remain conscious. A massive cloud of dust blows past her as she cries out for her friend.
“CHERRY!!!”
Minerva stops to listen, but can hear nothing over the ringing in her ears. Bricks, metal, glass, and other debris from the hospital pelt her from above for what feels like an eternity. Dust fills her lungs, nose, and eyes. After a few minutes of coughing the roaring ceases and a silence fills Minerva’s ears.
“Ch- Cherry! Where… where are you?!”
The air is silent. Whether that is due to the explosion rocking her ears or Cherry being too far away to hear her is unknown.
“CHERRY!!!”
She listens again, straining to hear the tiniest sound. Some ways away a voice rings out.
“I’m here!”
“Cherry?! Where are you?!”
“Behind the van!”
Minerva looks around feebly. “I can’t see anything! There’s too much dust in my eyes!”
“Can you hear me?!”
“Yes!”
“Follow the sound of my voice!”
“I’ll try!”
Cherry calls out words of encouragement for ten minutes as Minerva slowly crawls, drags, and pulls herself along as best she can.
“Come on! You’re almost there! Just a few more inches!”
The tips of Minerva’s fingers touch the helmet. She sinks her fingers into the dirt and pulls herself the last bit until she can wrap an arm around Cherry. Pulling the helmet to her chest, she wraps both arms around it and smiles.
“Ch-Cherry?”
“Yes Minerva?”
“Did we… did we make it?”
“No, Minerva. YOU made it!”
“Not sure how.”
“We need to get you some medical attention, but I don’t think you can drive.”
“Maybe I can. Let me try.”
Putting Cherry under one arm Minerva uses the other to drag herself around the van toward the driver’s side door. The blood drains from her face.
“Oh no…”
“What is it?”
Minerva holds Cherry up to see the front of the van. An I-beam lies across the hood completely caving it in.
“What now?”
“I have an idea.”
Clawing her way up the side door, she opens it, flops inside, and crawls toward the front.
“Almost… there…!”
Coming to the front of the van Minerva reaches up and grabs her bag. She pulls it down to the floor. A few moments later she finds her cell phone and presses a few buttons. A moment later a voice comes over the other end.
“9-1-1, what is your emergency?”
Minerva opens her mouth to speak but reaches the end of her rope. Using the last of her strength she drops the phone into the helmet.
“Hello? Is anyone there?”
Cherry calls out. “Y-yes! My friend… I mean… I need help!”
“Yes ma’am. What’s your name?”
“Che… Minerva.”
“Can you tell me where you are, Minerva?”
“I… I don’t know! There was an explosion and I hit my head!”
“Are you in any immediate danger?”
“No. I… I crawled back to my… um… my vehicle.”
“I can attempt to trace your call, but can you look around and find a landmark of some kind?”
“Yes. I was looking around the old hospital outside Angel Groove. I remember I’m parked at the end of a wagon path.”
“Are you in the vehicle?”
“I am.”
“Can you give me the make and model?”
“Um… the what?”
“Describe your van as best you can.”
“It’s… um… big and um… it says Channel 7 News on the side.”
“I’m dispatching emergency personnel to find you, but I need you to stay on the line with me, okay?”
“Yes ma’am. What do I need to do?”
“Let me know if you hear sirens and if they start getting louder or quieter. It will help us locate you faster.”
“I’ll do my best.
About ten minutes later Cherry hears something that sounds like a high pitched wailing to her.
“I think I hear something. It’s getting louder.”
“You said you’re at the end of a two-track off the main road, right?”
“Yes!”
“I’ll relay this to the officers. Stay on the line.”
A moment later the sirens grow louder.
“I can hear the sirens over your phone. Can you see the officers?”
“I… um… so… tired. Help… me… please.”
Cherry goes silent.
“Ma’am? Ma’am, can you hear me? The officers report they’ve found your van. Are you there?”
Cherry does not respond but sees a man in a dark blue uniform and gold badge run over to the open van door and peer inside. She sighs inwardly as the man radios instructions to the ambulance.
“Hold on just a bit longer, Minerva! Help is on the way!”
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Good thing it wasnt many years later, that big tree couldve fallen down onto the building and hurt anyone inside.
Now I just hope Minervas credit card has enough on it to pay for the ambulance.
10447091
That tree wasn't in any danger of falling over. Diva used her magic to forcefully uproot it. That event was there to show that not only does Diva have magic, but that she has total mastery of it.