Capítulo 6: No Way Out?
"Harry!"
Lily shouted, her voice high with panic.
"I'm okay!" he called back, wincing as he pushed himself up. He felt a sharp pain in his side but ignored it, scrambling back to his feet. They couldn't afford to stop now.
Mr. Thompson was up ahead, gesturing wildly for them to keep moving. "Come on, come on!" he shouted. "We're almost there!"
Harry didn't know if "there" was safety or just another trap, but he had no choice but to trust the teachers for now. He ducked his head and sprinted forward, keeping his body low as arrows continued to rain down around them.
The clearing Mr. Thompson had mentioned was up ahead, a small break in the trees where the forest floor was less cluttered with underbrush. Harry could see it now, a patch of open ground bathed in weak sunlight filtering through the canopy.
As the group burst into the clearing, Harry could feel the tension in the air change. The arrows stopped, the forest suddenly eerily quiet. Harry slowed, panting heavily as he looked around. The others were doing the same, eyes wide with fear and confusion.
"What... what now?" Lily asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Mr. Thompson, hands on his knees as he caught his breath, straightened up and scanned the area. "We take a moment, get our bearings," he said, his voice firm but calm. "Then we figure out a way to—"
Before he could finish, there was a low, guttural growl from the trees to their right. Harry's stomach dropped as he turned to see the shadows moving, the hulking forms of the Endwalkers emerging from the forest.
"Shit, I knew it..." Harry breathed. They hadn't escaped.
They'd just run straight into another part of the trap.
The Endwalkers stepped into the clearing, their massive forms blocking any path back into the forest. Behind them, the small, lithe figures from earlier started to appear, each one holding a bow, their eyes glinting with a predatory hunger.
Mr. Thompson stepped forward, putting himself between the students and the monsters. "Stay behind me," he ordered, his voice low and dangerous.
But Harry knew this was a losing battle. The teachers might hold them off for a moment, but they were surrounded. They needed a way out, and fast.
Looking around frantically, Harry's eyes fell on a narrow path leading away from the clearing. It was barely visible, hidden by the undergrowth, but it was there.
"This way!" he shouted, grabbing Lily's arm and pulling her towards the path. "Come on, we've got to go now!"
The others hesitated for a moment, but as the Endwalkers started to advance, they had no choice but to follow. Harry led the way, crashing through the underbrush, his heart pounding in his chest.
Behind him, he could hear the sounds of pursuit—the heavy footsteps of the Endwalkers, the rustle of the smaller creatures moving through the trees. They were close, too close.
Harry pushed himself harder, ignoring the burning in his lungs, the sting of branches scratching at his skin. They had to keep moving. They had to escape.
But as they rounded a bend in the path, Harry's heart sank. Up ahead, the path was blocked by a sheer rock face, towering above them like an impenetrable wall.
"Great, just great!" he muttered, skidding to a stop. They were trapped.
The others piled up behind him, eyes wide with fear as they realized their predicament. Mr. Thompson moved to the front, his face grim. "We'll have to climb," he said, eyeing the rock wall. "It's our only chance."
Harry nodded, though he had no idea how they were going to get everyone up the wall before the monsters caught up to them. But he knew one thing—they had to try.
"Come on," he said, turning to help Lily. "We've got to move fast."
And with that, they started to climb, praying that they could reach the top before the Endwalkers reached them.
Mr. Avery, the math teacher, immediately began calculating. His eyes darted up and down the rock face, quickly assessing its height and the amount of time it would take each person to climb. The wall was about fifteen feet tall—nothing impossible, but not an easy task, especially under such pressure.
"Rough estimate," Mr. Avery muttered, more to himself than anyone else. "It'll take each of us about thirty seconds to get up, maybe more for some. If we're quick, it'll take around three minutes to get everyone over."
Harry, standing nearby, heard him and his heart sank. Three minutes felt like a lifetime with the Endwalkers and archers closing in. But they had no other choice.
"Mr. Greene!" Mr. Thompson called out, turning to the history teacher. "You're light and quick. Start climbing. When you get to the top, help pull the others up. We need to move fast!"
Mr. Greene nodded, his face pale but determined. He stepped forward, grabbing onto the rock face and beginning to climb. His movements were unsteady at first, but he quickly found his rhythm, pulling himself up with surprising agility.
"Alright, everyone, listen up!" Mr. Thompson continued, addressing the group. "We'll start with the girls and female teachers. Harry, you and some of the other boys help them up. We need to move quickly, but safely."
"Mr. Avery, you and I will guard the rear with some of the stronger boys. Pick up anything you can use as a weapon—rocks, sticks, whatever you can find."
Harry nodded, turning to Lily and a few of the other girls. "Come on, we'll help you up," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. He could feel his hands trembling, but he pushed the fear aside, focusing on the task at hand.
Lily stepped forward, her face set with determination. "I'm ready," she said, grabbing onto the rock. Harry and another boy, James, moved to her side, helping to steady her as she began to climb.
The rock was rough and uneven, with plenty of handholds, but the climb was still difficult. Lily gritted her teeth, pulling herself up, one hand over the other. Harry and James stayed close, ready to catch her if she slipped.
Behind them, the other boys were helping the girls to the wall, forming a line. They moved quickly, helping one girl up and then the next, each one scrambling up the rock face as fast as they could.
Mr. Thompson and Mr. Avery, along with a few of the stronger boys, stood at the back of the group, their eyes scanning the forest. They had picked up sticks and rocks, holding them tightly in their hands, ready to defend against any attack.
Harry glanced back, his heart pounding. He could see the Endwalkers now, their massive forms looming just beyond the trees. They were slow, but they were relentless, moving steadily towards them. Behind them, the archers were closing in as well, their eyes glinting with malice.
'I hope nothing bad happens...'
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