Project Apex by Michael Bray Page B

same fate. Youness was still whining, screeching in Akhtar's ear, drooling against his cheek. Someone shoved them, desperate to get past the slow moving pair. With the additional weight of Youness in his arms, he was unable to maintain his balance and felt himself pitching forward amidst the tangle of fleeing legs. He managed to retain his balance, stumbling a little and almost reaching the point of overbalance, then somehow managed to right himself. A fresh patter of gunfire zipped overhead, driving the already terrified crowd to increase their speed - something which he himself could not. Another shove from the rear, this time harder and with more intent, ensuring any chance of retaining his balance was little more than a hope replaced by blind panic as he struck the ground, his knees taking the brunt of the impact. He fell atop his brother, cupping his head and trying his best to protect him from the army of feet which were around them. Someone stood on his leg, someone else on his back as the people desperate tried to flee the attack, either not caring or too horrified to notice what they were doing as they systematically crushed him further into the dirt. He glanced to the side and saw someone who had suffered the same fate. The man was lying on the floor, head turned to one side, dead eyes wide and staring. Blood seeped from his nose and ears, and his teeth were shattered. Even so, Akhtar recognised him as the man who was perched alongside him on the window ledge just minutes earlier. In a surreal display, Akhtar watched as every few seconds, a foot would stand on the man's face, bugging his eyes out of his skull which looked to already have been severely softened by the constant trampling. Someone kicked him in the ribs, stumbled, glared back at the two boys then carried on running. Akhtar knew they had to move, to fight to their feet if they wanted to survive. Without grace or worrying about hurting his brother, he lurched to his feet, grabbing his sibling roughly by the arm and yanking him upright, ignoring the sting of pain where he had been kicked and stood on, all in the name of survival. A quick glance over his shoulder renewed his urgency, as the men dressed in black were closer, now just twenty feet away from where they stood towards the rear of the thinning crowd. Akhtar dragged his brother towards a narrow alleyway between two buildings, hoping it would, at least, offer them a chance to regroup. The gap was smaller than it looked, Akhtar having to turn side on to squeeze between the buildings at either side. The alley appeared to lead towards a sewer drain of sorts, a circular drain pipe which was wedged at the rear of the alley, the blackness beyond their sanctuary from the horror in the streets. Akhtar shoved his brother in first, hating himself for bringing more panic and upset to the screaming seven-year-old.  He was aware that they had backed themselves into a dead end, and if the men in black happened to glance into the alleyway as they walked past, they would be unable to escape death.
    "Go further into the tunnel," Akhtar hissed at Youness, shoving his head down and pushing him into the filthy, dark opening.
    Youness whined and cried, scratching at his brother.
    “Do it now, Youness. Please.” Akhtar hated to do it. He knew his brother was terrified of the dark, and that this was probably terrifying him. A crackle of gunfire reminded Akhtar that he could deal with a brother who was afraid and upset as long as he was alive. He shoved his brother into the dark ahead of him, gasping for breath and falling to his knees, not caring what might be floating in the water as long as they were safe
    Youness was sobbing, his face streaked with a combination of tears, drool and sweat. Akhtar grimaced at the amplified sounds of his brother's cries, as they bounced off the walls and spread deeper into the sewer system. It was too loud, and would surely draw the attention of the men in black. Hating himself for